NameCensus.

UK surname

Masser

A topographic name denoting someone who lived near a marshy area.

In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Masser surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, down from #11,677 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire), Foleshill and Nuneaton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East and Basildon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Masser is 307 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.4%.

1881 census count

232

Ranked #11,677

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

1901

307 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Masser had 232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,677 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 307 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Masser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Masser surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Masser 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 172 #13,619
1881 historical 232 #11,677
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 281 #11,953
1997 modern 231 #16,049
1998 modern 246 #15,864
1999 modern 248 #15,884
2000 modern 230 #16,644
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 211 #17,513
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 234 #16,388
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 235 #16,668
2008 modern 224 #17,337
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 229 #17,633
2012 modern 218 #18,139
2013 modern 223 #18,135
2014 modern 224 #18,202
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Massers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire), Foleshill, Nuneaton, Leigh and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East and Basildon. 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 Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire) Warwickshire
2 Foleshill Warwickshire
3 Nuneaton Warwickshire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 035 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 043 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 045 Cheshire East
5 Basildon 014 Basildon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Masser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Masser

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Masser surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Masser household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Masser is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Masser is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Masser falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Masser is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Masser

The surname Masser has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Mass," which means "measure." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a measurer, surveyor, or land assessor.

In the medieval period, the name Masser was prevalent in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Records from the early 1500s show variations in spelling, such as Masser, Massar, and Masszer.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Masser is found in the Augsburg Tax Register of 1524, where a certain Hans Masser is listed as a landowner and taxpayer in the city.

In the 17th century, the Masser surname began to spread across other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. In the Netherlands, a notable figure bearing this name was Pieter Masser (1599-1673), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still-life and vanitas paintings.

As the name spread, it also took on various localized spellings. In France, the surname appeared as Masseur, while in England, it was sometimes written as Massar or Massard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Masser surname in England dates back to 1642, when John Masser, a merchant from Hamburg, settled in London and became a prominent figure in the city's German community.

Another individual of historical significance was Johann Christian Masser (1753-1827), a German composer and organist who served as the court organist in Darmstadt, Germany, and composed numerous works for organ and harpsichord.

In the 19th century, the Masser surname gained prominence in the United States, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was William Masser (1815-1879), a German-American entrepreneur who founded the Masser Lumber Company in Pennsylvania, which became one of the largest lumber businesses in the state.

Another notable figure was John Masser (1837-1914), a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and heroic actions at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863.

While the surname Masser may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and countries, reflecting the diverse origins and migrations of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Masser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Masser 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. Warwickshire leads with 61 Massers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.69x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 61 10.69x
Yorkshire 44 1.96x
Lancashire 27 1.01x
Leicestershire 19 7.57x
Middlesex 18 0.80x
Lanarkshire 11 1.50x
Cheshire 9 1.80x
Durham 9 1.34x
Staffordshire 9 1.18x
Derbyshire 7 1.98x
Surrey 7 0.63x
Sussex 6 1.57x
Berkshire 1 0.59x
Norfolk 1 0.29x
Northumberland 1 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.33x
Wiltshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Foleshill in Warwickshire leads with 16 Massers recorded in 1881 and an index of 266.67x.

Place Total Index
Foleshill 16 266.67x
Leeds 16 12.64x
Atherstone 15 515.46x
Tottington Lower End 13 101.88x
Govan 11 6.08x
Knowle 10 854.70x
Earl Shilton 9 1636.36x
Westleigh 9 147.54x
Willaston In Nantwich 9 584.42x
Hawthorn 8 3636.36x
Potter Newton 8 202.02x
Whitwell On The Hill 8 5000.00x
Wolverhampton 8 13.62x
Leamington Priors 7 49.86x
Hornsey 6 20.96x
Hove 6 35.84x
Norton 6 205.48x
St George In East 6 38.99x
Sutton Coldfield 6 100.00x
Thames Ditton 5 218.34x
Aston 4 2.55x
Ratcliffe Culey 4 2222.22x
Sheepy Magna 4 1250.00x
Falsgrave 3 90.91x
Holy Trinity 3 5.56x
Manchester 2 1.66x
Rastrick 2 32.10x
St George Hanover 2 6.77x
Warrington 2 6.28x
Withernwick 2 571.43x
Billingham 1 86.21x
Bray 1 20.04x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.27x
Burton Extra 1 22.83x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 1 212.77x
Clayworth 1 294.12x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.47x
Kensington London 1 0.79x
Lambeth 1 0.51x
Milverton 1 59.88x
Nuneaton 1 15.13x
Salford 1 1.27x
Seals 1 113.64x
Sheepy Parva 1 1428.57x
Spitalfields London 1 5.88x
Stoke 1 89.29x
Swindon 1 6.44x
Tottenham 1 2.77x
West Whelpington 1 1666.67x
Westminster St 1 11.99x
Weybridge 1 42.19x
Whittington 1 20.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 12
James 7
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
George 5
Alfred 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
Bertram 1
Bertrand 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Haworth 1
Isaic 1
J. 1
Jean 1
Jno. 1
Martin 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1
Solomon 1

FAQ

Masser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Masser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Masser surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Masser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Masser a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Masser surname mean?

A topographic name denoting someone who lived near a marshy area.

What does the Masser map show?

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