NameCensus.

UK surname

Mell

A variant spelling of the English surname Mell, derived from the Old English word "melle" meaning hill or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Mell surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 288, ranked #15,180, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Luddington, Doncaster and Hucknall Torkard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mell is 303 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.2%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

288

2016, ranked #15,180

Peak year

1999

303 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mell had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016, ranked #15,180.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 287 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mell 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 239 #13,173
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 287 #11,784
1997 modern 298 #13,593
1998 modern 300 #13,877
1999 modern 303 #13,873
2000 modern 288 #14,312
2001 modern 272 #14,654
2002 modern 276 #14,794
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 281 #14,489
2005 modern 267 #14,954
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 268 #15,311
2009 modern 277 #15,260
2010 modern 302 #14,661
2011 modern 285 #15,140
2012 modern 279 #15,289
2013 modern 284 #15,358
2014 modern 294 #15,047
2015 modern 294 #14,971
2016 modern 288 #15,180

Geography

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Where Mells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Luddington, Doncaster, Hucknall Torkard, Crowle and Snaith. 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 and Kirklees. 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 Luddington Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
4 Crowle Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Snaith Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 032 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Kirklees 002 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mell, 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 Mell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mell 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mell 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

Mell falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mell

The surname MELL originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word "mæl," which means "speech" or "discourse." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a skilled orator or storyteller.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MELL can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, a person named Ailric Mell is listed as holding lands in Oxfordshire.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings, including Melle, Melle, and Melle. During this time, the name appears in various medieval records and documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded the names of landowners and tenants in England.

One notable individual with the surname MELL was John Mell, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1456 to 1464. Another early bearer of the name was William Mell, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name MELL was associated with several place names in England, such as Mellbury and Mellcombe, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain regions.

Moving into the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname MELL was Patrick Mell, an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who lived from 1605 to 1678. He was known for his writings on logic and metaphysics.

In the 18th century, John Mell (1715-1788) was a notable English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bisley in Gloucestershire. His works included several theological treatises and sermons.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname MELL was Benjamin Mell (1780-1855), an American Baptist minister and educator who was instrumental in establishing Mercer University in Georgia. He served as the university's first president from 1838 to 1855.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have carried the surname MELL throughout the centuries, from clergymen and scholars to merchants and landowners, in England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mell 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 121 Mells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.49x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 121 6.49x
Lincolnshire 24 7.97x
Middlesex 14 0.74x
Surrey 7 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.36x
Monmouthshire 5 3.67x
Warwickshire 5 1.05x
Staffordshire 4 0.63x
Lancashire 3 0.13x
Cheshire 2 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 18 Mells recorded in 1881 and an index of 132.06x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 18 132.06x
Kilpin 13 5909.09x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 10 448.43x
Swinefleet 10 1250.00x
Crowle 9 491.80x
Adlingfleet 7 5384.62x
Bramley In Bramley 7 98.04x
Goole 7 223.64x
Holy Trinity 7 15.60x
Hunslet 7 24.06x
Kimberworth 7 67.63x
Banstead 6 240.96x
Eccleshill 6 132.16x
Hucknall Torkard 6 93.31x
Boston 5 54.76x
Garthorpe 5 1388.89x
Owston 5 588.24x
St Woollos 5 32.92x
Great Alne 4 1428.57x
Hammersmith London 4 8.63x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 5.94x
Hoyland Nether 3 65.50x
Islington London 3 1.64x
Kensington London 3 2.87x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 63.42x
Accrington 2 9.85x
Beverley St Martin 2 64.31x
Burringham 2 571.43x
Clee With Weelsby 2 30.35x
Hyde 2 16.31x
St Marylebone London 2 1.99x
Alton 1 34.36x
Bridlington 1 23.42x
Croydon 1 1.96x
Crumpsall 1 19.01x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.64x
Edgbaston 1 6.79x
Howden 1 78.74x
Leeds 1 0.95x
Leicester All Sts 1 24.39x
Luddington 1 263.16x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 1 66.23x
Pannal 1 55.87x
Sheffield 1 1.68x
St Nicholas Lincoln 1 34.72x
St Pancras London 1 0.66x
Westminster St James 1 5.17x
York Holy Trinity Kings 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 8
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Ann 4
Annie 4
Emily 4
Charlotte 3
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Agness 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
..nney 1
Alice 1
Amanda 1
Anne 1
Annita 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Eugine 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Henriett 1
Isabella 1
L.M. 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rosa 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 16
John 13
William 10
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
Charles 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
James 3
Linsley 3
Alfred 2
Jos. 2
Nathaniel 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charley 1
Chas.E. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
G.E. 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Johnson 1
Leonard 1
Lindsley 1
Nathan 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sinsley 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Mell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Mell surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 288 in 2016. That gives Mell a modern rank of #15,180.

What does the Mell surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Mell, derived from the Old English word "melle" meaning hill or ridge.

What does the Mell map show?

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