NameCensus.

UK surname

Menzies

Anglicized form of Gaelic Méigeach, possibly meaning "crafty" or "tricky," or referring to a geographic location associated with the name.

In the 1881 census there were 3,904 people recorded with the Menzies surname, ranking it #1,165 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,453, ranked #1,528, down from #1,165 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dull, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rannoch and Aberfeldy, Luncarty and Dunkeld and Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Menzies is 4,453 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.1%.

1881 census count

3,904

Ranked #1,165

Modern count

4,453

2016, ranked #1,528

Peak year

2016

4,453 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Menzies had 3,904 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,165 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,453 in 2016, ranked #1,528.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,350 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Menzies surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Menzies surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Menzies 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 2,881 #1,011
1861 historical 3,045 #947
1881 historical 3,904 #1,165
1891 historical 3,888 #1,233
1901 historical 4,350 #1,303
1911 historical 1,053 #4,374
1997 modern 4,078 #1,590
1998 modern 4,238 #1,585
1999 modern 4,304 #1,572
2000 modern 4,350 #1,549
2001 modern 4,223 #1,556
2002 modern 4,327 #1,555
2003 modern 4,179 #1,573
2004 modern 4,198 #1,573
2005 modern 4,206 #1,551
2006 modern 4,185 #1,561
2007 modern 4,232 #1,556
2008 modern 4,265 #1,554
2009 modern 4,296 #1,583
2010 modern 4,393 #1,582
2011 modern 4,318 #1,586
2012 modern 4,312 #1,561
2013 modern 4,410 #1,556
2014 modern 4,451 #1,552
2015 modern 4,438 #1,538
2016 modern 4,453 #1,528

Geography

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Where Menzies' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Rannoch and Aberfeldy, Luncarty and Dunkeld, Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside and Central and South Inch. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dull Perth
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Fortingall Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rannoch and Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross
2 Luncarty and Dunkeld Perth and Kinross
3 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
4 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
5 Central and South Inch Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Menzies

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Menzies

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Menzies surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Menzies household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Menzies 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

Menzies 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

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

Meaning and origin of Menzies

The surname Menzies originates from the Scottish Lowlands, specifically in the area of Clydesdale, near Glasgow. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the old Gaelic word "meanach," meaning a person who lived in a fertile or cultivated region.

The name first appeared in written records in the early 13th century, with mentions of the Menzies family holding lands in Perthshire. The earliest recorded spelling was "Meynges" in 1249, referring to Robert de Meynges, a landowner in the parish of Weem.

The Menzies family played a significant role in Scottish history, with several notable members. Sir Robert Menzies (c. 1350 - c. 1420) was a prominent figure during the reign of Robert III and was appointed the Keeper of Lochmaben Castle. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Menzies (c. 1530 - 1597), who served as the Provost of Aberdeen and played a crucial role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 16th century, the Menzies clan was involved in several feuds with neighboring clans, particularly the Clan Campbell. This led to the famous Battle of Glenfruin in 1603, where the Menzies and their allies were defeated by the Campbells.

The name Menzies is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Menzies Castle in Perthshire, which was the ancestral seat of the Clan Menzies, and the village of Menzies in the same region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Menzies include Sir Robert Menzies (1894 - 1978), who served as the Prime Minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966. William Menzies (1795 - 1850) was a Scottish-born Australian politician and explorer, known for his expedition through the Blue Mountains in 1815.

The Menzies surname has also been found in various spellings over the centuries, including Mengies, Mengzes, and Myngis, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Menzies families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Menzies 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. Perthshire leads with 922 Menzies' recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.09x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 922 54.09x
Lanarkshire 653 5.32x
Midlothian 325 6.39x
Angus 252 7.16x
Lancashire 148 0.33x
Middlesex 137 0.36x
Renfrewshire 126 4.28x
Stirlingshire 121 8.64x
Fife 115 5.12x
Aberdeenshire 75 2.13x
Ayrshire 74 2.60x
Dunbartonshire 68 6.66x
Dumfriesshire 61 7.27x
Argyllshire 57 5.39x
Surrey 52 0.28x
Northumberland 51 0.90x
Yorkshire 47 0.12x
Morayshire 41 6.95x
West Lothian 41 7.17x
Durham 37 0.33x
Hampshire 34 0.44x
Warwickshire 34 0.36x
Ross-shire 30 2.88x
Inverness-shire 28 2.47x
East Lothian 26 5.17x
Selkirkshire 25 7.28x
Kirkcudbrightshire 24 4.37x
Kent 19 0.15x
Sussex 18 0.28x
Berwickshire 17 3.70x
Banffshire 14 1.78x
Staffordshire 14 0.11x
Sutherland 13 4.45x
Wigtownshire 13 2.58x
Derbyshire 11 0.19x
Kinross-shire 11 11.46x
Lincolnshire 11 0.18x
Cheshire 10 0.12x
Kincardineshire 10 2.16x
Peeblesshire 10 5.60x
Berkshire 9 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.18x
Cumberland 8 0.24x
Nairnshire 8 6.90x
Buteshire 7 3.04x
Essex 7 0.09x
Shetland 7 1.80x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.39x
Clackmannanshire 6 1.91x
Dorset 6 0.24x
Leicestershire 6 0.14x
Roxburghshire 6 0.87x
Worcestershire 6 0.12x
Isle of Man 4 0.57x
Royal Navy 4 0.88x
Channel Islands 3 0.27x
Cornwall 3 0.07x
Hertfordshire 3 0.11x
Gloucestershire 2 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.04x
Caithness 1 0.19x
Devon 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dull in Perthshire leads with 177 Menzies' recorded in 1881 and an index of 518.15x.

Place Total Index
Dull 177 518.15x
Govan 165 5.43x
Barony 155 4.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 151 7.38x
Dundee 114 8.68x
Glasgow 84 3.85x
Fortingall 71 326.29x
Perth East Church 62 38.58x
Logierait 60 200.00x
Perth West Church 55 68.00x
Falkirk 50 15.25x
Perth Middle Church 42 65.52x
West Greenock 42 7.95x
Crawford 38 165.79x
Liff Benvie 38 7.12x
Blair Athole 32 140.91x
Hamilton 30 8.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 29 4.41x
South Leith 29 5.07x
Stirling 29 16.42x
Little Dunkeld 28 96.82x
Scone 28 92.47x
Strathmiglo 28 104.21x
Weem 27 434.78x
Crieff 26 41.02x
Perth St Pauls 25 63.34x
Eastwood 24 13.24x
Lesmahagow 24 18.48x
New Monkland 24 6.61x
Aberdeen Old Machar 23 3.13x
Bonhill 23 14.04x
Little Bolton 23 3.97x
Moulin 23 85.41x
Comrie 22 90.27x
Kilmore Kilbride 21 31.30x
East Greenock 19 6.84x
Islington London 19 0.52x
Old Monkland 19 3.90x
Auchterarder 18 37.83x
Dumbarton 18 12.67x
Forfar 18 9.45x
Maryhill 18 7.49x
Penicuik 18 26.04x
Tibbermore 18 73.68x
Kilbirnie 17 24.91x
Camberwell 16 0.66x
Mile End Old Town 16 2.67x
Dunse 15 34.40x
Inveresk 15 10.89x
Inverkeithing 15 44.27x
Liverpool 15 0.55x
Montrose 15 7.04x
Birmingham 14 0.44x
Blackford 14 67.18x
Bothwell 14 4.20x
Brighton 14 1.08x
Cambusnethan 14 5.13x
Dunblane 14 34.32x
Durrisdeer 14 97.29x
Everton 14 0.97x
Kensington London 14 0.66x
Kilmarnock 14 4.14x
St Marylebone London 14 0.69x
Auchtergaven 13 45.50x
Callander 13 46.26x
Edinburgh Canongate 13 10.04x
Elgin 13 11.33x
Inverness 13 4.56x
Kenmore 13 63.98x
Lambeth 13 0.39x
North Leith 13 5.52x
Pencaitland 13 90.66x
Ryde 13 7.77x
Uphall 13 20.67x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.34x
Edinburgh St Marys 12 12.13x
Galashiels 12 9.45x
Hulme 12 1.28x
Larbert 12 14.33x
Mains 12 40.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 45
William 45
James 38
Thomas 18
Robert 16
George 15
Charles 12
Arthur 7
Henry 7
Alexander 6
Archibald 6
David 6
Duncan 6
Andrew 5
Frederick 5
Alfred 4
Hugh 4
Joseph 4
Peter 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Angus 3
Daniel 3
Adam 2
Bertram 2
Colin 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Jas. 2
Stewart 2
Stuart 2
Sydney 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Alan 1
Alexanda 1
Anderson 1
Archer 1
Christopher 1
Donkin 1
Douglas 1
Elizabeth 1
F. 1
Hector 1
Herbert 1
Hezekiah 1
Jno.G. 1
Kenneth 1
Z. 1

FAQ

Menzies surname: questions and answers

How common was the Menzies surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,904 people were recorded with the Menzies surname. That placed it at #1,165 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Menzies surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,453 in 2016. That gives Menzies a modern rank of #1,528.

What does the Menzies surname mean?

Anglicized form of Gaelic Méigeach, possibly meaning "crafty" or "tricky," or referring to a geographic location associated with the name.

What does the Menzies map show?

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