NameCensus.

UK surname

Melville

From a place name derived from Old English meaning "bad ford," referring to a dangerously steep riverbank crossing.

In the 1881 census there were 3,182 people recorded with the Melville surname, ranking it #1,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,452, ranked #1,529, down from #1,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutherland East, Newburgh and Balmullo and Gauldry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Melville is 4,529 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.9%.

1881 census count

3,182

Ranked #1,417

Modern count

4,452

2016, ranked #1,529

Peak year

2010

4,529 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Melville had 3,182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,452 in 2016, ranked #1,529.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,881 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Melville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Melville surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Melville 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 1,821 #1,579
1861 historical 1,951 #1,496
1881 historical 3,182 #1,417
1891 historical 3,430 #1,385
1901 historical 3,881 #1,454
1911 historical 1,420 #3,400
1997 modern 4,250 #1,531
1998 modern 4,445 #1,521
1999 modern 4,477 #1,524
2000 modern 4,347 #1,550
2001 modern 4,230 #1,554
2002 modern 4,328 #1,553
2003 modern 4,287 #1,540
2004 modern 4,331 #1,525
2005 modern 4,338 #1,510
2006 modern 4,289 #1,522
2007 modern 4,306 #1,535
2008 modern 4,342 #1,531
2009 modern 4,450 #1,529
2010 modern 4,529 #1,537
2011 modern 4,416 #1,549
2012 modern 4,298 #1,564
2013 modern 4,366 #1,571
2014 modern 4,442 #1,559
2015 modern 4,401 #1,555
2016 modern 4,452 #1,529

Geography

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Where Melvilles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutherland East, Newburgh, Balmullo and Gauldry, Fintry and Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutherland East Highland
2 Newburgh Fife
3 Balmullo and Gauldry Fife
4 Fintry Dundee City
5 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Melville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Melville

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Melville, 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 Melville surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Melville 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, Melville 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

Melville 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

Melville falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Melville is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Melville, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Melville

The surname Melville has its origins in Normandy, France, and it is believed to have emerged around the 11th century. The name is derived from the French words "mel" meaning "hill" and "ville" meaning "town," indicating that the original bearers of this name likely resided in a town situated on a hill.

One of the earliest records of the name Melville can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Malville" and is associated with several landholders in various counties.

As the Normans expanded their influence across England and Scotland, the Melville surname spread throughout these regions. In Scotland, the name is closely tied to the historical region of Angus, where the Melvilles were prominent landowners and influential figures.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Melville was Sir Richard Melville, born around 1150, who served as a knight and courtier under King David I of Scotland. Another notable figure was Sir James Melville (1535-1617), a renowned Scottish diplomat and writer who served under Mary, Queen of Scots, and later James VI of Scotland.

In England, the Melville surname can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable bearer was Sir John Melville (1545-1629), a prominent English courtier and politician who served as a member of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

The name Melville has also been associated with literary figures, such as Herman Melville (1819-1891), the American novelist and poet best known for his masterpiece "Moby-Dick." Other notable individuals include Andrew Melville (1545-1622), a Scottish scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation, and Sir James Melville (1690-1768), a Scottish historian and philosopher.

Throughout history, the Melville surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Malville, Melvill, Melvile, and Melvin, reflecting the regional differences and evolving language patterns. Place names like Melville Castle in Scotland and Melville, New York, in the United States, further highlight the widespread influence of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Melville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Melville 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. Fife leads with 663 Melvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.31x.

County Total Index
Fife 663 36.31x
Lanarkshire 326 3.27x
Angus 279 9.76x
Midlothian 276 6.68x
Middlesex 172 0.56x
Lancashire 148 0.40x
Perthshire 143 10.33x
Renfrewshire 106 4.43x
Sutherland 84 35.42x
Durham 78 0.85x
Northumberland 69 1.50x
Stirlingshire 68 5.98x
Dunbartonshire 53 6.39x
Surrey 43 0.29x
Kent 36 0.34x
Aberdeenshire 33 1.16x
Orkney 33 9.72x
Ayrshire 27 1.17x
Kinross-shire 27 34.63x
Yorkshire 27 0.09x
Staffordshire 26 0.25x
Sussex 25 0.48x
West Lothian 25 5.38x
Cumberland 24 0.90x
Lincolnshire 24 0.49x
Clackmannanshire 23 9.03x
Roxburghshire 20 3.58x
Glamorgan 19 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 19 4.26x
Caithness 17 4.03x
Kincardineshire 17 4.53x
Warwickshire 17 0.22x
Hampshire 16 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.34x
Oxfordshire 14 0.74x
Argyllshire 13 1.51x
Cornwall 13 0.37x
East Lothian 12 2.94x
Cheshire 11 0.16x
Wiltshire 10 0.37x
Derbyshire 9 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.43x
Somerset 8 0.16x
Essex 7 0.12x
Selkirkshire 7 2.51x
Inverness-shire 6 0.65x
Peeblesshire 6 4.14x
Ross-shire 6 0.71x
Wigtownshire 6 1.47x
Banffshire 5 0.78x
Berwickshire 5 1.34x
Northamptonshire 5 0.17x
Worcestershire 5 0.12x
Devon 4 0.06x
Monmouthshire 3 0.13x
Morayshire 3 0.63x
Rutland 3 1.32x
Anglesey 2 0.37x
Channel Islands 2 0.22x
Gloucestershire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.54x
Shetland 2 0.63x
Buteshire 1 0.54x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.15x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
Westmorland 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. Dundee in Angus leads with 167 Melvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.65x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 167 15.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 117 7.04x
Barony 110 4.36x
Govan 88 3.57x
St Andrews 63 75.83x
Liff Benvie 62 14.29x
Glasgow 61 3.44x
Dysart 52 42.29x
Clyne 47 245.82x
Kirkcaldy 37 40.86x
Cupar 36 45.33x
Newburgh 35 150.86x
Toxteth Park 33 2.66x
Forgan 32 91.48x
Bonhill 29 21.79x
Falkirk 29 10.89x
Ferry Port On Craig 28 93.21x
Hammersmith London 27 3.55x
Dunfermline 26 9.26x
Abbotshall 25 36.64x
Alloa 23 18.62x
Largo 23 97.01x
Perth West Church 23 35.01x
Kettle 22 100.37x
Alyth 21 56.36x
Blairgowrie 21 38.35x
Eaglesham 21 143.44x
New Monkland 21 7.12x
Ceres 20 91.12x
Girvan 20 34.52x
Golspie 20 121.65x
Cross Burness N 19 107.22x
Kilrenny 19 56.25x
Montrose 19 10.97x
Auchtermuchty 18 73.38x
Edinburgh St Marys 18 22.41x
Kennoway 18 108.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 1.63x
Westoe 18 3.46x
Abbey 17 4.66x
Cathcart 17 13.14x
North Leith 17 8.89x
Kensington London 16 0.93x
Leuchars 16 69.29x
Swansea Town 16 3.63x
Stirling 15 10.46x
Edinburgh Greenside S 14 93.46x
Manchester 14 0.85x
Orwell 14 65.12x
Perth East Church 14 10.73x
Aberdeen Old Machar 13 2.18x
Auchterderran 13 28.32x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 13 13.30x
Elswick 13 3.55x
Everton 13 1.11x
Islington London 13 0.43x
Lochwinnoch 13 36.50x
St Pancras London 13 0.52x
Burntisland 12 23.51x
Cults 12 161.29x
Heworth 12 6.64x
Leeds 12 0.70x
Leslie 12 25.95x
Polmont 12 28.57x
Barrow In Furness 11 2.21x
Birmingham 11 0.42x
Dunbar 11 19.20x
Dunoon Kilmun 11 16.43x
Edinburgh Canongate 11 10.46x
Enfield 11 5.44x
Lambeth 11 0.41x
Liverpool 11 0.49x
Perth Middle Church 11 21.13x
St Leonards 11 134.64x
Stranton 11 3.56x
Wallsend 11 7.56x
West Greenock 11 2.56x
Cheadle 10 7.69x
Kinross 10 37.41x
Saline 10 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 43
John 41
William 41
Thomas 28
Robert 22
Charles 19
David 18
George 15
Alexander 11
Henry 11
Alfred 10
Arthur 9
Andrew 7
Joseph 7
Ernest 6
Frederick 6
Peter 6
Walter 6
Francis 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Michael 5
Samuel 5
Edward 4
Geo. 4
Albert 3
Fredk. 2
Geo.Wm. 2
Harden 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Jabez 2
Mathew 2
Stanley 2
Sydney 2
Allen 1
Austin 1
Beresford 1
Billy 1
Bruce 1
Christopher 1
Duncan 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Eliza 1
Gavin 1
Isaac 1
Jas.C. 1
Jas.H. 1
Joshua 1

FAQ

Melville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Melville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,182 people were recorded with the Melville surname. That placed it at #1,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Melville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,452 in 2016. That gives Melville a modern rank of #1,529.

What does the Melville surname mean?

From a place name derived from Old English meaning "bad ford," referring to a dangerously steep riverbank crossing.

What does the Melville map show?

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