NameCensus.

UK surname

Mascall

An English habitational surname deriving from any of the places called Maskall in counties like Surrey and Worcestershire.

In the 1881 census there were 353 people recorded with the Mascall surname, ranking it #8,708 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 411, ranked #11,654, down from #8,708 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stanstead Mountfitchet, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hertfordshire, Epping Forest and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mascall is 486 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

353

Ranked #8,708

Modern count

411

2016, ranked #11,654

Peak year

2002

486 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mascall had 353 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,708 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016, ranked #11,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 477 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mascall surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mascall surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mascall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mascall over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 272 #8,240
1861 historical 214 #11,365
1881 historical 353 #8,708
1891 historical 394 #8,982
1901 historical 392 #9,623
1911 historical 477 #8,114
1997 modern 462 #9,869
1998 modern 472 #10,032
1999 modern 483 #9,932
2000 modern 484 #9,873
2001 modern 472 #9,873
2002 modern 486 #9,833
2003 modern 462 #10,045
2004 modern 446 #10,391
2005 modern 430 #10,575
2006 modern 416 #10,912
2007 modern 411 #11,144
2008 modern 412 #11,210
2009 modern 418 #11,309
2010 modern 412 #11,707
2011 modern 408 #11,681
2012 modern 409 #11,547
2013 modern 433 #11,184
2014 modern 436 #11,198
2015 modern 425 #11,346
2016 modern 411 #11,654

Geography

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Where Mascalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stanstead Mountfitchet, London parishes, St John Hackney, St Lawrence in Thanet and Sawbridgeworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hertfordshire, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Stanstead Mountfitchet Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 St Lawrence in Thanet Kent
5 Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hertfordshire 011 East Hertfordshire
2 Epping Forest 001 Epping Forest
3 Harlow 008 Harlow
4 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
5 East Hertfordshire 008 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mascall

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mascall surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mascall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mascall, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Mascall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mascall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mascall is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mascall is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mascall falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mascall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mascall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mascall

The surname Mascall has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "mæssel" or "massle," which referred to a small wood or thicket. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone living near or in such a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mascel." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation across England. The presence of the name in this record highlights its antiquity and establishes its English roots.

During the medieval period, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Massall, Masshall, and Machall, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time. These variations often resulted from regional dialects and the interpretations of scribes who recorded names phonetically.

The surname Mascall has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Robert Mascall, a 16th-century English writer and clergyman who authored works on husbandry and agriculture. His book, "A Booke of the Arte and Maner, howe to Plante and Graffe all Sortes of Trees," published in 1572, was an influential treatise on horticulture during the Elizabethan era.

Another prominent bearer of the name was John Mascall, a 17th-century English mathematician and surveyor. Born in 1592, he is credited with developing several mathematical instruments and publishing works on surveying and navigation, including "The Theory and Practice of Finding the Longitude at Sea or Land" in 1635.

In the realm of literature, Edward Mascall (1905-1993) was a notable English philosopher and theologian. He served as a lecturer at Oxford University and authored numerous books exploring the intersection of Christianity and modern thought, such as "Existence and Analogy" and "The Secularization of Christianity."

The surname Mascall has also been associated with various place names in England. For example, Mascall's Wood in Kent and Mascall's Farm in Surrey may have derived their names from individuals bearing the Mascall surname who once lived or owned land in those areas.

George Mascall (1696-1765), a British military officer and colonial administrator, is another notable figure with this surname. He served as the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1749 to 1765 and played a significant role in the settlement and development of the region during the mid-18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mascall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mascall surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 86 Mascalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.65x.

County Total Index
Essex 86 12.65x
Kent 60 5.11x
Middlesex 54 1.57x
Hertfordshire 44 18.54x
Warwickshire 19 2.19x
Cambridgeshire 18 8.25x
Surrey 18 1.07x
Buckinghamshire 8 3.84x
Hampshire 8 1.13x
Durham 7 0.68x
Sussex 7 1.21x
Staffordshire 6 0.52x
Norfolk 5 0.94x
Pembrokeshire 4 3.66x
Worcestershire 4 0.89x
Wiltshire 3 0.99x
Yorkshire 2 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Radwinter in Essex leads with 37 Mascalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3737.37x.

Place Total Index
Radwinter 37 3737.37x
Sawbridgeworth 37 1030.64x
St Lawrence 25 309.41x
Hackney London 21 10.88x
Castle Camps 14 1333.33x
Aston 11 4.60x
Camberwell 11 5.00x
Plumstead 11 28.09x
Stanstead 11 1929.82x
Clerkenwell London 10 12.30x
Alverstoke 8 31.31x
Birmingham 8 2.76x
Bethnal Green London 7 4.68x
Bishop Auckland 7 50.95x
Hambleden 7 393.26x
Kensington London 7 3.66x
Prittlewell 7 74.31x
Woolwich 7 16.13x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.62x
Leigh 6 254.24x
Brighton 5 4.27x
Little Walsingham 5 416.67x
Ashdon 4 404.04x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 42.92x
Great Waltham 4 144.40x
Greenwich 4 7.30x
Handsworth 4 13.96x
Newport 4 338.98x
Steynton 4 112.99x
West Ham 4 2.67x
Bishop Stortford 3 37.83x
Chippenham 3 46.95x
St Gilesin Fields 3 149.25x
Thaxted 3 132.74x
Upper Mitton 3 297.03x
Ashford 2 17.48x
Battersea 2 1.58x
Bilston 2 8.88x
Epsom 2 24.45x
Great Hadham 2 130.72x
Harston 2 215.05x
Heathfield 2 85.11x
Islington London 2 0.60x
Kingston On Thames 2 4.96x
Leyton Low 2 14.47x
Rochford 2 101.01x
St Marylebone London 2 1.09x
Chelsea London 1 0.96x
Clapham 1 2.32x
Hertford St Andrew 1 34.13x
Kimberworth 1 5.28x
Kings Norton 1 2.48x
Lewisham 1 1.60x
Little Marlow 1 86.96x
Newington 1 10.64x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 81.30x
St Edward Cambridge 1 144.93x
St Pancras London 1 0.36x
Wanstead 1 8.40x
Ware 1 14.71x
Wimbish 1 100.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mascall surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 12
Ann 11
Annie 9
Emma 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Fanny 4
Henrietta 4
Blanche 3
Clara 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Jessie 3
Lucy 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Minnie 2
Rosina 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bessey 1
Cecilia 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
George 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lina 1
Lizze 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mascall surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 23
John 16
Thomas 12
George 11
Charles 10
Alfred 8
Frederick 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Ernest 3
James 3
Josiah 3
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Frederic 2
Harry 2
Joshua 2
Abraham 1
Bennett 1
Charls 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Eustace 1
Fred. 1
Fredrick 1
Isaac 1
J.R.S. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Joeph 1
Kate 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Sholto 1
Solomon 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mascall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mascall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 353 people were recorded with the Mascall surname. That placed it at #8,708 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mascall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016. That gives Mascall a modern rank of #11,654.

What does the Mascall surname mean?

An English habitational surname deriving from any of the places called Maskall in counties like Surrey and Worcestershire.

What does the Mascall map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mascall bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.