NameCensus.

UK surname

Massen

A locational surname derived from a place name based on the German word "massen" meaning "masses" or "great quantities."

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Massen surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 189, ranked #20,334, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedford St Paul, King's Lynn St Margaret and Wisbech St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Cornwall and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Massen is 195 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 220.3%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

189

2016, ranked #20,334

Peak year

2003

195 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Massen had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016, ranked #20,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 101 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Massen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Massen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Massen 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 41 #28,839
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 72 #26,162
1911 historical 101 #22,589
1997 modern 158 #20,422
1998 modern 170 #20,030
1999 modern 186 #19,073
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 184 #20,079
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 183 #20,425
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 189 #20,334

Geography

Back to top

Where Massens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedford St Paul, King's Lynn St Margaret, Wisbech St Peter, Bradford and Walsoken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Cornwall, Lewes and Norwich. 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 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
2 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
3 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Walsoken Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 014 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
4 Lewes 007 Lewes
5 Norwich 006 Norwich

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Massen

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Massen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Massen, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Massen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Massen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Massen is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Massen is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Massen falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Massen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Massen

The surname Massen has its origins in Europe, specifically within the regions now known as Germany and France. The earliest documented instances of the name can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 12th and 13th centuries, in regions such as Lower Saxony in Germany and Alsace in France. The name Massen may derive from several old Germanic words, including the Middle High German word "masse," meaning a measure or mass, which indicates a person of significant stature or influence within the community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in a document from 1237, listing a Heinrich Massen in the town of Lübeck, Germany. This suggests that the name had some prominence even in the High Middle Ages. Additionally, the name appears in various spellings over the centuries, such as Masen, Mase, and Maser, depending on the local dialects and the evolution of language over time.

Historical references indicate that the name Massen was also connected with specific geographic locations. In France, there’s a village named Massen in the Lorraine region, historically associated with families bearing the surname. This village itself dates back to the Frankish period, further cementing the long-standing presence of the name in medieval Europe.

A notable individual with this surname is Johannes Massen, a scholar and writer born in 1501 and lived until 1562. He made significant contributions to early German literature and was a contemporary of Martin Luther, the seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. Another important figure is August Massen, a Prussian military officer born in 1810 who became renowned for his strategic acumen during the mid-19th century.

In the 17th century, records from Alsace mention a Jean-Baptiste Massen, a landowner and council member in Strasbourg, born in 1643 and deceased in 1712. During the same era, another significant person was Maria Massen, born in 1686, a known philanthropist who aided in the establishment of multiple orphanages in Bavaria, hinting at the name’s spread from its origin points.

By the 19th century, the name continued to appear in historical records. A well-documented bearer of the name was Friedrich Massen, an influential scientist and chemist born in 1798 who contributed extensively to early 19th-century advancements in chemistry. His research garnered significant attention across academic circles during his time.

Overall, the surname Massen has a rich history marked by various notable figures throughout the centuries, spanning from medieval Europe to the scientific community of the 19th century. Its presence in both German and French regions further underscores the interconnected histories and cultures of these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Massen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Massen 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. Norfolk leads with 32 Massens recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.57x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 32 35.57x
Lancashire 9 1.30x
Yorkshire 6 1.03x
Essex 2 1.73x
Middlesex 2 0.34x
Banffshire 1 8.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 2.70x
Channel Islands 1 5.77x
Durham 1 0.57x
Hampshire 1 0.83x
Lanarkshire 1 0.53x
Suffolk 1 1.40x
Surrey 1 0.35x
Warwickshire 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Lynn St Margaret in Norfolk leads with 19 Massens recorded in 1881 and an index of 703.70x.

Place Total Index
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 703.70x
Burnley 8 136.75x
Walsoken 8 1481.48x
Holy Trinity 3 21.51x
South Lynn 3 294.12x
Paddington London 2 9.29x
Sculcoates 2 21.76x
West Ham 2 7.84x
Banff 1 95.24x
Bermondsey 1 5.74x
Bircham Newton 1 5000.00x
Bishop Auckland 1 42.74x
Foleshill 1 64.52x
Glasgow 1 2.98x
Hunstanton 1 333.33x
Ipswich St Clement 1 55.25x
Kirkdale 1 8.56x
Portsea 1 4.25x
Sheffield 1 5.42x
St Anne 1 322.58x
Wisbech St Peter 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 4
Arthur 3
George 2
Henry 2
Peter 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Alma 1
Alphonse 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
James 1
Rebecca 1
Richard 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

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 Massen households.

FAQ

Massen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Massen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Massen surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Massen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016. That gives Massen a modern rank of #20,334.

What does the Massen surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name based on the German word "massen" meaning "masses" or "great quantities."

What does the Massen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Massen 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.