NameCensus.

UK surname

Mayes

Derived from the Middle English given name "Maie" or "Maye," which is a shortened form of Matthew or May.

In the 1881 census there were 2,895 people recorded with the Mayes surname, ranking it #1,550 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,806, ranked #1,411, up from #1,550 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and East Dereham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mayes is 5,267 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.0%.

1881 census count

2,895

Ranked #1,550

Modern count

4,806

2016, ranked #1,411

Peak year

1999

5,267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mayes had 2,895 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,550 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,806 in 2016, ranked #1,411.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,850 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mayes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mayes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mayes 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 1,415 #2,038
1861 historical 1,577 #1,811
1881 historical 2,895 #1,550
1891 historical 3,313 #1,437
1901 historical 4,322 #1,308
1911 historical 4,850 #1,075
1997 modern 5,079 #1,288
1998 modern 5,254 #1,293
1999 modern 5,267 #1,297
2000 modern 5,238 #1,296
2001 modern 5,111 #1,297
2002 modern 5,244 #1,300
2003 modern 5,026 #1,313
2004 modern 5,008 #1,318
2005 modern 4,885 #1,327
2006 modern 4,793 #1,365
2007 modern 4,780 #1,381
2008 modern 4,801 #1,385
2009 modern 4,930 #1,381
2010 modern 4,989 #1,395
2011 modern 4,924 #1,392
2012 modern 4,832 #1,388
2013 modern 4,928 #1,386
2014 modern 4,899 #1,404
2015 modern 4,838 #1,405
2016 modern 4,806 #1,411

Geography

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Where Mayes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, East Dereham and Ringstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, St Edmundsbury, Mid Suffolk and Babergh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 East Dereham Norfolk
5 Ringstead Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 St Edmundsbury 012 St Edmundsbury
3 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk
4 St Edmundsbury 011 St Edmundsbury
5 Babergh 007 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mayes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mayes

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

London Fringe

Within London, Mayes is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Mayes 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

Mayes falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mayes

The surname Mayes originated in England, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "maisnil," which referred to a household or family group. This term later evolved into the English word "menial," meaning a servant or domestic worker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mayes surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Maisnil," reflecting its French origins.

During the Middle Ages, the Mayes family was concentrated primarily in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, where they held land and property. Notable historical figures bearing this surname include Sir John Mayes, a prominent knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to evolve, with variations such as "Mayse" and "Mays" appearing in various records. This period also saw the emergence of several notable Mayes individuals, including Robert Mayes, a renowned English theologian and clergyman born in 1570.

As the Mayes family spread across England, they established connections with various place names. For example, the village of Mayfield in Sussex is believed to be derived from the surname, indicating a settlement or estate owned by the Mayes family.

Other notable figures with the Mayes surname include William Mayes (1629-1701), an English Puritan minister and author, and Sir John Mayes (1597-1660), a Member of Parliament and supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mayes surname continued to be well-represented in various professions, including law, medicine, and the clergy. One notable example is Thomas Mayes (1691-1767), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Stamford Rivers in Essex.

In the 19th century, the industrialization of England saw many Mayes families migrate to urban centers in search of employment. This period also saw the emergence of several prominent Mayes figures in fields such as art and literature, including the painter John Mayes (1820-1897) and the novelist and poet Mary Mayes (1854-1932).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mayes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mayes 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 441 Mayes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.19x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 441 10.19x
Middlesex 348 1.24x
Suffolk 289 8.43x
Northamptonshire 275 10.39x
Bedfordshire 212 14.54x
Surrey 189 1.38x
Essex 167 3.01x
Yorkshire 139 0.50x
Fife 88 5.28x
Leicestershire 82 2.63x
Huntingdonshire 67 11.99x
Lancashire 63 0.19x
Hertfordshire 41 2.11x
Kent 41 0.43x
Durham 38 0.45x
Lincolnshire 37 0.82x
Gloucestershire 34 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 31 1.74x
Hampshire 30 0.52x
Staffordshire 30 0.32x
Lanarkshire 28 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 24 0.63x
Warwickshire 21 0.30x
Derbyshire 19 0.43x
Northumberland 17 0.41x
Sussex 14 0.30x
Devon 13 0.22x
Worcestershire 12 0.33x
Cumberland 11 0.45x
Glamorgan 9 0.18x
Wiltshire 9 0.36x
Dumfriesshire 7 1.13x
Rutland 7 3.39x
Somerset 7 0.15x
Cheshire 6 0.10x
Renfrewshire 6 0.28x
Ayrshire 5 0.24x
Midlothian 5 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.24x
Dorset 4 0.22x
Perthshire 4 0.32x
Berkshire 3 0.14x
Cornwall 2 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.30x
Stirlingshire 1 0.10x
West Lothian 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 54 Mayes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.42x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 54 3.42x
West Ham 46 3.75x
Great Yarmouth 45 12.55x
Ringstead 43 467.39x
St Monance 37 185.93x
East Dereham 33 60.34x
Barnardiston 31 1519.61x
Mile End Old Town 29 6.53x
Camberwell 28 1.56x
Lambeth 28 1.14x
Eaton Socon 26 113.64x
Thrapston 26 195.34x
St Pancras London 24 1.06x
Sudborough 24 872.73x
Bedford St Paul 22 22.00x
Cromer 22 142.95x
St Marylebone London 22 1.46x
Bermondsey 20 2.39x
Covington 20 1388.89x
Croydon 20 2.63x
Great Staughton 20 184.50x
Cardington 19 160.20x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 14.62x
Shoreditch London 19 1.56x
South Ockendon 19 165.07x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.47x
Islington London 18 0.66x
Ravensden 18 393.87x
St George Hanover 18 4.90x
Barrow Upon Soar 17 65.94x
Horsford 17 252.98x
Kensington London 16 1.02x
Rattlesden 16 159.52x
Shipmeadow 16 769.23x
Battersea 15 1.45x
Kettering 15 14.01x
Riseley 15 162.51x
Thurleigh 15 258.18x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.84x
Lesmahagow 14 14.54x
Marske In Guisbrough 14 28.26x
Northampton Priory St 14 8.81x
Romford 14 15.94x
Walthamstow 14 7.00x
Wilby 14 355.33x
Wolverhampton 14 1.92x
Clapham 13 3.69x
Hartlepool 13 10.92x
Heap 13 7.34x
Lexden 13 58.27x
Lowestoft 13 8.03x
Thurmaston 13 236.36x
Westminster St 13 12.53x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 12 4.62x
Halstead 12 18.51x
Hammersmith London 12 1.73x
Heigham 12 5.17x
Hockwold Cum Wilton 12 162.60x
Layston 12 116.17x
Wilden 12 281.03x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 2.12x
Clerkenwell London 11 1.66x
Gateshead 11 1.75x
Islip 11 200.00x
Newington 11 1.06x
Poplar London 11 2.07x
Aston 10 0.51x
Brightside Bierlow 10 1.83x
Bromley London 10 1.61x
Kinglassie 10 78.80x
Luton 10 3.96x
Norton Subcourse 10 285.71x
Paddington London 10 0.97x
Pakenham 10 108.23x
St Andrew Holborn 10 10.48x
Sutton 10 274.73x
Whitehaven 10 7.74x
East Ham 9 8.73x
Leicester St Mary 9 3.57x
Rotherhithe 9 2.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 159
Elizabeth 112
Sarah 110
Eliza 68
Alice 54
Ann 53
Ellen 52
Emma 43
Jane 38
Emily 36
Annie 34
Harriet 30
Charlotte 27
Florence 23
Hannah 23
Martha 23
Maria 22
Susan 18
Ada 16
Caroline 16
Louisa 15
Agnes 14
Margaret 12
Matilda 12
Susannah 12
Anne 11
Edith 11
Clara 10
Julia 10
Harriett 9
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Rebecca 9
Gertrude 8
Laura 8
Rachel 8
Sophia 8
Anna 7
Fanny 7
Bertha 6
Catherine 6
Elizth. 6
Lizzie 6
Eleanor 5
Frances 5
Lydia 5
Ruth 5
Amelia 4
Minnie 4
Nellie 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 178
George 126
John 124
James 88
Charles 82
Thomas 81
Henry 52
Robert 46
Walter 44
Arthur 39
Alfred 33
Joseph 32
Frederick 31
Edward 30
Samuel 30
Richard 26
Albert 21
Herbert 16
Harry 15
Ernest 13
Francis 12
David 9
Frank 9
Benjamin 8
Fredrick 8
Thos. 8
Wm. 7
Abraham 6
Daniel 6
Sidney 5
Ebenezer 4
Elijah 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Richd. 4
Chas. 3
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Ephraim 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Martin 3
Maurice 3
Amos 2
F. 2
Jas. 2
Jeremiah 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Mayes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mayes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,895 people were recorded with the Mayes surname. That placed it at #1,550 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mayes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,806 in 2016. That gives Mayes a modern rank of #1,411.

What does the Mayes surname mean?

Derived from the Middle English given name "Maie" or "Maye," which is a shortened form of Matthew or May.

What does the Mayes map show?

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