NameCensus.

UK surname

Mayle

Derived from the Old French word "mail," referring to someone who made or wore chain mail armor.

In the 1881 census there were 202 people recorded with the Mayle surname, ranking it #12,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 345, ranked #13,321, down from #12,753 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes and Trumpington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Maldon and Northampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mayle is 381 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.8%.

1881 census count

202

Ranked #12,753

Modern count

345

2016, ranked #13,321

Peak year

2010

381 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mayle had 202 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,753 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016, ranked #13,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 329 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mayle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mayle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mayle 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 184 #12,856
1881 historical 202 #12,753
1891 historical 295 #11,255
1901 historical 272 #12,440
1911 historical 329 #10,688
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 340 #12,824
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 337 #12,818
2005 modern 335 #12,795
2006 modern 345 #12,571
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 360 #12,431
2009 modern 378 #12,248
2010 modern 381 #12,436
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 345 #13,093
2013 modern 354 #13,079
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 350 #13,159
2016 modern 345 #13,321

Geography

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Where Mayles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Trumpington, Battersea and Wendron. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Maldon, Northampton, Chelmsford and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Trumpington Cambridgeshire
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Wendron Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 002 Huntingdonshire
2 Maldon 006 Maldon
3 Northampton 026 Northampton
4 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford
5 Basingstoke and Deane 017 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mayle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mayle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mayle, 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 Mayle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mayle 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mayle is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mayle 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

Mayle 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 Mayle 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 Mayle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mayle

The surname MAYLE is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "mal" which meant "speech" or "discourse". This name likely referred to someone who was a skilled orator or storyteller in ancient times.

The earliest known record of this surname dates back to the 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166 as "Robert Maille". It's thought that the name may have initially emerged in the county of Norfolk or the surrounding East Anglian region.

By the 13th century, variations of the spelling had started to appear, such as "Maile", "Mayle", and "Maille". Some of these spellings were influenced by the Norman French word "maille", meaning "mesh" or "ring of chain mail", suggesting a possible association with armour-making or metalworking trades.

One of the earliest notable bearers of this name was Sir William Mayle, a 14th-century knight from Somerset who fought in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III. His coat of arms is recorded in the medieval heraldic rolls.

During the 16th century, the MAYLE surname was found in various parts of England, with records showing families in Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. John Mayle, born in 1523 in Somerset, was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry.

Another well-known figure was Peter Mayle, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Essex from 1668 to 1672. His works include several religious treatises and sermons published during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the MAYLE name appeared in the parish records of Cirencester, Gloucestershire, with the baptism of Thomas Mayle in 1723. This branch of the family later produced several notable figures, including William Mayle, a successful merchant and landowner born in 1785.

One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Peter Mayle, the British author best known for his best-selling memoir "A Year in Provence". Born in 1939, Mayle's books captured the essence of life in the French countryside and brought the region's charm to a global audience.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mayle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mayle 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. Surrey leads with 54 Mayles recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.60x.

County Total Index
Surrey 54 5.60x
Cambridgeshire 37 29.50x
Middlesex 20 1.01x
Lancashire 19 0.81x
Norfolk 10 3.28x
Cornwall 8 3.57x
Northumberland 8 2.72x
Bedfordshire 7 6.83x
Berkshire 7 4.71x
Yorkshire 7 0.36x
Derbyshire 6 1.94x
Gloucestershire 5 1.29x
Huntingdonshire 4 10.17x
Northamptonshire 2 1.07x
Staffordshire 2 0.30x
Warwickshire 2 0.40x
Cheshire 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.24x
Dorset 1 0.77x
Isle of Man 1 2.72x
Kent 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 32 Mayles recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.92x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 32 43.92x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 12 219.38x
Lambeth 9 5.21x
Trumpington 9 1406.25x
Witchford 9 3000.00x
Wendron 8 257.23x
Abingdon St Nicholas 7 1707.32x
Toxteth Park 7 8.80x
Westgate 7 38.36x
Camberwell 6 4.74x
Derby St Werburgh 6 33.52x
Horsey 6 4615.38x
Walton On Hill 6 47.13x
West Moulsey 5 1111.11x
Eccleshill 4 83.68x
Kensington London 4 3.63x
Kimbolton 4 481.93x
North Nibley 4 714.29x
Bedford St Paul 3 42.67x
Brightside Bierlow 3 7.80x
Milton Ernest 3 1034.48x
St Andrewthe Less 3 20.94x
St Pancras London 3 1.88x
Birmingham 2 1.20x
Everton 2 2.67x
Hackney London 2 1.80x
Haddenham 2 169.49x
Peterborough 2 14.84x
St George Hanover 2 7.74x
St Luke London 2 6.30x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 2.82x
Watton 2 208.33x
Waxham 2 2000.00x
West Derby 2 2.91x
Westminster St John 2 8.30x
Benwell 1 31.06x
Bexley 1 16.75x
Birkenhead 1 2.87x
Blunham 1 144.93x
Clifton 1 5.09x
Didsbury 1 32.05x
Downham 1 75.19x
Dunsford 1 188.68x
Isleworth 1 11.36x
Islington London 1 0.52x
Kinson 1 39.37x
Oakington 1 270.27x
Onchan 1 9.44x
Paddington London 1 1.37x
Richmond 1 7.40x
Rusholme 1 15.95x
St Marylebone London 1 0.95x
Willesden 1 5.36x
Wimbledon 1 9.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 15
Mary 12
Sarah 11
Ann 6
Ada 4
Alice 4
Eliza 3
Louisa 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Lily 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Chloe 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Edna 1
Elizabett 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Evangeline 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harrit 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mita 1
Nora 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Rosetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 10
Thomas 8
Dennis 7
James 6
Robert 5
Arthur 4
George 4
Joseph 4
Charles 3
Chas. 3
Frank 3
Henry 3
Walter 3
Martin 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alf 1
Alfred 1
Bertie 1
Charlie 1
Denis 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.P. 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Richard 1
W.H. 1

FAQ

Mayle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mayle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 202 people were recorded with the Mayle surname. That placed it at #12,753 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mayle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016. That gives Mayle a modern rank of #13,321.

What does the Mayle surname mean?

Derived from the Old French word "mail," referring to someone who made or wore chain mail armor.

What does the Mayle map show?

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