NameCensus.

UK surname

Meller

A surname derived from the German word "meller" meaning miller or one who operates a grain mill.

In the 1881 census there were 513 people recorded with the Meller surname, ranking it #6,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 569, ranked #9,045, down from #6,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Westminster and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meller is 1,101 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.9%.

1881 census count

513

Ranked #6,647

Modern count

569

2016, ranked #9,045

Peak year

1891

1,101 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meller had 513 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016, ranked #9,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,101 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Meller surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meller surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meller 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 678 #3,834
1861 historical 971 #2,866
1881 historical 513 #6,647
1891 historical 1,101 #3,842
1901 historical 612 #6,963
1911 historical 718 #5,952
1997 modern 546 #8,712
1998 modern 576 #8,608
1999 modern 577 #8,662
2000 modern 580 #8,597
2001 modern 550 #8,799
2002 modern 565 #8,802
2003 modern 532 #9,067
2004 modern 539 #8,991
2005 modern 543 #8,873
2006 modern 554 #8,768
2007 modern 555 #8,841
2008 modern 553 #8,924
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 584 #8,962
2011 modern 594 #8,760
2012 modern 576 #8,872
2013 modern 568 #9,080
2014 modern 580 #9,013
2015 modern 576 #9,002
2016 modern 569 #9,045

Geography

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Where Mellers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Westminster, West Dorset, Stockport and Isle of Wight. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 011 Nottingham
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
4 Stockport 027 Stockport
5 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meller

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meller

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Meller is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Meller is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Meller 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 Meller 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 Meller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Meller

The surname Meller is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "meljan," meaning "to speak" or "to tell." It is believed to have originated in the regions of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Meller surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. The name is also mentioned in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a record of land tenure in England compiled in the late 13th century.

In England, the Meller surname is thought to have been introduced by German immigrants during the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable bearer of the name was Sir William Meller (1569-1649), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire.

The Meller surname has also been associated with place names, such as Mellersh in Hampshire, England, and Mellerstain in the Scottish Borders. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, including Meller, Mellor, and Mellars.

Other notable individuals with the Meller surname include Johann Meller (1624-1683), a German composer and organist; Hans Meller (1903-1963), a German art historian; and Walter Meller (1887-1969), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club.

In the Netherlands, the Meller surname can be traced back to the 15th century, with records indicating the presence of the name in various towns and cities, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Notable Dutch bearers of the name include Dirk Meller (1635-1703), a renowned painter and engraver from Amsterdam.

While the Meller surname has its roots in Germanic languages, it has spread worldwide due to migration and intermarriage. Individuals with this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meller 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 128 Mellers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 128 2.18x
Yorkshire 86 1.75x
Staffordshire 56 3.35x
Surrey 42 1.74x
Leicestershire 30 5.46x
Middlesex 27 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 21 3.14x
Cheshire 16 1.46x
Warwickshire 14 1.12x
Derbyshire 13 1.68x
Kent 10 0.59x
Durham 8 0.54x
Glamorgan 8 0.93x
Suffolk 7 1.16x
Buckinghamshire 6 2.00x
Shropshire 6 1.40x
Bedfordshire 4 1.56x
Sussex 4 0.48x
Gloucestershire 3 0.31x
Hampshire 3 0.30x
Worcestershire 3 0.46x
Hertfordshire 2 0.59x
Northamptonshire 2 0.43x
Brecknockshire 1 1.01x
Cornwall 1 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.31x
Inverness-shire 1 0.68x
Midlothian 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ardwick in Lancashire leads with 14 Mellers recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.40x.

Place Total Index
Ardwick 14 26.40x
Huddersfield 14 19.57x
Lambeth 13 3.01x
Camberwell 12 3.79x
Castleton 12 20.44x
Haslingden 11 45.17x
Cannock 10 34.26x
Chadderton 10 34.78x
Cotton 10 900.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 9.63x
Fenny Bentley 9 2142.86x
Leicester All Sts 9 83.41x
Mancetter 9 250.70x
Saddleworth 9 23.76x
Darlington 8 14.05x
Michaelstone Super Avon 8 85.65x
Netherthong 8 503.14x
Oldham 8 4.22x
Rumworth 8 95.24x
Clapham 7 11.30x
Erith 7 42.02x
Leicester St Margaret 7 5.22x
Salford 7 4.05x
Spitalfields London 7 18.78x
Stockport 7 12.44x
Warslow Elkstone 7 707.07x
Basford 6 19.49x
Blackburn 6 3.84x
Cheddleton 6 171.43x
Gorton 6 10.86x
Hinckley 6 46.05x
Kirkdale 6 6.07x
Liverpool 6 1.68x
North Bierley 6 22.63x
Nottingham St Mary 6 3.47x
Pinxton 6 152.28x
Wrockwardine 6 63.76x
Aylesbury 5 37.68x
Conisbrough 5 108.46x
Doncaster 5 13.94x
Edgbaston 5 12.90x
Kirkburton 5 86.36x
Paddington London 5 2.74x
Sculcoates 5 6.42x
Wooldale 5 60.02x
Bedford St Paul 4 22.73x
Brightside Bierlow 4 4.15x
Hyde 4 12.39x
Kimberworth 4 14.68x
Manchester 4 1.51x
Newington 4 2.19x
North Meols 4 6.95x
Osbaston 4 1081.08x
Rugeley 4 33.33x
Stoke Golding 4 430.11x
Tipton 4 7.81x
Uttoxeter 4 46.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.33x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.57x
Crigglestone 3 63.42x
Droitwich St Peter 3 205.48x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 3.00x
Eccleshill 3 25.10x
Everton 3 1.60x
Little Welnetham 3 1153.85x
Macefin 3 625.00x
Norton In Moors 3 33.90x
Playden 3 600.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.69x
Barnsley 2 3.95x
Chelsea London 2 1.34x
Friston 2 303.03x
Heaton 2 357.14x
Heaton Norris 2 5.98x
Lancaster 2 5.72x
Southampton St Mary 2 3.13x
St George Hanover 2 3.09x
St Marylebone London 2 0.76x
St Pancras London 2 0.50x
Wirksworth 2 28.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 26
Mary 26
Sarah 22
Ann 13
Alice 9
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Hannah 8
Ada 7
Ellen 7
Margaret 7
Jane 6
Annie 5
Clara 4
Martha 4
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Rose 2
Catharina 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eliz.M. 1
Enoch 1
Franziska 1
Ida 1
Infant 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lettia 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Maria 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 29
George 20
Thomas 19
James 15
Joseph 13
Charles 11
Henry 8
Edward 7
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Harry 4
Robert 4
Abraham 3
David 3
Fredrick 3
Samuel 3
C.B. 2
Ernest 2
Ina 2
Joe 2
Joshua 2
Ralph 2
Tom 2
Archer 1
Benj. 1
Chas. 1
Claude 1
Elliott 1
Francis 1
Franz 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
Johnathon 1
Jonah 1
Jonas 1
Joseh 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Louisa 1
Michael 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Meller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 513 people were recorded with the Meller surname. That placed it at #6,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016. That gives Meller a modern rank of #9,045.

What does the Meller surname mean?

A surname derived from the German word "meller" meaning miller or one who operates a grain mill.

What does the Meller map show?

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