NameCensus.

UK surname

Masterman

An occupational surname referring to one who oversaw or supervised workers or servants.

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Masterman surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 829, ranked #6,706, down from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, Shapwick, Witchampton and Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Bournemouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Masterman is 970 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.9%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

829

2016, ranked #6,706

Peak year

1911

970 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Masterman had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 829 in 2016, ranked #6,706.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 970 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Masterman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Masterman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Masterman 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 587 #4,357
1861 historical 562 #4,687
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 781 #5,140
1901 historical 930 #5,016
1911 historical 970 #4,661
1997 modern 919 #5,882
1998 modern 934 #5,982
1999 modern 930 #6,048
2000 modern 943 #5,962
2001 modern 913 #6,021
2002 modern 927 #6,059
2003 modern 890 #6,141
2004 modern 896 #6,107
2005 modern 881 #6,115
2006 modern 873 #6,183
2007 modern 862 #6,305
2008 modern 857 #6,381
2009 modern 878 #6,392
2010 modern 889 #6,452
2011 modern 881 #6,435
2012 modern 857 #6,489
2013 modern 860 #6,569
2014 modern 867 #6,557
2015 modern 853 #6,581
2016 modern 829 #6,706

Geography

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Where Mastermans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, Shapwick, Witchampton, Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon), St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire and Bournemouth. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 Shapwick, Witchampton Dorset
3 Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Bournemouth 002 Bournemouth
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Masterman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Masterman

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Masterman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Masterman 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

Masterman falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Masterman 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 Masterman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Masterman

The surname Masterman originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mastre," meaning master or teacher, and the word "man," indicating a person. The name likely referred to someone who was a schoolmaster or a skilled craftsman who oversaw apprentices.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a Robert Masterman. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, listing a Richard Masterman residing in Oxfordshire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct mentions of the surname Masterman, but there are references to places like Masterton in Wiltshire and Masterson in Staffordshire, which may have contributed to the development of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Masterman include Sir John Masterman (c.1548-1637), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Brackley in 1593. Another prominent figure was Thomas Masterman (1663-1723), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, John Masterman (1701-1771) was a renowned English surveyor and cartographer responsible for creating detailed maps of various counties in England. His son, also named John Masterman (1742-1808), followed in his footsteps and became a respected surveyor as well.

During the 19th century, Charles Frederick Masterman (1808-1856) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in various expeditions and surveys in the Pacific Ocean.

Throughout history, variations of the surname have included Masterman, Mastermann, Masterman, and Mastmond, reflecting regional spelling differences and dialect variations across different parts of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Masterman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Masterman 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. Yorkshire leads with 340 Mastermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.68x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 340 4.68x
Hampshire 79 5.25x
Dorset 71 14.75x
Durham 53 2.43x
Lancashire 38 0.44x
Middlesex 34 0.46x
Surrey 21 0.59x
Essex 19 1.31x
Kent 16 0.64x
Northumberland 15 1.37x
Warwickshire 14 0.76x
Worcestershire 8 0.84x
Bedfordshire 7 1.84x
Gloucestershire 7 0.49x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.35x
Wiltshire 6 0.92x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.03x
Sussex 4 0.32x
Channel Islands 2 0.92x
Staffordshire 2 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.14x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castleford in Yorkshire leads with 28 Mastermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 105.78x.

Place Total Index
Castleford 28 105.78x
Shapwick 19 1727.27x
Holdenhurst 18 45.64x
Ripon 18 106.76x
Wakefield 18 32.26x
Portsea 17 5.77x
Christchurch 13 39.88x
Leeds 13 3.17x
Swinton Broughton In 13 1140.35x
Knottingley 12 93.90x
Manchester 12 3.07x
Salford 12 4.69x
Bedale 11 415.09x
Darlington 11 13.05x
Clifton In York 10 65.79x
St Luke London 10 8.50x
Hunslet 9 7.94x
Leyton 9 36.09x
Millbrook 9 23.77x
Acomb 8 210.53x
Barrow In Furness 8 6.76x
Islington London 8 1.13x
Lower Mitton 8 94.79x
Sowerby In Thirsk 8 182.65x
Spetisbury 8 601.50x
Whitby 8 32.65x
Whitwood 8 77.44x
Carthorpe 7 853.66x
Ganton 7 823.53x
Milton Ernest 7 660.38x
Stockton On Tees 7 6.65x
Tanfield 7 26.98x
Wanstead 7 27.60x
York St Michael Le 7 297.87x
Bradwell 6 96.15x
Crofton 6 333.33x
Croydon 6 3.02x
Huby 6 480.00x
Knowle 6 157.89x
Longfleet 6 107.53x
St Faith Winchester 6 85.59x
Stillington 6 397.35x
Sturminster Marshall 6 298.51x
Waldridge 6 164.38x
Westgate 6 8.88x
Whickham 6 29.88x
Aldwark 5 892.86x
Aston 5 0.98x
Avening 5 98.43x
Blatchinworth 5 25.23x
Bradford 5 2.84x
Fordington 5 48.22x
Hartoft 5 1388.89x
Langton Matravers 5 223.21x
Newbottle 5 41.95x
Northowram 5 9.81x
Old Malton 5 109.41x
Sculcoates 5 4.34x
South Newbald 5 1282.05x
York St Michael 5 476.19x
Bagby 4 571.43x
Battersea 4 1.48x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.26x
Bexley 4 18.08x
Fadmoor 4 1081.08x
Hambleton 4 300.75x
Norton In Malton 4 45.40x
Plumstead 4 4.79x
Poole St James 4 22.11x
Soberton 4 144.93x
Byker 3 5.56x
Camberwell 3 0.64x
Lambeth 3 0.47x
Langton Long Blandford 3 428.57x
Manningham 3 3.35x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 7.04x
Morden 3 147.06x
Paddington London 3 1.11x
South Hayling 3 111.94x
York St Cuthbert 3 45.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 56
William 49
George 46
Thomas 35
Henry 22
James 19
Robert 13
Charles 12
Alfred 8
Arthur 7
Fred 5
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Francis 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Fredk.J. 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Oxley 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Alexr.K. 1
Algernon 1
Anthony 1
Chas.S. 1
Clarence 1
Clevland 1
Cornelius 1
Ella 1
Forester 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geoe. 1
Jas 1
Jno.W. 1
Leonard 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Masterman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Masterman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Masterman surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Masterman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 829 in 2016. That gives Masterman a modern rank of #6,706.

What does the Masterman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who oversaw or supervised workers or servants.

What does the Masterman map show?

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