NameCensus.

UK surname

Mensah

A surname of Akan origin indicating the third-born child of a family.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Mensah surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,874, ranked #2,341, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mensah is 2,874 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 287300.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

2,874

2016, ranked #2,341

Peak year

2016

2,874 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mensah had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,874 in 2016, ranked #2,341.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Mensah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mensah surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mensah 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
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 1,209 #4,679
1998 modern 1,254 #4,703
1999 modern 1,321 #4,537
2000 modern 1,367 #4,377
2001 modern 1,318 #4,439
2002 modern 1,523 #4,021
2003 modern 1,648 #3,671
2004 modern 1,900 #3,239
2005 modern 2,056 #3,003
2006 modern 2,219 #2,817
2007 modern 2,375 #2,678
2008 modern 2,474 #2,613
2009 modern 2,642 #2,516
2010 modern 2,767 #2,468
2011 modern 2,638 #2,547
2012 modern 2,640 #2,499
2013 modern 2,769 #2,446
2014 modern 2,835 #2,409
2015 modern 2,820 #2,400
2016 modern 2,874 #2,341

Geography

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Where Mensahs 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 Enfield, Haringey, Waltham Forest and Southwark. 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 Enfield 033 Enfield
2 Haringey 015 Haringey
3 Enfield 023 Enfield
4 Waltham Forest 027 Waltham Forest
5 Southwark 018 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mensah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mensah

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Mensah surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mensah household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mensah is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mensah is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mensah falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mensah is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Mensah

The surname Mensah originates from Ghana in West Africa. It is an Akan name derived from the word 'mensah' which means 'one who was born on Saturday'. The name has been in use among the Akan people for centuries.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Mensah can be found in oral traditions and historical accounts from the Akan kingdoms of modern-day Ghana, particularly the Ashanti Empire. These accounts date back to the 17th and 18th centuries when the Ashanti Empire was at its peak.

One notable historical figure with the surname Mensah was Nana Mensah Bonsu, a prominent chief and military leader from the Ashanti Empire in the late 18th century. He played a key role in the expansion of the empire and the defense against British colonial forces.

Another famous bearer of the name was Kofi Mensah Bonsu, a renowned Ghanaian historian and linguist who lived from 1892 to 1978. He made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Akan languages and culture.

In the 20th century, Kwame Mensah was a celebrated Ghanaian highlife musician and composer who helped popularize the genre both in Ghana and internationally. He was active in the 1950s and 1960s.

A more recent figure with the surname Mensah is Mensah Ayittey, a prominent Ghanaian politician and economist who served as the Minister of Finance from 1969 to 1971.

The name Mensah has also been associated with various place names in Ghana, particularly in the Ashanti Region, where it has historical roots. Some of these place names include Mensah Dawa, Mensah Krom, and Mensah Nkwanta.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mensah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mensah 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. Cheshire leads with 1 Mensahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.95x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 1 46.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tranmere in Cheshire leads with 1 Mensahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.

Place Total Index
Tranmere 1 1250.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Dota 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 Mensah households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 1

FAQ

Mensah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mensah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Mensah surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mensah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,874 in 2016. That gives Mensah a modern rank of #2,341.

What does the Mensah surname mean?

A surname of Akan origin indicating the third-born child of a family.

What does the Mensah map show?

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