UK surname
A surname derived from a place name in France, possibly from the town of Massay.
In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Massay surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 50, ranked #34,889, down from #28,715 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Ealing, Chiswick and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Massay is 145 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.9%.
1881 census count
35
Ranked #28,715
Modern count
50
2016, ranked #34,889
Peak year
1861
145 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Massay surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Massay surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 56 | #23,235 |
| 1861 | historical | 145 | #15,715 |
| 1881 | historical | 35 | #28,715 |
| 1891 | historical | 119 | #21,415 |
| 1901 | historical | 49 | #28,696 |
| 1911 | historical | 23 | #30,923 |
| 1997 | modern | 38 | #33,872 |
| 1998 | modern | 36 | #34,246 |
| 1999 | modern | 33 | #34,610 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 37 | #34,390 |
| 2003 | modern | 44 | #33,875 |
| 2004 | modern | 42 | #34,222 |
| 2005 | modern | 42 | #34,395 |
| 2006 | modern | 44 | #34,568 |
| 2007 | modern | 41 | #34,974 |
| 2008 | modern | 43 | #34,931 |
| 2009 | modern | 44 | #35,028 |
| 2010 | modern | 49 | #34,886 |
| 2011 | modern | 48 | #34,926 |
| 2012 | modern | 49 | #34,873 |
| 2013 | modern | 53 | #34,715 |
| 2014 | modern | 50 | #34,927 |
| 2015 | modern | 52 | #34,775 |
| 2016 | modern | 50 | #34,889 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Ealing, Chiswick, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Bradford | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Massay surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Massay, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Massay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Massay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Massay is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Massay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Massay, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MASSAY is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "maesse" meaning mass and "eg" meaning island or meadow. It is thought to have first emerged around the 11th century in areas such as Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Masseye". This entry likely refers to a location or landowner with a name derived from the same roots.
In the 13th century, there are records of individuals named MASSAY living in villages like Masseybrook and Masseye in Staffordshire. The surname was sometimes spelled variations like Massey, Massi, or Masci during this time period.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir Geoffrey Massay, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was born around 1320 in Staffordshire.
Another historically significant figure was John Massay, born in 1486 in Cheshire. He served as Sheriff of Cheshire in 1526 and was involved in local governance.
In the 16th century, the MASSAY surname spread to other parts of England including Yorkshire and Lancashire. Thomas Massay, born in 1542 in Yorkshire, was a wealthy landowner whose estate was passed down through several generations.
During the English Civil War in the 1600s, Colonel Edward Massay led Parliamentarian forces and fought against the Royalists. He was born in Cheshire in 1619.
The name continued to be well-represented among the English gentry into the 18th century. Lord Clive Massay, born in 1706 in Derbyshire, was a prominent figure who served as a member of parliament.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Massay surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Derbyshire leads with 7 Massays recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.10x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 7 | 13.10x |
| Norfolk | 5 | 9.53x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 5.31x |
| Cambridgeshire | 3 | 13.88x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 2.72x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.74x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 0.89x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.59x |
| Wiltshire | 2 | 6.63x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 3.40x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 1.43x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 3.39x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Church Gresley in Derbyshire leads with 7 Massays recorded in 1881 and an index of 823.53x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Church Gresley | 7 | 823.53x |
| Cringleford | 5 | 16666.67x |
| Birkenhead | 4 | 66.67x |
| Outwell | 3 | 7500.00x |
| Govan | 2 | 7.33x |
| Ormesby | 2 | 219.78x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 10.98x |
| Trowbridge | 2 | 150.38x |
| Ellerby In Whitby | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Formby | 1 | 217.39x |
| Itchen Stoke | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Salford | 1 | 8.40x |
| Shettleston | 1 | 101.01x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 7.29x |
| Whitchurch | 1 | 175.44x |
| Whitehaven | 1 | 63.69x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Massay surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Massay surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Massay households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| Berlin & Fancy Reposity | 1 |
| Brickyard Labourer | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Clerk In Orders Clergyman | 1 |
| Compositor & Reporter | 1 |
| Dock Laborer | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Gen Serv | 1 |
| Labourer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Landed Proprietor | 1 |
| Manure Agent | 1 |
| Ship Wright | 1 |
| Tailor & Draper | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Massay surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 50 in 2016. That gives Massay a modern rank of #34,889.
A surname derived from a place name in France, possibly from the town of Massay.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Massay bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.