NameCensus.

UK surname

Mayall

An English surname derived from a medieval personal name meaning "maverick" or "misfit".

In the 1881 census there were 917 people recorded with the Mayall surname, ranking it #4,177 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 996, ranked #5,817, down from #4,177 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Tewkesbury and Kidderminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Tameside and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mayall is 1,246 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.6%.

1881 census count

917

Ranked #4,177

Modern count

996

2016, ranked #5,817

Peak year

1911

1,246 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mayall had 917 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,177 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 996 in 2016, ranked #5,817.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,246 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Mayall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mayall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mayall 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 578 #4,409
1861 historical 629 #4,260
1881 historical 917 #4,177
1891 historical 982 #4,208
1901 historical 1,139 #4,262
1911 historical 1,246 #3,807
1997 modern 1,005 #5,480
1998 modern 1,013 #5,620
1999 modern 1,022 #5,614
2000 modern 1,000 #5,686
2001 modern 971 #5,717
2002 modern 959 #5,876
2003 modern 919 #5,981
2004 modern 913 #6,024
2005 modern 923 #5,905
2006 modern 947 #5,807
2007 modern 971 #5,743
2008 modern 992 #5,687
2009 modern 1,013 #5,705
2010 modern 1,018 #5,798
2011 modern 1,002 #5,812
2012 modern 982 #5,821
2013 modern 1,004 #5,805
2014 modern 1,006 #5,833
2015 modern 1,001 #5,802
2016 modern 996 #5,817

Geography

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Where Mayalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Tewkesbury, Kidderminster and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Tameside and Vale of White Horse. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Tewkesbury Gloucestershire
3 Kidderminster Worcestershire
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 012 Oldham
2 Tameside 001 Tameside
3 Oldham 026 Oldham
4 Oldham 005 Oldham
5 Vale of White Horse 009 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mayall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mayall

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mayall is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mayall is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mayall falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mayall

The surname Mayall originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "mæg" meaning kinsman or relative, and "healh" meaning a corner or secluded place. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a relative living in a remote or secluded area.

The earliest recorded instances of the Mayall surname can be found in historical records from Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the 13th and 14th centuries. The name appears in various spellings, such as Meyall, Mayell, and Mayhill, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation during that time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conquer, there are entries that may be related to the Mayall name, although the exact spelling varies. For example, there are references to individuals named Maiel and Maihel, which could be early variations of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Mayall surname was Robert Mayall, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another notable figure was John Mayall, a prominent landowner in Gloucestershire during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Mayall family established a presence in the village of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Richard Mayall, a scholar and clergyman who lived from 1612 to 1678. He served as a chaplain to King Charles I and later became the Bishop of Hereford.

During the 18th century, the Mayall surname gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of John Mayall (1730-1810), an English poet and writer. His works included poems, plays, and translations of ancient Greek and Latin texts.

Another notable figure was Edward Mayall (1810-1901), a pioneering photographer who is credited with popularizing the carte-de-visite format of photography in the 19th century. His studio in London became a popular destination for notable figures of the time, and he captured portraits of many famous individuals, including Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens.

Throughout history, the Mayall surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Mayall Green in Worcestershire and Mayall Hill in Gloucestershire, reflecting the family's long-standing connections to these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mayall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mayall 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. Lancashire leads with 508 Mayalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.82x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 508 4.82x
Yorkshire 109 1.24x
Gloucestershire 78 4.48x
Worcestershire 57 4.91x
Staffordshire 42 1.40x
Middlesex 31 0.35x
Cheshire 18 0.92x
Surrey 14 0.32x
Sussex 10 0.67x
Warwickshire 10 0.45x
Derbyshire 6 0.43x
Leicestershire 6 0.61x
Suffolk 6 0.55x
Wiltshire 3 0.38x
Bedfordshire 2 0.43x
Glamorgan 2 0.13x
Shropshire 2 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Devon 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.27x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Rutland 1 1.53x
Somerset 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 256 Mayalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.22x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 256 75.22x
Ashton Under Lyne 125 54.24x
Saddleworth 69 101.58x
Tewkesbury 28 180.06x
Hartlebury 22 318.38x
Rastrick 21 85.85x
Chadderton 16 31.04x
Newcastle Under Lyme 15 28.26x
Pendlebury 14 62.89x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 3.14x
Cheltenham 9 6.69x
Dukinfield 9 9.93x
Pendleton In Salford 9 7.16x
Salford 9 2.90x
Upton On Severn 9 118.42x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 8.82x
Blackrod 7 53.44x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 7 107.69x
Hampstead London 7 5.06x
Meltham 7 51.13x
Twining 7 267.18x
Withington 7 20.61x
Worcester St Peter 7 31.86x
Amington Stonydelph 6 307.69x
Blackley 6 32.45x
Epsom 6 28.44x
Hanley Castle 6 86.46x
Lancing 6 145.63x
Leicester St Margaret 6 2.50x
Over Darwen 6 7.12x
Prestbury 6 138.89x
Royton 6 18.60x
Stone 6 315.79x
Thornhill 6 23.36x
Walsall Foreign 6 3.87x
West Bromwich 6 3.49x
Westminster St John 6 5.54x
Bow London 5 4.42x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 15.68x
Gloucester St Nicholas 5 61.96x
Liscard 5 14.15x
Lowestoft 5 9.78x
Newchurch 5 5.80x
Reigate Foreign 5 10.67x
Wardleworth 5 8.30x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.04x
Brighton 4 1.32x
Castleton 4 3.80x
Heap 4 7.15x
Reddish 4 27.53x
Belper 3 11.12x
Birkdale 3 11.24x
Bishops Cleeve Southam 3 483.87x
Heaton 3 67.42x
Lingards 3 112.78x
Mellor 3 79.37x
North Meols 3 2.91x
St Marylebone London 3 0.63x
Worcester St John 3 21.65x
Aston 2 0.32x
Blunham 2 64.10x
Burton Upon Trent 2 2.85x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.19x
Crompton 2 6.66x
Dodderhill 2 40.40x
East Tisbury 2 73.80x
Elmstone Hardwick 2 208.33x
Gelligaer 2 5.66x
Great Sutton 2 196.08x
St Pancras London 2 0.28x
Stretford 2 3.45x
Bridstow 1 48.31x
Clapham 1 0.90x
Edgbaston 1 1.44x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 1 37.45x
Heaton Norris 1 1.67x
Reading St Lawrence 1 7.01x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 3.30x
Stratton St Margaret 1 8.29x
Yate 1 26.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 73
Sarah 51
Elizabeth 29
Hannah 21
Ellen 20
Ann 19
Jane 17
Eliza 14
Annie 11
Emma 11
Martha 11
Alice 10
Betty 9
Emily 9
Louisa 9
Agnes 8
Bertha 5
Clara 5
Fanny 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Matilda 4
Anne 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Gertrude 3
Harriet 3
Nancy 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Marian 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Tabitha 2
Betsy 1
Birtha 1
Blanch 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbeth 1
Elma 1
Elsie 1
Hephzibah 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 77
William 42
James 41
Robert 22
Samuel 22
Thomas 21
Joseph 20
George 18
Miles 16
Arthur 12
Charles 12
Edward 7
Harry 7
Henry 7
Alfred 6
Fred 6
Stanley 6
Herbert 5
Francis 4
Frank 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Ben 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Harold 2
Harrold 2
Joe 2
Lees 2
Reginald 2
Walter 2
Alexandra 1
Arnold 1
Charles. 1
Charlie 1
Claude 1
Earnest 1
Eli 1
Elkanah 1
Ephraim 1
Fred. 1
H.T. 1
Harrop 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Zacharius 1

FAQ

Mayall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mayall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 917 people were recorded with the Mayall surname. That placed it at #4,177 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mayall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 996 in 2016. That gives Mayall a modern rank of #5,817.

What does the Mayall surname mean?

An English surname derived from a medieval personal name meaning "maverick" or "misfit".

What does the Mayall map show?

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