NameCensus.

UK surname

Megginson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Megginson.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Megginson surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Seamer and Hartlepool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Hambleton and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Megginson is 248 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.8%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

1998

248 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Megginson had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 245 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Megginson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Megginson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Megginson 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 147 #18,592
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 245 #13,084
1997 modern 244 #15,520
1998 modern 248 #15,772
1999 modern 246 #15,974
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 238 #16,004
2002 modern 248 #15,896
2003 modern 229 #16,601
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 227 #16,842
2007 modern 228 #16,984
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 243 #16,742
2010 modern 236 #17,427
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 226 #17,679
2013 modern 235 #17,515
2014 modern 227 #18,029
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Megginsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Seamer, Hartlepool, Garton-on-the-Wolds and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Hambleton, Ryedale and Huntly. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Seamer Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Hartlepool Durham
4 Garton-on-the-Wolds Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
3 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Huntly Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Megginson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Megginson

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Megginson 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

Megginson 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

Megginson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Megginson

The surname Megginson is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Megg, a pet form of the name Margaret. It first emerged in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland, during the late 12th century.

Megginson is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "megg" meaning "mighty" and "sunu" meaning "son," effectively translating to "son of Megg." This naming convention was common during the Middle Ages, where surnames were often derived from a parent's given name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Megginson can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a John Meggynson. The surname also appears in various historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire.

During the medieval period, the surname was often spelled in various ways, including Meggynson, Meginson, and Meggeson, reflecting the regional dialects and phonetic variations of the time. The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Megginson Fold, a hamlet in the parish of Rochdale, Lancashire.

Notable individuals with the surname Megginson throughout history include:

1. Sir Ralph Megginson (c. 1510-1592), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Reverend William Megginson (1650-1717), an English clergyman and author, known for his work on the history of the parish of Whalley in Lancashire.

3. Thomas Megginson (1790-1864), a British businessman and philanthropist who established the Megginson Charity in Newcastle upon Tyne for the education of poor children.

4. John Megginson (1835-1901), a British mining engineer and inventor, credited with developing several innovations in coal mining safety and extraction techniques.

5. Lilian Megginson (1889-1975), a British artist and painter, known for her landscape and portrait works, particularly those depicting scenes from the English countryside.

While the surname Megginson has spread across various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora, its roots can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it first emerged as a patronymic name during the Middle Ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Megginson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Megginson 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. Yorkshire leads with 113 Megginsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.60x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 113 8.60x
Durham 18 4.56x
Warwickshire 3 0.90x
Kent 1 0.22x
Northamptonshire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scarborough in Yorkshire leads with 28 Megginsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 234.31x.

Place Total Index
Scarborough 28 234.31x
Holy Trinity 25 79.06x
Hartlepool 10 178.25x
Old Malton 7 843.37x
Sheffield 7 16.73x
North Grimston 6 7500.00x
Darlington 5 32.81x
Falsgrave 5 257.73x
Borrowby In 4 2666.67x
Sherburn 4 370.37x
Snainton 4 1142.86x
Atherstone 3 175.44x
East Ayton 3 1666.67x
Seamer In Scarborough 3 714.29x
Sunderland 3 43.04x
Towthorpe In Driffield 3 10000.00x
York St Maurice 3 120.97x
Birdsall 2 1333.33x
Fimber 2 2500.00x
Nawton 2 1250.00x
Great Driffield 1 37.04x
Linthorpe 1 12.74x
New Malton 1 63.69x
Northampton St Giles 1 21.05x
Sandwich St Mary 1 243.90x
Sculcoates 1 4.80x
Wharram Le Street 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 8
Elizabeth 7
Annie 5
Alice 4
Sarah 4
Ada 3
Isabella 3
Mary 3
Agnes 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Matilda 2
Anne 1
Clara 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Hariet 1
Hennetta 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Martha 1
Nellie 1
Olinda 1
Priscila 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 8
Thomas 8
George 7
James 5
Richard 4
Robert 4
Stephen 3
Matthew 2
Baker 1
Byron 1
Charles 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Densbury 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Michael 1
Mowborey 1
Percival 1
Smithson 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Megginson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Megginson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Megginson surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Megginson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Megginson a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Megginson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Megginson.

What does the Megginson map show?

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