NameCensus.

UK surname

Membury

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Membury surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Membury is 138 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.2%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2009

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Membury had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Membury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Membury surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Membury 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 32 #30,501
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

Back to top

Where Memburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland, South Somerset and Shropshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 010 West Dorset
2 West Dorset 009 West Dorset
3 Weymouth and Portland 002 Weymouth and Portland
4 South Somerset 022 South Somerset
5 Shropshire 020 Shropshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Membury

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Membury

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Membury is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Membury is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Membury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Membury 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. Devon leads with 22 Memburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.70x.

County Total Index
Devon 22 19.70x
Somerset 19 22.01x
Oxfordshire 8 24.15x
Dorset 2 5.68x
Surrey 2 0.77x
Cornwall 1 1.65x
Kent 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bathwick in Somerset leads with 9 Memburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 937.50x.

Place Total Index
Bathwick 9 937.50x
Oxford St Thomas 8 516.13x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 273.44x
Cullompton 6 1224.49x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 221.24x
Axminster 4 769.23x
Halberton 3 1153.85x
Yeovil 2 114.29x
Allington 1 322.58x
Bridport 1 138.89x
Camberwell 1 2.92x
Hinton St George 1 769.23x
Ilminster 1 166.67x
Lambeth 1 2.14x
Sevenoaks 1 67.57x
St Clether 1 2500.00x
Talaton 1 1250.00x
Wilton 1 454.55x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 172.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 3
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Mary 2
Anna 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clemintina 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Evelyn 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jemina 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
George 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Bertram 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Job 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Membury households.

FAQ

Membury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Membury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Membury surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Membury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Membury a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Membury map show?

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