NameCensus.

UK surname

Medland

A topographic surname referring to someone living on or near a meadow or grassland.

In the 1881 census there were 660 people recorded with the Medland surname, ranking it #5,439 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 623, ranked #8,461, down from #5,439 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Okehampton, Tormoham with Torquay and Marham Church. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, South Hams and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Medland is 904 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.6%.

1881 census count

660

Ranked #5,439

Modern count

623

2016, ranked #8,461

Peak year

1911

904 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Medland had 660 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,439 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 623 in 2016, ranked #8,461.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 904 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Medland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Medland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Medland 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 597 #4,298
1861 historical 489 #5,336
1881 historical 660 #5,439
1891 historical 708 #5,548
1901 historical 797 #5,671
1911 historical 904 #4,934
1997 modern 673 #7,465
1998 modern 698 #7,490
1999 modern 720 #7,362
2000 modern 701 #7,485
2001 modern 676 #7,563
2002 modern 679 #7,698
2003 modern 641 #7,902
2004 modern 644 #7,893
2005 modern 628 #7,984
2006 modern 622 #8,073
2007 modern 620 #8,149
2008 modern 622 #8,188
2009 modern 628 #8,299
2010 modern 647 #8,273
2011 modern 632 #8,346
2012 modern 625 #8,327
2013 modern 649 #8,230
2014 modern 648 #8,274
2015 modern 632 #8,380
2016 modern 623 #8,461

Geography

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Where Medlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Okehampton, Tormoham with Torquay, Marham Church, Northlew and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, South Hams and Isle of Wight. 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 Okehampton Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Marham Church Cornwall
4 Northlew Devon
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 002 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
3 South Hams 005 South Hams
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 Isle of Wight 013 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Medland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Medland

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Medland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Medland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Medland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Medland 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

Medland falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Medland

The surname Medland is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "mæd" meaning meadow and "land" meaning land or estate. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, referring to someone who lived in or owned land near a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Medland can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1196, where a William de Medelande is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Medellond and Medelonde, as seen in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1236 and the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, respectively.

The Medland surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Medland in Devon and Medland Farm in Somerset. These locations likely derived their names from the same Old English roots as the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Medland throughout history include:

1. Thomas Medland (1615-1680), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. 2. Samuel Medland (1769-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Admiral. 3. Mary Medland (1812-1888), an English novelist and writer known for her works "The Autobiography of an Actress" and "Memoirs of an ex-Milliner." 4. Henry Medland (1872-1945), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. James's Theatre and the Gaiety Theatre. 5. John Medland (1915-1990), an Australian rules footballer who played for the Fitzroy Football Club in the Victorian Football League during the 1930s.

While the Medland surname may have originated in medieval England, it has since been carried by individuals across various regions and professions, leaving an indelible mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Medland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Medland 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. Devon leads with 314 Medlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.84x.

County Total Index
Devon 314 22.84x
Cornwall 150 20.06x
Middlesex 59 0.89x
Surrey 27 0.84x
Hampshire 23 1.70x
Gloucestershire 19 1.47x
Northumberland 15 1.53x
Channel Islands 14 7.15x
Essex 9 0.69x
Kent 9 0.40x
Somerset 6 0.56x
Huntingdonshire 5 3.81x
Wiltshire 5 0.86x
Glamorgan 4 0.35x
Cheshire 3 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.34x
Warwickshire 3 0.18x
Renfrewshire 2 0.39x
Royal Navy 2 2.54x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Okehampton in Devon leads with 28 Medlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 540.54x.

Place Total Index
Okehampton 28 540.54x
Tormoham 25 42.98x
Stoke Damerel 21 21.83x
Stratton 20 492.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 19 17.94x
Marhamchurch 17 1393.44x
West Teignmouth 16 152.09x
Cramlington 15 115.56x
West Looe 15 761.42x
Kingsteignton 14 366.49x
Lamerton 14 536.40x
Poundstock 14 1186.44x
Beaworthy 13 1940.30x
Hackney London 12 3.24x
Northlew 12 697.67x
East Teignmouth 10 177.94x
Forrabury 10 1492.54x
Lifton 10 302.11x
Portsea 10 3.77x
St Helier 10 15.70x
Cirencester 9 51.31x
Paignton 9 86.04x
Silverton 9 314.69x
St Mary Magdalene 9 163.64x
Thrushelton 9 927.84x
Holdenhurst 8 22.54x
St George Hanover 8 9.28x
Woodford St Mary 8 544.22x
Woolfardisworthy 8 402.01x
Belstone 7 2000.00x
East Stonehouse 7 25.85x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 22.24x
Lambeth 7 1.22x
Liskeard 7 55.96x
Marystow 7 795.45x
Otterham 7 1891.89x
St Kew 7 281.12x
Streatham 7 14.29x
Tintagel 7 344.83x
Bromley London 6 4.13x
Inwardleigh 6 517.24x
Tavistock 6 38.31x
Chelsea London 5 2.51x
Great Torrington 5 64.18x
Hatherleigh 5 146.20x
Maker 5 72.36x
Plymouth Charles The 5 8.26x
St Budeaux 5 116.82x
St Neots 5 70.13x
Warkleigh 5 943.40x
Exbourne 4 470.59x
Finchley 4 15.80x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.84x
Newington 4 1.64x
Sheviock 4 317.46x
Shoreditch London 4 1.40x
St Giles In Fields 4 17.56x
St Saviour 4 36.97x
St Stephens By Saltash 4 124.22x
Stoke Climsland 4 83.86x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 6.95x
Carlton 3 29.53x
Clifton 3 4.58x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 6.03x
Fugglestone St Peter 3 129.87x
Islington London 3 0.47x
Liscard 3 11.42x
Luxulyan 3 120.48x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 26.02x
Plumstead 3 3.99x
Poplar London 3 2.41x
Roath 3 5.74x
Brentor 2 689.66x
Chertsey 2 9.62x
Halwell 2 132.45x
Mawnan 2 169.49x
Plympton St Mary 2 25.16x
St Gennys 2 180.18x
St Marylebone London 2 0.57x
Week St Mary 2 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 65
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 14
Emma 12
Ann 11
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Eliza 9
Maria 8
Susan 8
Alice 7
Bessie 7
Edith 7
Emily 7
Florence 7
Annie 6
Ada 5
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Grace 4
Martha 4
Matilda 4
Amelia 3
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Eva 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Adelaide 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Eleanor 2
Jessie 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Loveday 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Minnie 2
Rhoda 2
Selina 2
Susannah 2
Thirza 2
Carrie 1
Elizh. 1
Jannie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 62
John 42
James 30
Thomas 24
Richard 22
George 21
Henry 11
Charles 9
Ernest 8
Joseph 8
Samuel 8
Alfred 6
Albert 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Edward 3
Arthur 2
Fred 2
Jas. 2
Moses 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2
Abel 1
Aubrey 1
C.William 1
Cephas 1
Chas. 1
Cyril 1
Eber 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.R. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J.L. 1
Jonathan 1
Jos.J.W. 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Rich 1
Stanley 1
Trisham 1

FAQ

Medland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Medland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 660 people were recorded with the Medland surname. That placed it at #5,439 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Medland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 623 in 2016. That gives Medland a modern rank of #8,461.

What does the Medland surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living on or near a meadow or grassland.

What does the Medland map show?

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