UK surname
An English surname derived from the Old English word "mann", meaning "man" or "person".
In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Menn surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7, ranked #37,967, down from #33,721 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Old or West Kilpatrick, Wolverhampton and Southill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Menn is 105 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 250.0%.
1881 census count
2
Ranked #33,721
Modern count
7
2016, ranked #37,967
Peak year
1861
105 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Menn surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Menn surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 11 | #31,309 |
| 1861 | historical | 105 | #20,298 |
| 1881 | historical | 2 | #33,721 |
| 1891 | historical | 40 | #31,174 |
| 1901 | historical | 38 | #29,914 |
| 1911 | historical | 16 | #31,804 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 3 | #38,304 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 2 | #38,472 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 7 | #37,854 |
| 2013 | modern | 9 | #37,653 |
| 2014 | modern | 9 | #37,679 |
| 2015 | modern | 7 | #37,920 |
| 2016 | modern | 7 | #37,967 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Old or West Kilpatrick, Wolverhampton, Southill, Redruth and St Leonard Shoreditch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old or West Kilpatrick | Dunbarton |
| 2 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 3 | Southill | Bedfordshire |
| 4 | Redruth | Cornwall |
| 5 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Menn surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Menn, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Menn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Menn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Menn is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Menn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Menn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MENN is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the German word "Mann," which means "man" or "husband." This suggests that the surname may have initially been used as a descriptive term for a male individual or perhaps as a occupation-based surname for a man who worked in a particular trade or profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MENN can be found in the Parish records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Johann MENN was mentioned in 1564. Another early reference is from the town of Esslingen, where the name appears in the town's tax records from the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the surname MENN began to appear in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. This suggests that the name had spread from its original area of origin and was being adopted by families in different parts of the country.
Among notable historical figures with the surname MENN, one can mention:
1. Johann Gottfried MENN (1713-1785), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Giessen.
2. Friedrich Emanuel MENN (1770-1830), a German painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.
3. Theodor MENN (1819-1905), a German architect who designed several prominent buildings in Stuttgart, including the Liederhalle concert hall.
4. Hermann MENN (1859-1945), a German politician and journalist who served as a member of the Reichstag (Imperial Parliament) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
5. Karl MENN (1891-1979), a German-born American architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of Los Angeles' urban landscape in the mid-20th century.
While the surname MENN is predominantly associated with Germany, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland and Austria, likely due to migration patterns and the spread of German-speaking populations over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Menn surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 1 Menns recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.25x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 1 Menns recorded in 1881 and an index of 196.08x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 196.08x |
| Maldon All Sts | 1 | 10000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Menn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Menn surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Alfred | 1 |
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 Menn households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Menn surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 7 in 2016. That gives Menn a modern rank of #37,967.
An English surname derived from the Old English word "mann", meaning "man" or "person".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Menn bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.