NameCensus.

UK surname

Merrifield

From a place name meaning "pleasant open land" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 706 people recorded with the Merrifield surname, ranking it #5,148 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 984, ranked #5,874, down from #5,148 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Merrifield is 1,052 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

706

Ranked #5,148

Modern count

984

2016, ranked #5,874

Peak year

1999

1,052 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Merrifield had 706 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,148 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 984 in 2016, ranked #5,874.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 999 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Merrifield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Merrifield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Merrifield 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 395 #6,095
1861 historical 389 #6,580
1881 historical 706 #5,148
1891 historical 744 #5,353
1901 historical 986 #4,817
1911 historical 999 #4,549
1997 modern 992 #5,544
1998 modern 1,031 #5,540
1999 modern 1,052 #5,472
2000 modern 1,019 #5,594
2001 modern 995 #5,597
2002 modern 1,013 #5,631
2003 modern 978 #5,693
2004 modern 972 #5,731
2005 modern 974 #5,654
2006 modern 963 #5,727
2007 modern 971 #5,743
2008 modern 975 #5,759
2009 modern 1,007 #5,734
2010 modern 1,015 #5,816
2011 modern 1,000 #5,827
2012 modern 991 #5,777
2013 modern 1,006 #5,790
2014 modern 1,011 #5,804
2015 modern 991 #5,852
2016 modern 984 #5,874

Geography

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Where Merrifields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard, Kenwyn, Tregavethan, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Torfaen. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard Devon
3 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall
4 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
3 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
4 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 001 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Merrifield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Merrifield

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Merrifield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Merrifield 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Merrifield 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

Merrifield is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Merrifield falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Merrifield 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 Merrifield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Merrifield

The surname Merrifield is an English locational name derived from the village of Merrifield in Somerset. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "merry" meaning pleasant or agreeable, and "feld" meaning a field or open land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Merrifield can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Merefelde." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name Merrifield was primarily found in the counties of Somerset and Wiltshire, where the original village was located. It is likely that the name spread to other parts of England as families migrated or established new settlements.

Notable historical figures with the surname Merrifield include:

1. John Merrifield (c. 1522-1596), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Ashburton in Devon. 2. Mary Merrifield (1768-1849), a British botanist and writer, known for her work on the study of mosses and lichens. 3. John Merrifield (1782-1835), an English inventor and engineer who designed a reaping machine and other agricultural implements. 4. Charles Watkins Merrifield (1827-1884), a British chemist and writer, who published several works on the history of ancient art and technology. 5. Frederick Merrifield (1838-1924), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century.

Over time, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Merryfield, Merefield, and Merrifeild. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects, phonetic spellings, and clerical errors in record-keeping.

The name Merrifield has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Merrifield Farm in Somerset and Merrifield House in Wiltshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Merrifield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Merrifield 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. Cornwall leads with 210 Merrifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.86x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 210 26.86x
Devon 198 13.77x
Middlesex 94 1.36x
Surrey 63 1.87x
Essex 28 2.05x
Somerset 27 2.43x
Lancashire 18 0.22x
Hampshire 15 1.06x
Glamorgan 9 0.75x
Gloucestershire 9 0.66x
Yorkshire 7 0.10x
Cheshire 5 0.33x
Monmouthshire 4 0.80x
Staffordshire 3 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.46x
Kent 2 0.08x
Leicestershire 2 0.26x
Lincolnshire 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 2.43x
Wiltshire 2 0.33x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
Dorset 1 0.22x
Isle of Man 1 0.78x
Northamptonshire 1 0.15x
Sussex 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 35 Merrifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 35 5.23x
Tavistock 30 183.15x
Plymouth St Andrew 25 22.58x
Mylor 24 458.02x
Plymouth Charles The 24 37.90x
St Just In Penwith 24 158.21x
Camberwell 23 5.21x
Crediton 21 154.19x
Lanivet 21 860.66x
Exeter St Edmund 20 645.16x
Lambeth 18 2.99x
Kenwyn 16 78.24x
West Ham 13 4.32x
Roche 12 302.27x
Malborough 11 192.64x
East Allington 10 806.45x
Gerrans 10 473.93x
Luxulyan 10 384.62x
Bedminster 9 8.62x
Madron Penzance 9 31.66x
Phillack 9 89.20x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 9 100.56x
Chelsea London 8 3.84x
St Austell 8 29.93x
St Pancras London 8 1.44x
Tywardreath 8 159.36x
Battersea 7 2.75x
Falmouth 7 25.29x
St Clement 7 85.78x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.38x
Clapham 6 6.95x
Harwich St Nicholas 6 56.98x
Illogan 6 28.99x
Slapton 6 410.96x
Basingstoke 5 30.71x
Cardiff St John 5 12.73x
Hendon 5 20.12x
Kea 5 85.76x
Manchester 5 1.36x
Streatham 5 9.76x
Teddington London 5 31.95x
Antony 4 52.98x
Ashburton 4 58.22x
Brixham 4 24.01x
Clevedon 4 34.60x
Colebrooke 4 238.10x
Dean Prior 4 540.54x
Leeds 4 1.04x
Reddish 4 35.43x
Sidmouth 4 48.60x
St Blazey 4 58.22x
St George In East 4 8.51x
St Giles In Fields 4 16.79x
St Ive 4 79.84x
Tranmere 4 7.14x
Wick Rissington 4 1000.00x
Wickford 4 412.37x
Yarmouth 4 213.90x
Bow 3 155.44x
Drayton Bassett 3 285.71x
Hammersmith London 3 1.76x
Poplar London 3 2.30x
Roath 3 5.49x
Rochford 3 75.57x
Shoreditch London 3 1.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.16x
St Keverne 3 69.61x
St Marylebone London 3 0.81x
St Wenn 3 234.38x
Stoke 3 51.55x
Toxteth Park 3 1.08x
Trevethin 3 6.36x
Truro St Mary 3 45.66x
Whitestone 3 275.23x
Axmouth 2 124.22x
Hackney London 2 0.52x
Littleham 2 19.03x
Normanby In 2 10.93x
Topsham 2 29.50x
Tormoham 2 3.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 29
Jane 20
Emma 18
Annie 14
Eliza 14
Ellen 14
Sarah 14
Emily 9
Ann 8
Harriet 7
Susan 7
Anne 6
Louisa 6
Amelia 5
Bessie 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Esther 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Lavinia 3
Martha 3
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Laura 2
Lucretia 2
M.A. 2
Maude 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Emelin 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 36
James 30
Thomas 21
George 20
Henry 20
Charles 13
Edward 12
Samuel 12
Richard 11
Alfred 7
Edwin 6
Thos. 6
Harry 5
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Simon 3
Sydney 3
Walter 3
Willie 3
Edwd. 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Nathaniel 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Alld.S. 1
Augustus 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Ebenezer 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Immanuel 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Nicholas 1
Octavis 1
Phil 1
Phillip 1
Richd.G. 1
Richd.Henry 1
Robt. 1
Wm.Ths. 1

FAQ

Merrifield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Merrifield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 706 people were recorded with the Merrifield surname. That placed it at #5,148 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Merrifield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 984 in 2016. That gives Merrifield a modern rank of #5,874.

What does the Merrifield surname mean?

From a place name meaning "pleasant open land" in Old English.

What does the Merrifield map show?

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