NameCensus.

UK surname

Melis

A surname derived from the Greek word "meli," meaning honey.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Melis surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Welwyn Hatfield and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Melis is 117 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1200.0%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2016

117 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Melis had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 45 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Melis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Melis surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Melis 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 45 #28,296
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1911 historical 10 #32,609
1997 modern 49 #32,776
1998 modern 48 #33,111
1999 modern 55 #32,561
2000 modern 62 #31,939
2001 modern 60 #31,985
2002 modern 62 #32,214
2003 modern 59 #32,530
2004 modern 67 #31,976
2005 modern 61 #32,814
2006 modern 72 #32,059
2007 modern 77 #31,856
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Melis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, Welwyn Hatfield, Spelthorne, Harrow and Lambeth. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 025 Swindon
2 Welwyn Hatfield 010 Welwyn Hatfield
3 Spelthorne 003 Spelthorne
4 Harrow 013 Harrow
5 Lambeth 028 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Melis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Melis

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Melis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Melis 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Melis is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Melis 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

Melis 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 Melis 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Melis

The surname MELIS has its origins in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Latin word "mellis," meaning honey. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been beekeepers or honey sellers.

The MELIS name first appeared in historical records during the 12th century in the city of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. One of the earliest documented instances was in a Latin manuscript from 1183, which mentioned a landowner named Petrus Melis.

In the 13th century, the name began to spread beyond Sardinia to other parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Liguria. It is recorded in the Florentine tax rolls of 1293, where a certain Iohannes Melis is listed as a resident of the city.

The MELIS surname has also been linked to various place names throughout Italy, such as the town of Melissano in the province of Lecce, Puglia. This town's name is derived from the Greek word "melissa," meaning honey bee, further strengthening the connection between the MELIS surname and its association with honey.

Notable historical figures who bore the MELIS surname include:

1. Giovanni Battista Melis (1548-1609), an Italian painter and architect from Sardinia, known for his works in the Baroque style.

2. Girolamo Melis (1537-1603), a 16th-century Italian jurist and scholar from Sardinia, who served as a judge in the Grand Court of Cagliari.

3. Antonio Melis (1721-1788), a Sardinian mathematician and astronomer, who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

4. Giuseppe Melis (1800-1872), an Italian architect and engineer from Sardinia, renowned for his design of several notable churches and public buildings in Cagliari.

5. Antonio Melis (1880-1954), a Sardinian politician and lawyer, who served as a deputy in the Italian Parliament during the early 20th century.

While the MELIS surname has its roots in Sardinia and other parts of Italy, it has since spread to various countries around the world, carried by Italian immigrants and their descendants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Melis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Melis 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 3 Melis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.05x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 3 13.05x
Cheshire 1 6.65x
Kent 1 4.31x
Lancashire 1 1.24x
Middlesex 1 1.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Harborne in Staffordshire leads with 3 Melis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 405.41x.

Place Total Index
Harborne 3 405.41x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 454.55x
Dukinfield 1 144.93x
Hornsey 1 116.28x
Little Bolton 1 96.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Anthony 1
Salvatore 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Melis households.

FAQ

Melis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Melis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Melis surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Melis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Melis a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Melis surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word "meli," meaning honey.

What does the Melis map show?

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