NameCensus.

UK surname

Mead

An English occupational surname referring to a meadow or grassland, or someone who lived near or worked in one.

In the 1881 census there were 6,960 people recorded with the Mead surname, ranking it #610 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,693, ranked #757, down from #610 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Rochford and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mead is 9,486 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.9%.

1881 census count

6,960

Ranked #610

Modern count

8,693

2016, ranked #757

Peak year

1911

9,486 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mead had 6,960 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #610 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,693 in 2016, ranked #757.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,486 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mead 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 4,365 #648
1861 historical 4,703 #601
1881 historical 6,960 #610
1891 historical 7,590 #596
1901 historical 8,525 #628
1911 historical 9,486 #519
1997 modern 8,951 #708
1998 modern 9,242 #715
1999 modern 9,282 #717
2000 modern 9,213 #716
2001 modern 8,986 #717
2002 modern 9,084 #727
2003 modern 8,847 #726
2004 modern 8,833 #730
2005 modern 8,568 #743
2006 modern 8,523 #744
2007 modern 8,586 #747
2008 modern 8,636 #747
2009 modern 8,877 #747
2010 modern 8,971 #753
2011 modern 8,795 #756
2012 modern 8,620 #754
2013 modern 8,808 #752
2014 modern 8,870 #751
2015 modern 8,736 #756
2016 modern 8,693 #757

Geography

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Where Meads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Rochford and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
2 Wiltshire 044 Wiltshire
3 Wiltshire 039 Wiltshire
4 Rochford 010 Rochford
5 Neath Port Talbot 003 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mead

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mead, 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 Mead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mead 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mead is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Mead is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mead

The surname Mead is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "mæd," which means meadow or a tract of grass land used for pasture. This name originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow.

In medieval England, people were often identified by their association with a particular place or landscape feature. The surname Mead first appeared in records during the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances was in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name was listed as "Mede" and "Meade."

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to appear in various forms, such as "Mede," "Meade," and "Mead," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some notable early bearers of the name include John atte Mede, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1199, and Robert de la Mede, recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1221.

As the surname spread across England, it became associated with certain place names, such as Mead in Hampshire and Meadway in Gloucestershire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname Mead. One notable figure was Joseph Mead (1586-1638), an English Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the formative years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Another was Richard Mead (1673-1754), an eminent English physician and influential figure in the development of modern medical practice.

Other notable individuals with the surname Mead include George Herbert Mead (1863-1931), an American philosopher and social psychologist known for his work on symbolic interactionism; Margaret Mead (1901-1978), an influential American cultural anthropologist known for her studies of traditional societies in the Pacific; and Patrick Mead (1914-2017), an English diplomat and educator who served as Secretary-General of the European Cultural Convention.

While the surname Mead originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. Today, the name can be found in various countries, reflecting its enduring historical and cultural significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mead 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. Middlesex leads with 1,406 Meads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,406 2.06x
Essex 902 6.71x
Surrey 531 1.60x
Buckinghamshire 471 11.44x
Somerset 429 3.91x
Hertfordshire 364 7.75x
Wiltshire 332 5.51x
Yorkshire 268 0.40x
Kent 255 1.10x
Bedfordshire 233 6.61x
Devon 166 1.17x
Lancashire 155 0.19x
Dorset 120 2.68x
Warwickshire 120 0.70x
Hampshire 108 0.77x
Cambridgeshire 106 2.46x
Suffolk 106 1.28x
Gloucestershire 101 0.76x
Northamptonshire 96 1.50x
Derbyshire 83 0.78x
Glamorgan 76 0.64x
Berkshire 72 1.41x
Sussex 63 0.55x
Norfolk 54 0.52x
Cornwall 51 0.66x
Durham 47 0.23x
Monmouthshire 46 0.93x
Leicestershire 36 0.48x
Cheshire 27 0.18x
Staffordshire 25 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.21x
Worcestershire 19 0.21x
Channel Islands 17 0.84x
Lincolnshire 17 0.16x
Oxfordshire 12 0.29x
Angus 9 0.14x
Lanarkshire 8 0.04x
Cumberland 6 0.10x
Northumberland 6 0.06x
Royal Navy 6 0.74x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.18x
Brecknockshire 2 0.15x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.07x
Radnorshire 1 0.18x
Rutland 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 126 Meads recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.91x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 126 1.91x
Hackney London 122 3.20x
St Pancras London 116 2.12x
Shoreditch London 99 3.35x
Westbury 98 69.72x
Mile End Old Town 79 7.35x
Stewkley 76 242.58x
West Ham 75 2.53x
Kensington London 73 1.93x
Camberwell 71 1.63x
Bermondsey 63 3.11x
High Easter 62 332.80x
Lambeth 61 1.03x
Bethnal Green London 60 2.03x
Tring 58 46.28x
Chesham 55 36.25x
Leighton Buzzard 55 36.26x
Newington 55 2.19x
Paddington London 52 2.08x
St Marylebone London 50 1.38x
Aston 47 0.99x
Croydon 46 2.50x
Hornsey 45 5.23x
Greenwich 44 4.06x
Hemel Hempstead 42 19.86x
Edlesborough 41 109.30x
Trowbridge 41 15.40x
Haverhill 40 54.29x
St George Hanover 39 4.39x
Birmingham 37 0.65x
Northampton Priory St 37 9.63x
Portsea 37 1.35x
Battersea 36 1.44x
Luton 36 5.90x
Poplar London 36 2.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 34 2.70x
Hammersmith London 34 2.03x
Rickmansworth 33 25.54x
Great Waltham 32 58.44x
Whitby 31 13.63x
Amersham 30 51.40x
Chelsea London 30 1.46x
North Petherton 30 33.93x
Westminster St John 30 3.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 29 2.12x
Ynysawdre 29 151.52x
Lewisham 28 2.26x
Meldreth 28 167.26x
Rotherhithe 28 3.33x
St George In East 28 6.04x
Bradford On Avon 27 14.00x
Wandsworth 26 3.97x
Chelmsford 25 10.84x
Clapham 25 2.94x
Stanway 25 105.89x
Ruswarp 24 31.97x
Bedminster 23 2.23x
Bridgewater 23 7.73x
Deptford St Paul 23 1.28x
Gillingham 23 29.94x
Lyncombe Widcombe 23 8.01x
Eaton Bray 22 61.80x
West Wycombe 22 39.39x
Berkhampstead 21 19.90x
Bushey 21 18.79x
Maldon St Peter 21 30.66x
Plymouth St Andrew 21 1.92x
West Lavington 21 72.71x
Willesden 21 3.27x
Westminster St 20 7.97x
Aberystruth 19 4.38x
Bow London 19 2.19x
Bray 19 12.65x
Grays Thurrock 19 15.21x
Ilton 19 186.09x
Plumstead 19 2.45x
St Clement Danes 19 17.24x
Tottenham 19 1.75x
Walthamstow 19 3.93x
Witham 19 27.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 403
Elizabeth 280
Sarah 247
Jane 135
Eliza 134
Ann 125
Ellen 120
Emma 118
Alice 102
Annie 99
Emily 99
Louisa 65
Hannah 56
Martha 56
Charlotte 52
Florence 49
Susan 49
Ada 48
Maria 46
Caroline 45
Harriet 42
Margaret 42
Fanny 40
Edith 38
Kate 37
Rebecca 33
Agnes 29
Lucy 29
Rose 27
Sophia 27
Harriett 26
Anne 24
Catherine 24
Clara 23
Julia 21
Frances 19
Elizth. 18
Susannah 18
Matilda 17
Lydia 16
Minnie 15
Amelia 14
Amy 14
Ethel 13
Gertrude 13
Lizzie 13
Eleanor 12
Helen 12
Jessie 12
Rosa 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 464
John 353
George 279
James 201
Thomas 201
Charles 166
Henry 161
Joseph 100
Alfred 91
Arthur 90
Frederick 79
Walter 73
Edward 63
Albert 59
Robert 51
David 48
Harry 47
Samuel 42
Frank 36
Richard 36
Ernest 32
Herbert 29
Francis 24
Benjamin 20
Fred 19
Daniel 16
Wm. 14
Matthew 13
Edwin 12
Geo. 12
Sidney 11
Edmund 10
Isaac 10
Philip 10
Andrew 9
Frederic 9
Percy 9
Stephen 9
Thos. 9
Tom 8
Willie 8
Fredk. 7
Mark 7
Saml. 7
Simeon 7
Aaron 6
Christopher 6
Amos 5
Fredrick 5
W. 5

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mead households.

FAQ

Mead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,960 people were recorded with the Mead surname. That placed it at #610 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,693 in 2016. That gives Mead a modern rank of #757.

What does the Mead surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a meadow or grassland, or someone who lived near or worked in one.

What does the Mead map show?

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