NameCensus.

UK surname

Mayor

An occupational surname referring to the chief magistrate or principal official of a city or town.

In the 1881 census there were 1,320 people recorded with the Mayor surname, ranking it #3,108 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,449, ranked #4,239, down from #3,108 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tarleton, Wigan and Lancaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mayor is 1,821 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

1,320

Ranked #3,108

Modern count

1,449

2016, ranked #4,239

Peak year

1911

1,821 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mayor had 1,320 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,108 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,449 in 2016, ranked #4,239.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,821 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Mayor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mayor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mayor 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 889 #3,083
1861 historical 1,029 #2,720
1881 historical 1,320 #3,108
1891 historical 1,519 #2,909
1901 historical 1,576 #3,271
1911 historical 1,821 #2,703
1997 modern 1,507 #3,892
1998 modern 1,517 #4,008
1999 modern 1,511 #4,049
2000 modern 1,514 #4,029
2001 modern 1,479 #4,032
2002 modern 1,508 #4,055
2003 modern 1,445 #4,117
2004 modern 1,477 #4,056
2005 modern 1,448 #4,076
2006 modern 1,427 #4,132
2007 modern 1,438 #4,143
2008 modern 1,435 #4,173
2009 modern 1,474 #4,170
2010 modern 1,521 #4,150
2011 modern 1,499 #4,159
2012 modern 1,481 #4,134
2013 modern 1,500 #4,156
2014 modern 1,495 #4,188
2015 modern 1,482 #4,178
2016 modern 1,449 #4,239

Geography

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Where Mayors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tarleton, Wigan, Lancaster, Preston and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn and Lancaster. 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 Tarleton Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Lancaster Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
2 Lancaster 020 Lancaster
3 Lancaster 016 Lancaster
4 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
5 Lancaster 006 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mayor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mayor

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mayor, 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 Mayor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mayor 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, Mayor 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

Mayor is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mayor 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 Mayor is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mayor

The surname Mayor is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "mair" or "maire," which in turn comes from the Latin "maior" meaning "greater" or "superior." This term was used to denote a high-ranking official or administrator, often the chief magistrate of a town or city.

In medieval England, the Mayor was a prominent figure who held significant authority and presided over civic affairs. The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in various historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert le Mair is mentioned in Cambridgeshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Mayor. However, it does record individuals with similar occupational titles, such as "praepositus" (reeve) or "baillivus" (bailiff), which were precursors to the role of Mayor.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Mayor became more widespread, particularly in urban areas where the office of Mayor held greater significance. Notable individuals bearing this surname include William Mayor (c. 1460-1501), a Member of Parliament for the city of Norwich during the reign of Henry VII, and Sir Richard Mayor (1530-1610), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1590.

In the 16th century, the surname Mayor was also found in various spellings, such as Mayer, Mayre, and Maire, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions. One prominent figure from this era was Sir John Mayor (1528-1599), a merchant and philanthropist who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1571.

In later centuries, the surname Mayor continued to be associated with individuals in positions of authority and leadership. John Mayor (1670-1745) was a Scottish mathematician and professor at the University of St Andrews, while Joseph Mayor (1801-1858) was an English clergyman and Master of St John's College, Cambridge.

Other notable individuals with the surname Mayor include Richard Mayor (1885-1962), a British actor and playwright, and Federico Adolfo Gutiérrez Mayor (1914-1944), a Colombian pilot who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mayor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mayor 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 853 Mayors recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 853 5.63x
Middlesex 90 0.70x
Surrey 46 0.74x
Yorkshire 44 0.35x
Durham 24 0.63x
Staffordshire 24 0.56x
Hampshire 22 0.84x
Nottinghamshire 22 1.28x
Gloucestershire 17 0.68x
Lanarkshire 16 0.39x
Westmorland 16 5.70x
Glamorgan 15 0.67x
Cheshire 12 0.43x
Essex 12 0.48x
Kent 11 0.25x
Cornwall 9 0.62x
Devon 9 0.34x
Denbighshire 8 1.66x
Dorset 6 0.72x
Montgomeryshire 6 2.05x
Northamptonshire 6 0.50x
Warwickshire 6 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.65x
Norfolk 5 0.25x
Leicestershire 4 0.28x
Cumberland 3 0.27x
Midlothian 3 0.18x
Derbyshire 2 0.10x
Herefordshire 2 0.38x
Oxfordshire 2 0.25x
Shropshire 2 0.18x
Wiltshire 2 0.18x
Bedfordshire 1 0.15x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 122 Mayors recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.10x.

Place Total Index
Preston 122 30.10x
Poulton Barre 36 208.82x
Chorley 34 39.99x
Much Hoole 30 1181.10x
Lathom 29 158.47x
Longton 28 439.56x
Bury 26 15.02x
Pilkington 23 39.96x
Tarleton 22 264.11x
Walton Le Dale 21 51.58x
Lambeth 20 1.80x
Biddulph 19 78.13x
Blackburn 19 4.71x
Leyland 18 68.29x
Aspull 17 47.70x
Govan 16 1.57x
Worksop 16 31.35x
Bethnal Green London 15 2.70x
Salford 15 3.37x
Kirkdale 14 5.49x
Manchester 14 2.05x
Oswaldtwistle 14 26.15x
Penwortham 14 194.99x
Toxteth Park 14 2.73x
Great Bolton 13 6.48x
Over Darwen 13 10.74x
St Pancras London 13 1.26x
Wigan 12 5.67x
North Meols 11 7.42x
Halsall 10 167.22x
Hutton 10 588.24x
Kendal 10 19.47x
Kirkburton 10 67.02x
Millbrook 10 15.17x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 3.74x
Church 9 42.06x
East Stonehouse 9 17.19x
Eccleston In Chorley 9 229.01x
Mawdesley 9 221.13x
Skelmersdale 9 35.64x
Blackrod 8 42.49x
Bromley London 8 2.85x
Clifton 8 6.32x
Ecclesfield 8 8.62x
Freckleton 8 160.64x
Portsea 8 1.56x
Accrington 7 5.08x
Burnley 7 5.49x
Great Harwood 7 25.56x
Kirkham 7 34.95x
Loughton 7 56.18x
Moss Side 7 8.78x
Oldham 7 1.43x
Roath 7 6.93x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 1.81x
Farington 6 68.03x
Gorton 6 4.21x
Litherland 6 18.94x
Liverpool 6 0.65x
Llanferres 6 198.68x
Newington 6 1.27x
Radford 6 6.86x
Scotforth 6 60.91x
St Marylebone London 6 0.88x
Stratton 6 198.02x
Windle 6 7.04x
Altrincham 5 10.15x
Bickerstaffe 5 50.40x
Charnock Richard 5 167.22x
Conside Knitsley 5 16.93x
Hampstead London 5 2.51x
Hellifield 5 268.82x
Islington London 5 0.40x
Kingston On Thames 5 3.35x
Middleton In Oldham 5 11.01x
Newton In Makerfield 5 10.78x
Paddington London 5 1.06x
Read 5 123.46x
St Enoder 5 101.83x
Upholland 5 25.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 85
Elizabeth 58
Sarah 41
Margaret 40
Ellen 38
Jane 36
Alice 34
Ann 33
Annie 16
Hannah 13
Emma 12
Martha 12
Catherine 11
Emily 9
Eliza 8
Isabella 8
Maria 8
Anne 7
Betsy 5
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Eleanor 5
Harriet 5
Lucy 5
Amelia 4
Edith 4
Elizh. 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Betty 3
Dinah 3
Esther 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Lizzie 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Nancy 3
Rachel 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Cordelia 2
Henrietta 2
Mabel 2
Margery 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 87
John 86
Thomas 76
James 55
Richard 40
Joseph 27
Robert 26
George 22
Henry 20
Charles 12
Hugh 11
Samuel 11
Edward 10
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Walter 7
Arthur 6
Francis 6
Albert 5
Daniel 5
David 5
Peter 5
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Giles 3
Ralph 3
Thurston 3
Bertram 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Horace 2
Lawrence 2
Miles 2
Thos. 2
Alfd. 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Geo.F. 1
Geo.Garts. 1
Geo.W. 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mayor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mayor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,320 people were recorded with the Mayor surname. That placed it at #3,108 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mayor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,449 in 2016. That gives Mayor a modern rank of #4,239.

What does the Mayor surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to the chief magistrate or principal official of a city or town.

What does the Mayor map show?

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