NameCensus.

UK surname

Melia

Derived from the Greek word for "honey," likely referring to someone who kept bees or sold honey.

In the 1881 census there were 718 people recorded with the Melia surname, ranking it #5,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,276, ranked #2,071, up from #5,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Oldham and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Melia is 3,351 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 356.3%.

1881 census count

718

Ranked #5,071

Modern count

3,276

2016, ranked #2,071

Peak year

2010

3,351 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Melia had 718 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,276 in 2016, ranked #2,071.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,579 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Melia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Melia surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Melia 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 130 #17,164
1881 historical 718 #5,071
1891 historical 950 #4,360
1901 historical 1,349 #3,718
1911 historical 1,579 #3,073
1997 modern 2,998 #2,151
1998 modern 3,108 #2,161
1999 modern 3,135 #2,161
2000 modern 3,146 #2,139
2001 modern 3,090 #2,125
2002 modern 3,150 #2,129
2003 modern 3,108 #2,110
2004 modern 3,133 #2,091
2005 modern 3,148 #2,057
2006 modern 3,110 #2,080
2007 modern 3,148 #2,081
2008 modern 3,187 #2,076
2009 modern 3,261 #2,083
2010 modern 3,351 #2,077
2011 modern 3,349 #2,049
2012 modern 3,252 #2,068
2013 modern 3,328 #2,061
2014 modern 3,349 #2,059
2015 modern 3,317 #2,057
2016 modern 3,276 #2,071

Geography

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Where Melias are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, Manchester, Liverpool and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Oldham, Liverpool and Knowsley. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 004 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 003 Sandwell
3 Oldham 029 Oldham
4 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
5 Knowsley 004 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Melia

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Melia

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Melia surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Melia household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Melia is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Melia is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Melia falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Melia is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Melia, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Melia

The surname Melia is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "mel," which means honey, suggesting that the name may have been associated with beekeeping or honey production in its early history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Melia surname can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Barese, a collection of historical documents from the region of Bari in southern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. This suggests that the name may have its roots in this area.

In the 13th century, the Melia surname appears in records from the town of Catania in Sicily, where it is believed to be connected to the noble Melia family, which held land and titles in the region during that time.

The Melia surname gained prominence in the 15th century with the birth of Antonio Melia (1445-1519), a renowned Italian jurist and legal scholar from Naples. His works on Roman law and legal theory were highly influential during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure with the Melia surname was Girolamo Melia (1590-1663), an Italian architect and engineer from Palermo, Sicily. He was responsible for the design and construction of several important buildings and fortifications in the city, including the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) and the Porta Felice (Felice Gate).

In the 19th century, the Melia surname is associated with Francesco Melia (1801-1886), an Italian politician and lawyer from Palermo. He served as a member of the Sicilian Parliament and played a significant role in the political and social reforms of the region during the Risorgimento period.

Throughout its history, the Melia surname has also been connected to various place names and older spellings, such as Melia, Mella, and Mellia. These variations may have emerged due to regional dialects or variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Melia families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Melia 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. Lancashire leads with 556 Melias recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.68x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 556 6.68x
Cheshire 68 4.39x
Yorkshire 39 0.56x
Durham 16 0.77x
Northumberland 13 1.25x
Warwickshire 7 0.40x
Shropshire 5 0.83x
Devon 3 0.21x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.06x
Midlothian 2 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.35x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.53x
Royal Navy 1 1.20x
Stirlingshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 178 Melias recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.22x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 178 35.22x
Manchester 36 9.62x
Ormskirk 33 207.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 32 17.59x
Castleton 28 33.69x
Chester St John Baptist 26 93.42x
Toxteth Park 20 7.10x
Kirkdale 19 13.57x
Prescot 18 119.60x
Stockport 18 22.59x
Oldham 17 6.33x
Hulme 15 8.63x
Darlington 14 17.38x
Ardwick 12 15.99x
Salford 11 4.49x
Blackburn 10 4.52x
Chorley 9 19.27x
Heap 9 20.39x
North Meols 9 11.05x
Northowram 9 18.47x
West Derby 9 3.70x
Farnworth 8 16.04x
Parr 8 26.87x
Aston 7 1.44x
Dukinfield 7 9.78x
Leeds 7 1.78x
North Shields 7 33.62x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 9.58x
Birkenhead 6 4.86x
Heaton Norris 6 12.67x
Middlesbrough 6 6.63x
Everton 5 1.89x
Great Bolton 5 4.54x
Newport 5 68.40x
Sheffield 5 2.26x
Widnes 5 8.33x
Bradford 4 10.27x
Newchurch 4 5.88x
Preston 4 1.80x
Spotland 4 4.32x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 4.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.27x
Crumpsall 3 15.30x
Halifax 3 2.94x
Macclesfield 3 4.36x
Southowram 3 14.14x
Tynemouth 3 5.37x
Wigan 3 2.58x
Batley 2 3.03x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.47x
Devonport 2 11.92x
Fulham London 2 1.97x
Little Bolton 2 1.87x
Stranton 2 2.85x
Stretford 2 4.37x
Wardleworth 2 4.21x
West Calder 2 10.80x
Withington 2 7.46x
Bonhill 1 3.31x
Chester St Bridget 1 37.74x
Denton 1 5.42x
Dumbarton 1 3.81x
Falkirk 1 1.65x
Fazakerley 1 77.52x
Formby 1 10.62x
Fulwood 1 11.12x
Great Crosby 1 4.41x
Halewood 1 22.42x
Hammersmith London 1 0.58x
Linthorpe 1 2.41x
Monks Coppenhall 1 1.71x
Mottram 1 14.27x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 1.85x
Northwich 1 40.65x
Royal Navy 1 1.40x
Rufford 1 45.87x
Rusholme 1 4.50x
Tranmere 1 1.76x
Whittingham 1 27.25x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 1 7.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Catherine 37
Bridget 34
Ellen 26
Margaret 25
Sarah 20
Ann 17
Annie 17
Elizabeth 10
Alice 8
Kate 7
Anne 6
Jane 6
Eliza 5
Julia 5
Maria 5
Clara 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Maggie 3
Susan 3
Winifred 3
Elisabeth 2
Honor 2
Lizzie 2
Margt. 2
Winefred 2
Ada 1
Anny 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Connor 1
Elemi 1
Elizebeth 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Honara 1
Honoria 1
Isabella 1
John 1
Lilly 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Nappy 1
Polly 1
Teresa 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 74
Patrick 39
Thomas 33
James 29
Michael 27
Martin 15
Peter 14
William 14
Joseph 12
Austin 9
Edward 8
Henry 6
Anthony 3
Daniel 3
George 3
Hugh 3
Patk. 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Cornelius 2
Edwin 2
Samuel 2
Antony 1
Brian 1
Dominick 1
Dormick 1
Edwd 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Luke 1
Mary 1
Mathew 1
Michl. 1
Owen 1
Pat. 1
R. 1
Redmons 1
Richard 1
Thos.A. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Melia surname: questions and answers

How common was the Melia surname in 1881?

In 1881, 718 people were recorded with the Melia surname. That placed it at #5,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Melia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,276 in 2016. That gives Melia a modern rank of #2,071.

What does the Melia surname mean?

Derived from the Greek word for "honey," likely referring to someone who kept bees or sold honey.

What does the Melia map show?

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