NameCensus.

UK surname

Mellis

A locational surname derived from the place name Mellis in Suffolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 481 people recorded with the Mellis surname, ranking it #6,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 530, ranked #9,572, down from #6,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Elgin and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Speyside, County Durham and Muir of Ord.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mellis is 538 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.2%.

1881 census count

481

Ranked #6,969

Modern count

530

2016, ranked #9,572

Peak year

1901

538 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mellis had 481 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 530 in 2016, ranked #9,572.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 538 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mellis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mellis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mellis 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 294 #7,758
1861 historical 376 #6,792
1881 historical 481 #6,969
1891 historical 497 #7,465
1901 historical 538 #7,640
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 469 #9,759
1998 modern 505 #9,518
1999 modern 507 #9,555
2000 modern 513 #9,441
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 528 #9,266
2003 modern 522 #9,204
2004 modern 501 #9,511
2005 modern 497 #9,479
2006 modern 497 #9,518
2007 modern 503 #9,524
2008 modern 510 #9,499
2009 modern 522 #9,544
2010 modern 527 #9,667
2011 modern 521 #9,660
2012 modern 508 #9,748
2013 modern 521 #9,722
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 528 #9,633
2016 modern 530 #9,572

Geography

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Where Mellis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Elgin, Edinburgh, Huntly and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Speyside, County Durham, Muir of Ord, New Elgin West and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Elgin Elgin
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Huntly Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Speyside Moray
2 County Durham 046 County Durham
3 Muir of Ord Highland
4 New Elgin West Moray
5 Welwyn Hatfield 016 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mellis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mellis

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mellis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mellis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mellis 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

Mellis is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mellis falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mellis

The surname MELLIS has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "mel" meaning "mill" and "leah" meaning "a clearing in a woodland." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked at a mill located in a forest clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mellis" in the county of Suffolk. This entry likely refers to the village of Mellis, which still exists today and may have been the original place from which the surname emerged.

In the 13th century, a document from the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire mentions a "William de Mellis," indicating the use of the surname during this time period. The "de" prefix was commonly used to denote a person's place of origin or residence.

Another early record is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a "John Mellis" is listed. This provides further evidence of the name's prevalence in different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

Notable individuals with the surname MELLIS throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Mellis (c. 1515 - 1569), an English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Suffolk and Norfolk. 2. John Mellis (c. 1590 - 1670), a Scottish minister and theologian who was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland. 3. Samuel Mellis (1743 - 1817), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts and sermons. 4. Robert Mellis (1723 - 1809), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow. 5. William Mellis (1810 - 1885), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

The name MELLIS has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Mellis Common and Mellis Green, both located in Suffolk. These place names likely originated from the same root as the surname and may have been named after early settlers or landowners bearing the name MELLIS.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mellis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mellis 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 124 Mellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.66x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 124 28.66x
Morayshire 81 111.57x
Lanarkshire 75 4.96x
Midlothian 23 3.67x
Middlesex 20 0.43x
Stirlingshire 19 11.03x
Angus 18 4.16x
Inverness-shire 13 9.32x
Surrey 12 0.53x
Kent 11 0.69x
Ayrshire 9 2.57x
Perthshire 9 4.29x
Durham 8 0.58x
Banffshire 7 7.22x
Nairnshire 7 49.09x
Lancashire 6 0.11x
Worcestershire 6 0.98x
Yorkshire 6 0.13x
Herefordshire 4 2.09x
Essex 3 0.33x
West Lothian 3 4.26x
East Lothian 2 3.23x
Hampshire 2 0.21x
Northumberland 2 0.29x
Renfrewshire 2 0.55x
Warwickshire 2 0.17x
Buteshire 1 3.53x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.80x
Orkney 1 1.95x
Selkirkshire 1 2.37x
Suffolk 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huntly in Aberdeenshire leads with 35 Mellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 497.16x.

Place Total Index
Huntly 35 497.16x
Govan 34 9.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 33 36.52x
Barony 26 6.80x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 20 24.70x
Elgin 20 141.64x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 6.35x
Drainie 13 202.18x
Inverness 13 37.04x
Dundee 11 6.81x
Forres 10 131.06x
Newhills 10 112.87x
Duffus 9 140.63x
Girvan 8 91.12x
Maryhill 8 27.05x
Alves 7 388.89x
Arbroath 7 48.78x
Cawdor 7 402.30x
Darlington 7 13.04x
Edinkillie 7 370.37x
Glasgow 7 2.61x
Knockando 7 237.29x
Edinburgh Trinity 6 297.03x
Lambeth 6 1.47x
Worcester St Martin 6 72.90x
Falkirk 5 12.39x
Forgue 5 128.53x
Maidstone 5 10.53x
North Meols 5 9.21x
Slamannan 5 52.97x
Southcoates 5 19.46x
St Ninians 5 29.27x
Boharm 4 210.53x
Cairney 4 158.73x
Camberwell 4 1.34x
Chatham 4 9.12x
Insch 4 162.60x
Islington London 4 0.88x
Mortlach 4 84.57x
St Marylebone London 4 1.60x
Boness 3 30.93x
Callander 3 86.71x
Fraserburgh 3 24.63x
Hereford St Owen 3 47.39x
Kinloss 3 174.42x
Larbert 3 29.13x
St Martins 3 252.10x
Waltham Holy Cross 3 34.80x
Aldershot 2 6.23x
Chapel Of Garioch 2 64.94x
Chelsea London 2 1.42x
Dunbar 2 23.04x
Kennethmont 2 124.22x
Paddington London 2 1.16x
Poplar London 2 2.27x
St George Bloomsbury 2 7.46x
Wallsend 2 9.07x
Warwick St Nicholas 2 23.15x
Aldeburgh 1 29.67x
Cargill 1 45.87x
Caterham 1 9.94x
Fordyce 1 14.35x
Gartly 1 69.93x
Grange 1 35.21x
Hackney London 1 0.38x
Inverurie 1 20.45x
Keith 1 9.68x
Kirkwall St Ola 1 12.99x
Logierait 1 27.10x
Monzievaird Strowan 1 89.29x
Newington 1 0.58x
Paisley High Church 1 3.47x
Premnay 1 67.11x
Rafford 1 58.82x
Rothesay 1 7.29x
Skene 1 34.84x
St Pancras London 1 0.27x
Stow 1 163.93x
Thornaby 1 5.78x
Willington 1 12.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Annie 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Emily 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Allice 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Floretta 1
Janet 1
Katherine 1
Lucy 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 6
Robert 4
William 4
Harry 3
Joseph 3
David 2
Edward 2
George 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alexdr. 1
Archibald 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
H.W. 1
Henry 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Mellis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mellis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 481 people were recorded with the Mellis surname. That placed it at #6,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mellis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 530 in 2016. That gives Mellis a modern rank of #9,572.

What does the Mellis surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the place name Mellis in Suffolk, England.

What does the Mellis map show?

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