UK surname
An Old English surname derived from "mereed" meaning "pleasant pasture".
In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Meridith surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25, ranked #36,324, down from #14,112 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Deerhurst and Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meridith is 277 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 85.5%.
1881 census count
173
Ranked #14,112
Modern count
25
2016, ranked #36,324
Peak year
1891
277 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Meridith surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Meridith surname density by area, 1881 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 | 276 | #8,128 |
| 1861 | historical | 260 | #9,516 |
| 1881 | historical | 173 | #14,112 |
| 1891 | historical | 277 | #11,784 |
| 1901 | historical | 206 | #14,845 |
| 1911 | historical | 81 | #24,719 |
| 1997 | modern | 28 | #34,904 |
| 1998 | modern | 31 | #34,740 |
| 1999 | modern | 33 | #34,610 |
| 2000 | modern | 24 | #35,498 |
| 2001 | modern | 23 | #35,451 |
| 2002 | modern | 24 | #35,520 |
| 2003 | modern | 27 | #35,279 |
| 2004 | modern | 27 | #35,444 |
| 2005 | modern | 30 | #35,347 |
| 2006 | modern | 29 | #35,605 |
| 2007 | modern | 27 | #35,876 |
| 2008 | modern | 27 | #35,956 |
| 2009 | modern | 28 | #35,988 |
| 2010 | modern | 30 | #35,967 |
| 2011 | modern | 31 | #35,892 |
| 2012 | modern | 26 | #36,166 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 26 | #36,228 |
| 2016 | modern | 25 | #36,324 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Deerhurst, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Trevethin with Pontypool. 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 | Sedgley | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Deerhurst | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean | Monmouthshire |
| 4 | East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Trevethin with Pontypool | Monmouthshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Meridith 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 Meridith, 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 Meridith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Meridith 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, Meridith 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 Meridith is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Meridith, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Meridith is believed to have originated in Wales during the medieval period. It is derived from the Welsh words "meri" meaning "mare" and "dydd" meaning "day," suggesting a possible connection to someone who worked with horses or a specific event involving horses.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Meriedith" in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Meredith," "Meredyth," and "Meredithe," in records from counties like Herefordshire and Shropshire, which bordered Wales. This suggests that the name may have originated in the Welsh Marches, the area between England and Wales.
Notable individuals with the surname Meridith include:
1. Sir William Meridith (c. 1505-1584), a Welsh politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. John Meridith (c. 1550-1618), a Welsh clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Llandaff.
3. Rowland Meridith (1597-1651), a Welsh lawyer and politician who was a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.
4. William Meridith (1725-1790), a Welsh clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Landbedr, Denbighshire.
5. Sir William Meridith (1790-1855), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.
Some variations of the name include "Meredyth," "Merredith," and "Merridit," which can be found in various historical records and documents from different parts of Wales and the bordering English counties.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meridith 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. Lancashire leads with 37 Meridiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.84x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 37 | 1.84x |
| Middlesex | 22 | 1.30x |
| Surrey | 19 | 2.30x |
| Staffordshire | 12 | 2.09x |
| Herefordshire | 11 | 15.80x |
| Gloucestershire | 10 | 3.00x |
| Yorkshire | 10 | 0.59x |
| Cheshire | 9 | 2.40x |
| Hampshire | 7 | 2.01x |
| Montgomeryshire | 7 | 18.00x |
| Shropshire | 7 | 4.77x |
| Kent | 4 | 0.69x |
| Flintshire | 3 | 6.57x |
| Caernarfonshire | 2 | 2.91x |
| Somerset | 2 | 0.73x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 0.90x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.78x |
| Brecknockshire | 1 | 2.95x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.20x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.34x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.18x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 0.37x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.44x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 0.82x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.35x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.23x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bow London in Middlesex leads with 12 Meridiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.53x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Meridith surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 11 |
| Elizabeth | 9 |
| Jane | 6 |
| Annie | 5 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Eliza | 4 |
| Emma | 4 |
| Maria | 4 |
| Catherine | 3 |
| Sarah | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Comfort | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Jessie | 2 |
| Meria | 2 |
| Raymon | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Cathe. | 1 |
| Eilum | 1 |
| Elizebeth | 1 |
| Elizebth | 1 |
| Elizth.J. | 1 |
| Ema | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Hariat | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Janit | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Pheobe | 1 |
| Pheoby | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Meridith surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Meridith households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 48 |
| Dressmaker | 5 |
| Domestic Servant | 4 |
| Bricklayer | 3 |
| Coal Miner | 3 |
| Annuitant | 2 |
| Cheesemonger No Employt | 2 |
| Cook | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Iron Miner | 2 |
| Porter Railway | 2 |
| Wife | 2 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 1 |
| Blind Makers Traveler | 1 |
| Bricklayer Wife | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Coach Maker | 1 |
| Cooper | 1 |
| Cotton Operative | 1 |
| Cow Keeper | 1 |
| Cowman (Al) | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farm Servt (Indoor) | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| General Domestic Serv | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Practitioner M D | 1 |
| Genl Servant | 1 |
| Genl Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Grave Digger | 1 |
| Haulier | 1 |
| Housemaid (Dom) | 1 |
| Housemaid Dom Serv | 1 |
| Inn Keeper | 1 |
| Innkeeper | 1 |
| Iron Plate Worker | 1 |
| Kitchen ... | 1 |
| Labourer Ag | 1 |
| Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
| Masons Widow | 1 |
| Moulder (Iron) | 1 |
| Nailer | 1 |
| News Boy | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Nothing | 1 |
| Packer Hardware | 1 |
| Paper Finisher | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Meridith surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 25 in 2016. That gives Meridith a modern rank of #36,324.
An Old English surname derived from "mereed" meaning "pleasant pasture".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Meridith 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.