NameCensus.

UK surname

Melling

A habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Melling in Lancashire or Lancashire itself.

In the 1881 census there were 1,858 people recorded with the Melling surname, ranking it #2,345 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,832, ranked #2,378, down from #2,345 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bolton-le-Moors, Preston and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Melling is 3,046 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.4%.

1881 census count

1,858

Ranked #2,345

Modern count

2,832

2016, ranked #2,378

Peak year

1999

3,046 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Melling had 1,858 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,345 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,832 in 2016, ranked #2,378.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,961 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Melling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Melling surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Melling 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 918 #3,005
1861 historical 780 #3,524
1881 historical 1,858 #2,345
1891 historical 2,029 #2,275
1901 historical 2,452 #2,223
1911 historical 2,961 #1,753
1997 modern 2,975 #2,176
1998 modern 2,956 #2,278
1999 modern 3,046 #2,222
2000 modern 3,020 #2,233
2001 modern 2,950 #2,233
2002 modern 3,000 #2,245
2003 modern 2,928 #2,241
2004 modern 2,955 #2,221
2005 modern 2,900 #2,231
2006 modern 2,861 #2,270
2007 modern 2,893 #2,267
2008 modern 2,895 #2,281
2009 modern 2,960 #2,291
2010 modern 3,003 #2,301
2011 modern 2,952 #2,311
2012 modern 2,816 #2,376
2013 modern 2,880 #2,365
2014 modern 2,899 #2,356
2015 modern 2,836 #2,390
2016 modern 2,832 #2,378

Geography

Back to top

Where Mellings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bolton-le-Moors, Preston and Wigan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan. 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 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Wigan Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 014 Wigan
2 Wigan 018 Wigan
3 Wigan 010 Wigan
4 Wigan 006 Wigan
5 Wigan 008 Wigan

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Melling

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Melling

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Melling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Melling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Melling 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

Melling is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Melling

The surname Melling is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "meling" or "melinge," which referred to a mill or a mill stream. This name is locational, meaning it was originally used to identify someone who lived near a mill or a mill stream.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Westmorland. Records from the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, mention places with similar names, such as Mellingho and Melinge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Melling can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire, dated 1176, which mentions a person named Richard de Melinge. Another early reference is in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire from 1201, where a Henry de Meling is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Mellyng, Melyng, and Melynge, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. One notable individual from this period was John de Melynge, who was recorded as a landowner in Yorkshire in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the spelling of the name became more standardized as Melling. One prominent figure from this era was Thomas Melling (1595-1663), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1639 to 1640.

In the 18th century, the name Melling was associated with several notable individuals, including Samuel Melling (1735-1809), an English artist known for his portraiture and miniature paintings, and John Melling (1753-1838), an English cartographer and surveyor who produced some of the earliest maps of the United States and Canada.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was John Churchill Melling (1810-1890), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Surrey Gardens Music Hall and the St. James's Theatre.

Another prominent individual with the surname Melling was John Wycliffe Melling (1827-1903), an English artist and engraver who specialized in depicting landscapes and architectural subjects. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious institutions.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the surname Melling, which has its roots in the Old English language and has been present in various parts of England for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Melling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Melling 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 1,637 Mellings recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,637 7.63x
Yorkshire 59 0.33x
Cheshire 32 0.80x
Staffordshire 17 0.28x
Derbyshire 15 0.53x
Surrey 13 0.15x
Cumberland 12 0.77x
Middlesex 11 0.06x
Sussex 8 0.26x
Lanarkshire 6 0.10x
Lincolnshire 5 0.17x
Northumberland 5 0.19x
Durham 4 0.07x
Warwickshire 4 0.09x
Worcestershire 4 0.17x
Hampshire 3 0.08x
Leicestershire 3 0.15x
Wiltshire 3 0.19x
Denbighshire 2 0.29x
Herefordshire 2 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.31x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Shropshire 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 213 Mellings recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.12x.

Place Total Index
Preston 213 37.12x
Wigan 175 58.38x
Billinge Higher End 132 1518.99x
Pemberton 90 105.24x
Aspull 64 126.86x
Great Bolton 41 14.43x
Ince In Makerfield 36 36.07x
Ashton In Makerfield 33 54.03x
Radcliffe 33 31.92x
Lytham 27 82.47x
Lathom 26 100.39x
Little Bolton 26 9.43x
Liverpool 26 2.00x
North Meols 25 11.91x
Bury 24 9.80x
Orrell 23 86.24x
Walton Le Dale 22 38.17x
Upholland 21 76.42x
Everton 19 2.78x
Beswick 18 32.82x
Marton 18 126.23x
Tarleton 18 152.67x
Clayton Le Moors 17 40.85x
Oldham 17 2.46x
Birkenhead 16 5.03x
Eccleston In Prescot 16 14.86x
Edgeworth 15 130.21x
Leyland 15 40.19x
Newton 15 9.07x
Halsall 14 165.29x
Openshaw 12 11.95x
Preesall With 12 228.57x
Beard 11 119.44x
Blackburn 11 1.93x
Clifton Cum Salwick 11 424.71x
Layton With Warbreck 10 12.70x
Rumworth 10 32.63x
Salford 10 1.59x
West Derby 10 1.59x
Farnworth 9 7.00x
Halifax 9 3.42x
Hulme 9 2.01x
Manchester 9 0.93x
Newton In Makerfield 9 13.70x
Toxteth Park 9 1.24x
Windle 9 7.46x
Adlington 8 39.84x
Battersea 8 1.20x
Billinge Chapel End 8 66.50x
Ecclesfield 8 6.09x
Haigh 8 107.10x
Nether Wyresdale 8 213.33x
Singleton 8 232.56x
Skelmersdale 8 22.38x
Arlecdon 7 16.91x
Atherton 7 8.97x
Broughton In Salford 7 3.57x
Doncaster 7 5.35x
Ellel 7 63.29x
Formby 7 28.82x
Garston 7 11.06x
Hunslet 7 2.51x
Kirkdale 7 1.94x
Little Lever 7 25.52x
Walton On Hill 7 6.02x
Aighton Bailey 6 58.08x
Ardwick 6 3.10x
Barony 6 0.41x
Birkdale 6 11.06x
Leeds 6 0.59x
Lower Darwen 6 21.31x
Nateby 6 246.91x
Poulton Le Fylde 6 78.84x
Stretford 6 5.08x
Wolverhampton 6 1.28x
Fishwick 5 37.68x
Gorton 5 2.48x
Parr 5 6.52x
Prescot 5 12.89x
Tonge With Haulgh 5 11.98x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 138
William 124
James 119
Thomas 113
Henry 48
Richard 43
Joseph 40
Samuel 30
Edward 27
George 25
Robert 20
Peter 17
Thos. 12
Ralph 10
Charles 9
Herbert 9
Albert 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Alfred 6
Wm. 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Jesse 4
Fred 3
Jas. 3
Richd. 3
Saml. 3
Ths. 3
Abraham 2
Adam 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Luke 2
Matthew 2
Seth 2
Tom 2
Aloysius 1
Benjamin 1
Bradley 1
Christopher 1
Fred. 1
Horace 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Wm.Clifford 1

FAQ

Melling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Melling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,858 people were recorded with the Melling surname. That placed it at #2,345 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Melling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,832 in 2016. That gives Melling a modern rank of #2,378.

What does the Melling surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from the town of Melling in Lancashire or Lancashire itself.

What does the Melling map show?

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