NameCensus.

UK surname

Meir

A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew name meaning "Illuminator" or "One who enlightens".

In the 1881 census there were 207 people recorded with the Meir surname, ranking it #12,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 376, ranked #12,437, up from #12,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Burslem and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meir is 383 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.6%.

1881 census count

207

Ranked #12,555

Modern count

376

2016, ranked #12,437

Peak year

2014

383 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meir had 207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 376 in 2016, ranked #12,437.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 332 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Meir surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meir surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meir 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 207 #12,555
1891 historical 264 #12,235
1901 historical 332 #10,863
1911 historical 303 #11,372
1997 modern 248 #15,363
1998 modern 345 #12,649
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 362 #12,264
2001 modern 340 #12,620
2002 modern 363 #12,296
2003 modern 351 #12,389
2004 modern 344 #12,597
2005 modern 353 #12,292
2006 modern 357 #12,253
2007 modern 350 #12,600
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 381 #12,436
2011 modern 377 #12,392
2012 modern 368 #12,468
2013 modern 375 #12,497
2014 modern 383 #12,390
2015 modern 383 #12,295
2016 modern 376 #12,437

Geography

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Where Meirs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Burslem, Manchester, Middlesborough and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent and County Durham. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 004 Stoke-on-Trent
2 County Durham 017 County Durham
3 Stoke-on-Trent 006 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Stoke-on-Trent 009 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Stoke-on-Trent 003 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meir

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meir

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Meir surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Meir 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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, Meir 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

Meir is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Meir falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Meir

The surname Meir is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "meier," which means a steward, bailiff, or overseer of an estate. This name first appeared in the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, in various regions of Germany.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Meir can be found in medieval German records and documents, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae and the Monumenta Germaniae Historica. These records mention individuals with the surname Meir holding positions of authority or overseeing agricultural estates.

In some cases, the surname Meir was also derived from place names that incorporated the word "meier," such as Meierhofen, Meierhof, or Meiersheim. These place names were often associated with agricultural communities or estates, reflecting the occupational origin of the surname.

One notable historical figure with the surname Meir was Johannes Meir, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century (c. 1400-1475). He is known for his contributions to the study of canon law and his writings on various theological subjects.

Another significant bearer of the surname Meir was Michael Meir, a German astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 16th century (c. 1510-1587). He is renowned for his work on planetary motion and his contributions to the development of the Copernican heliocentric model of the solar system.

In the field of literature, Georg Meir (1628-1700) was a German poet and satirist who gained recognition for his biting social commentary and humorous verses. His works provided insights into the social and cultural aspects of 17th-century Germany.

The surname Meir also has connections to the Netherlands, where it is sometimes spelled as "Meijer" or "Meijer van Delft." One notable figure with this variation of the surname was Cornelis Meijer van Delft (1516-1590), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his religious and mythological works.

Lastly, in the 20th century, Gerhart Meijer (1902-1964) was a German political scientist and sociologist who made significant contributions to the study of bureaucracy and organizational theory. His works influenced the development of modern organizational and management studies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meir families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meir 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. Staffordshire leads with 140 Meirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.37x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 140 21.37x
Warwickshire 16 3.27x
Lancashire 10 0.43x
Cheshire 8 1.87x
Yorkshire 8 0.42x
Durham 6 1.04x
Derbyshire 5 1.65x
Roxburghshire 2 5.69x
Surrey 2 0.21x
Devon 1 0.25x
Middlesex 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. Wolstanton in Staffordshire leads with 58 Meirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 291.46x.

Place Total Index
Wolstanton 58 291.46x
Burslem 47 250.40x
Aston 15 11.13x
Wolstanton Oldcott 13 548.52x
Leek Lowe 9 103.21x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 12.95x
Congleton 7 94.59x
Middlesbrough 7 27.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 34.60x
Bishopwearmouth 6 12.10x
Wingfield South 5 617.28x
Kirkdale 3 7.74x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 2 169.49x
Jedburgh 2 57.97x
Battersea 1 1.40x
Birmingham 1 0.61x
Camberwell 1 0.81x
Gorton 1 4.62x
Kimberworth 1 9.37x
Monks Coppenhall 1 6.18x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 8.63x
Plymouth Charles The 1 5.62x
Westminster St James 1 5.01x
Wolverhampton 1 1.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 15
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Ann 6
Martha 6
Margaret 5
Hannah 4
Emma 3
A. 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
C. 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Louisa 2
M. 2
Anita 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Cathn. 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Georginan 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Lilla 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Naomy 1
Pamila 1
Prudence 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 13
Arthur 8
Joseph 8
George 5
Henry 5
Frederick 4
James 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 2
Cornelius 2
Frank 2
Isaac 2
Josiah 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
C.W. 1
Edward 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Infant 1
J. 1
Levi 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Noel 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Meir surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meir surname in 1881?

In 1881, 207 people were recorded with the Meir surname. That placed it at #12,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meir surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 376 in 2016. That gives Meir a modern rank of #12,437.

What does the Meir surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the Hebrew name meaning "Illuminator" or "One who enlightens".

What does the Meir map show?

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