NameCensus.

UK surname

Meager

A surname originating from the Middle English 'megre', meaning thin or lean.

In the 1881 census there were 410 people recorded with the Meager surname, ranking it #7,833 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 429, ranked #11,214, down from #7,833 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Breage. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Stockton-on-Tees and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meager is 550 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.6%.

1881 census count

410

Ranked #7,833

Modern count

429

2016, ranked #11,214

Peak year

1911

550 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meager had 410 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,833 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016, ranked #11,214.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 550 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Meager surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meager surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meager 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 299 #7,675
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 410 #7,833
1891 historical 441 #8,197
1901 historical 501 #8,045
1911 historical 550 #7,287
1997 modern 490 #9,435
1998 modern 486 #9,810
1999 modern 489 #9,830
2000 modern 466 #10,163
2001 modern 457 #10,113
2002 modern 462 #10,217
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 459 #10,137
2005 modern 445 #10,295
2006 modern 436 #10,506
2007 modern 427 #10,782
2008 modern 437 #10,694
2009 modern 459 #10,502
2010 modern 463 #10,660
2011 modern 455 #10,691
2012 modern 449 #10,675
2013 modern 453 #10,774
2014 modern 440 #11,107
2015 modern 442 #10,977
2016 modern 429 #11,214

Geography

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Where Meagers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Breage and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Enfield, Stockton-on-Tees, Forest of Dean, Plymouth and Bromley. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Breage Cornwall
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Enfield 003 Enfield
2 Stockton-on-Tees 021 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
4 Plymouth 007 Plymouth
5 Bromley 032 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meager

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meager

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

Meager 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

Meager falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Meager

The surname Meager originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "maeger," which means "thin" or "lean." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was particularly slender or skinny in appearance.

The earliest known record of the name Meager dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mager." This entry suggests that the name was already in use in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name Meager can be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled as "Meger." This indicates that the name was well-established in England by this time.

The surname Meager has also been associated with certain place names in England. For example, there is a village called Meager in Somerset, which may have contributed to the adoption of the name by families living in or near that area.

One notable individual with the surname Meager was Sir John Meager, a English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the late 16th century. He was born around 1540 and died in 1612.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Meager, an English botanist and writer who lived in the 17th century. He was born in 1615 and authored several books on gardening and horticulture, including "The English Gardener" and "The Compleat Seed-Garden."

In the 18th century, there was a British naval officer named John Meager, who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1735 and died in 1799.

Another notable individual was William Meager, an English poet and playwright who was active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born around 1570 and is known for his works such as "The Pedler's Prophecie" and "The Arrivall of a Pedlar."

Finally, in the 19th century, there was a British writer and journalist named George Meager, who wrote extensively on topics related to agriculture and rural life. He was born in 1810 and died in 1892.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meager families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meager 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. Cornwall leads with 69 Meagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.17x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 69 15.17x
Middlesex 63 1.57x
Hampshire 57 6.92x
Kent 51 3.72x
Surrey 42 2.14x
Glamorgan 36 5.14x
Bedfordshire 20 9.61x
Hertfordshire 20 7.22x
Devon 13 1.55x
Wiltshire 7 1.97x
Derbyshire 6 0.95x
Staffordshire 6 0.44x
Durham 5 0.42x
Lancashire 5 0.10x
Yorkshire 3 0.08x
Dorset 2 0.76x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.41x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.59x
Essex 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 2.09x
Somerset 1 0.15x
Worcestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 30 Meagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.29x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 30 52.29x
Northwood 24 204.60x
Breage 20 481.93x
Croydon 20 18.40x
Deptford St Paul 16 15.13x
Leighton Buzzard 14 156.42x
Northchurch 13 439.19x
Lambeth 11 3.14x
Bodmin 10 132.80x
Islington London 10 2.57x
St Giles In Fields 10 72.15x
Deptford St Nicholas 9 82.72x
Gillingham 9 31.84x
Saltash 8 226.63x
St Stephens By Saltash 8 408.16x
Stonehouse East 8 188.68x
Ventnor 8 102.17x
Portsmouth 7 36.90x
St Erme 7 1000.00x
St Gilesin Fields 7 299.15x
Berkhampstead 6 96.31x
Chelsea London 6 4.95x
Fisherton Anger 6 91.19x
Oystermouth 6 110.91x
St Martin In Fields 6 24.94x
Walsall Foreign 6 8.56x
Cranfield 5 250.00x
Edgware 5 446.43x
Mark Eaton 5 526.32x
Portsea 5 3.10x
Sithney 5 108.70x
St Luke London 5 7.76x
Stoke Damerel 5 8.54x
Sunderland 5 23.67x
Tonbridge 5 10.11x
Yarmouth 5 458.72x
Newington 4 2.69x
Newport 4 89.49x
Paddington London 4 2.71x
St Austell 4 25.72x
Carisbrooke 3 26.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.96x
Hendon 3 20.75x
Ramsgate 3 13.40x
Battersea 2 1.35x
Camberwell 2 0.78x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.47x
Luxulyan 2 132.45x
Meopham 2 117.65x
Richmond 2 7.29x
St Blazey 2 50.00x
St Marylebone London 2 0.93x
West Wickham 2 151.52x
Bedford St Paul 1 7.01x
Blandford Forum 1 19.23x
Canterbury St Andrew 1 172.41x
Colchester St Botolph 1 14.81x
Feltham 1 24.94x
Glossop Dale 1 3.39x
Govan 1 0.31x
Greenwich 1 1.56x
Hackney London 1 0.44x
Ilminster 1 22.12x
Leigh 1 15.70x
Lewisham 1 1.37x
Linslade 1 42.02x
Llanelly 1 2.62x
Padiham 1 8.68x
Penge 1 3.90x
Radipole 1 54.95x
Redruth 1 7.77x
Rochester St Margaret 1 6.92x
Royal Navy 1 2.44x
Salisbury St Edmund 1 17.51x
St Breock 1 40.65x
St George Hanover 1 1.91x
St Minver 1 71.94x
Swanscombe 1 16.23x
Walton On Hill 1 3.87x
Watford 1 4.66x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 21
William 19
John 17
Thomas 13
James 12
Alfred 9
Charles 9
Frederick 9
Richard 8
Walter 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Aaron 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Annie 1
Archie 1
Augustus 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Erbert 1
Franklen 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
H.F. 1
Josiah 1
L.R. 1
Paull 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
S.T. 1
Squire 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Timothy 1
Trevor 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Meager surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meager surname in 1881?

In 1881, 410 people were recorded with the Meager surname. That placed it at #7,833 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meager surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016. That gives Meager a modern rank of #11,214.

What does the Meager surname mean?

A surname originating from the Middle English 'megre', meaning thin or lean.

What does the Meager map show?

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