NameCensus.

UK surname

Mellors

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "at the mills".

In the 1881 census there were 939 people recorded with the Mellors surname, ranking it #4,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,682, ranked #3,720, up from #4,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gedling, Bassetlaw and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mellors is 1,828 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.1%.

1881 census count

939

Ranked #4,103

Modern count

1,682

2016, ranked #3,720

Peak year

2000

1,828 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mellors had 939 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,682 in 2016, ranked #3,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,598 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Mellors surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mellors surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mellors 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 440 #5,586
1861 historical 339 #7,522
1881 historical 939 #4,103
1891 historical 985 #4,195
1901 historical 1,464 #3,486
1911 historical 1,598 #3,044
1997 modern 1,801 #3,337
1998 modern 1,826 #3,411
1999 modern 1,816 #3,444
2000 modern 1,828 #3,418
2001 modern 1,770 #3,437
2002 modern 1,771 #3,518
2003 modern 1,740 #3,501
2004 modern 1,716 #3,552
2005 modern 1,659 #3,617
2006 modern 1,671 #3,596
2007 modern 1,669 #3,632
2008 modern 1,691 #3,615
2009 modern 1,731 #3,610
2010 modern 1,758 #3,636
2011 modern 1,720 #3,660
2012 modern 1,686 #3,669
2013 modern 1,722 #3,663
2014 modern 1,720 #3,686
2015 modern 1,712 #3,655
2016 modern 1,682 #3,720

Geography

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Where Mellors' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Chesterfield and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gedling, Bassetlaw, Ashfield, Mansfield and Erewash. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Chesterfield Derbyshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gedling 002 Gedling
2 Bassetlaw 014 Bassetlaw
3 Ashfield 015 Ashfield
4 Mansfield 006 Mansfield
5 Erewash 014 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mellors

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mellors

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mellors, 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 Mellors surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mellors 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, Mellors 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

Mellors is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mellors

The surname Mellors is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "mere" meaning a boundary or a lake, and "hors" meaning a horse. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a boundary or lake where horses were kept.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Mellors dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Melres." This record indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings such as "Melours," "Meloures," and "Melowres." These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the lack of standardized spelling during that era.

The name Mellors is associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Mellors, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 14th century. He was a prominent figure in Nottinghamshire and held lands in the villages of Bingham and Shelford.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Samuel Mellors (1658-1736), an English Quaker who was born in Nottinghamshire. He was a prominent businessman and played a significant role in the development of the Quaker community in the region.

In the 19th century, John Mellors (1804-1878) was a notable figure in the coal mining industry in Derbyshire. He was a pioneering mine owner and played a crucial role in the development of the local coal industry.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Mellors was the English novelist and poet D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930). His novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover," which featured a character named Oliver Mellors, brought the name to widespread attention.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Mellors (1910-1999), a British businessman and philanthropist. He was the chairman of the construction company George Wimpey and made significant contributions to various charitable causes.

The name Mellors has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Mellors Bank in Nottinghamshire and Mellors Marsh in Derbyshire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the surname Mellors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mellors families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mellors 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 454 Mellors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.93x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 454 36.93x
Derbyshire 182 12.75x
Yorkshire 81 0.90x
Leicestershire 53 5.24x
Lincolnshire 51 3.50x
Lancashire 32 0.30x
Staffordshire 32 1.04x
Warwickshire 29 1.26x
Cheshire 5 0.25x
Middlesex 4 0.04x
Cumberland 3 0.38x
Surrey 3 0.07x
Brecknockshire 2 1.10x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.12x
Shropshire 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mansfield in Nottinghamshire leads with 59 Mellors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.69x.

Place Total Index
Mansfield 59 138.69x
Nottingham St Mary 57 17.93x
Kegworth 41 610.12x
Basford 37 65.30x
Brightside Bierlow 35 19.74x
Arnold 32 178.27x
Bulwell 31 115.97x
Radford 29 46.44x
Bolsover 24 335.20x
Greasley 23 82.91x
Scarcliff 23 1191.71x
Sutton In Ashfield 23 86.21x
Walsall Foreign 19 11.95x
Eastwood 18 163.79x
Brampton 17 85.17x
Langwith 17 1452.99x
Snenton 15 31.06x
St Swithin Lincoln 15 65.42x
Worksop 13 35.66x
Annesley 12 259.18x
Crich 12 128.76x
Birmingham 11 1.43x
Brimington 10 92.25x
Clowne 10 176.06x
Mansfield Woodhouse 10 122.25x
North Wingfield 10 156.74x
Heanor 9 42.13x
Ockbrook 9 148.51x
South Normanton 9 89.73x
Bedworth 8 47.68x
Brinsworth 8 190.93x
Kirkby In Ashfield 8 60.84x
Oldham 8 2.29x
St Michael Lincoln 8 202.53x
Warsop 8 245.40x
Alfreton 7 16.14x
Beeston 7 49.58x
Chesterfield 7 13.08x
Ardwick 6 6.15x
Broughton 6 147.06x
Burton Extra 6 33.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 3.26x
Heage 6 79.37x
Holbeck 6 779.22x
Loughborough 6 13.07x
Owston 6 144.93x
Waddington 6 224.72x
Alverton 5 10000.00x
Barton St Mary 5 68.31x
Cheadle 5 13.00x
Hucknall Torkard 5 16.04x
Ince In Makerfield 5 9.93x
Lenton 5 17.27x
Newark Upon Trent 5 11.31x
Nuneaton 5 18.76x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 1.53x
Ansley 4 153.85x
Farnsfield 4 122.70x
Haxey 4 64.62x
Holy Trinity 4 1.84x
Nether Hallam 4 3.27x
Over Darwen 4 4.63x
Pentrich 4 49.75x
Sheffield 4 1.39x
Upper Langwith 4 625.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 3.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 1.74x
Epperstone 3 220.59x
St Cuthbert W O 3 7.84x
Treeton 3 141.51x
Whittington 3 15.18x
Wingerworth 3 234.38x
Barrow In Furness 2 1.36x
Clipstone 2 215.05x
Eckington 2 5.77x
Handsworth 2 8.37x
Llanelly 2 9.17x
Long Eaton 2 10.61x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.09x
Wortley In Bramley 2 2.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 79
Sarah 42
Elizabeth 40
Ann 24
Eliza 19
Emma 19
Hannah 18
Annie 15
Alice 12
Harriet 11
Jane 11
Fanny 9
Harriett 9
Clara 6
Ellen 6
Lucy 6
Emily 5
Frances 5
Martha 5
Ada 4
Florence 4
Gertrude 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
E. 2
Esther 2
Flora 2
Isabella 2
Lizzie 2
Lydia 2
M. 2
Matilda 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bars 1
Bethiah 1
E.V. 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ellen 1
Infant 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 76
William 60
George 50
Thomas 33
Joseph 28
Henry 27
James 23
Samuel 17
Charles 14
Arthur 13
Walter 13
Robert 10
Herbert 9
Albert 8
Wm. 7
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Edward 4
Fred 4
Edmund 3
Mark 3
Mathew 3
Matthew 3
Reuben 3
Richard 3
Able 2
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Benj. 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Paul 2
Alexander 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Chs.Blry. 1
Elisha 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellis 1
Emmanuel 1
Ephrahim 1
Ezekiel 1
Firth 1
Jedediah 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Hy. 1
Job 1
Wm.Hen. 1

FAQ

Mellors surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mellors surname in 1881?

In 1881, 939 people were recorded with the Mellors surname. That placed it at #4,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mellors surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,682 in 2016. That gives Mellors a modern rank of #3,720.

What does the Mellors surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "at the mills".

What does the Mellors map show?

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