NameCensus.

UK surname

Merriman

An occupational surname for a steward or bailiff, derived from the Anglo-Norman French "mareiman" meaning "horse servant."

In the 1881 census there were 1,095 people recorded with the Merriman surname, ranking it #3,632 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,899, ranked #3,347, up from #3,632 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Sheepshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Merriman is 1,950 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.4%.

1881 census count

1,095

Ranked #3,632

Modern count

1,899

2016, ranked #3,347

Peak year

2010

1,950 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Merriman had 1,095 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,632 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,899 in 2016, ranked #3,347.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,634 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Merriman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Merriman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Merriman 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 679 #3,828
1861 historical 609 #4,362
1881 historical 1,095 #3,632
1891 historical 1,298 #3,333
1901 historical 1,634 #3,159
1911 historical 1,632 #2,981
1997 modern 1,828 #3,288
1998 modern 1,936 #3,237
1999 modern 1,922 #3,282
2000 modern 1,924 #3,272
2001 modern 1,877 #3,271
2002 modern 1,885 #3,326
2003 modern 1,824 #3,361
2004 modern 1,818 #3,365
2005 modern 1,822 #3,330
2006 modern 1,825 #3,331
2007 modern 1,827 #3,357
2008 modern 1,854 #3,343
2009 modern 1,891 #3,357
2010 modern 1,950 #3,343
2011 modern 1,941 #3,326
2012 modern 1,913 #3,310
2013 modern 1,939 #3,325
2014 modern 1,939 #3,342
2015 modern 1,917 #3,336
2016 modern 1,899 #3,347

Geography

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Where Merrimans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Sheepshead, Alfreton and Birsay and Harray. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and Herefordshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Sheepshead Leicestershire
4 Alfreton Derbyshire
5 Birsay and Harray Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 007 Pembrokeshire
2 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire
3 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
4 Herefordshire 005 Herefordshire, County of
5 Pembrokeshire 014 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Merriman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Merriman

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Merriman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Merriman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Merriman 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

Merriman is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Merriman falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Merriman

The surname Merriman is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "merri" meaning pleasant or merry, and "mann" meaning man. It first emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive surname, given to someone with a cheerful or pleasant demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire in 1195, where it is spelled "Merriman". It is also found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1221, suggesting the name was present in different regions of England during this period.

The Merriman surname is believed to have originated in the counties of Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire, where it was particularly prevalent in the Middle Ages. The name may also have connections to various place names in these areas, such as Merridale or Merrifield.

One notable early bearer of the Merriman name was John Merriman, a 14th-century merchant and landowner from Coventry, Warwickshire. Records indicate he was involved in the wool trade and held properties in the city.

Another historical figure was William Merriman, a farmer and landowner from Northamptonshire, who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in land records and court rolls from the time.

In the 16th century, the Merriman surname can be found in the parish records of Leicestershire, with several families bearing the name residing in villages such as Lutterworth and Market Harborough.

One of the most renowned individuals with this surname was Nathaniel Merriman (1670-1740), an English clergyman and author from Worcestershire. He wrote several religious works and served as the Rector of Donington in Shropshire.

Another notable Merriman was Samuel Merriman (1721-1793), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Chippenham in Wiltshire during the latter half of the 18th century.

Overall, the Merriman surname has a long and rich history in England, particularly in the Midlands region, where it originated as a descriptive name reflecting a person's pleasant or cheerful nature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Merriman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Merriman 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. Middlesex leads with 123 Merrimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 123 1.15x
Pembrokeshire 117 34.47x
Staffordshire 91 2.52x
Leicestershire 66 5.57x
Derbyshire 60 3.59x
Orkney 59 50.21x
Worcestershire 54 3.87x
Gloucestershire 53 2.53x
Lancashire 51 0.40x
Warwickshire 50 1.86x
Nottinghamshire 49 3.40x
Surrey 45 0.86x
Glamorgan 37 1.99x
Durham 32 1.01x
Oxfordshire 24 3.64x
Lincolnshire 20 1.17x
Essex 19 0.90x
Cheshire 14 0.59x
Kent 13 0.36x
Northamptonshire 13 1.29x
Devon 12 0.54x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.33x
Yorkshire 9 0.09x
Hampshire 8 0.37x
Monmouthshire 8 1.04x
Carmarthenshire 7 1.55x
Fife 7 1.11x
Wiltshire 6 0.64x
Berkshire 5 0.62x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.77x
Northumberland 5 0.31x
Hertfordshire 4 0.54x
Midlothian 4 0.28x
Norfolk 3 0.18x
Shropshire 3 0.33x
Royal Navy 2 1.57x
Westmorland 2 0.85x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.47x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.41x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x
Somerset 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. Alfreton in Derbyshire leads with 37 Merrimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.83x.

Place Total Index
Alfreton 37 72.83x
Birsay Harray 29 339.98x
Sandwick 25 566.89x
Birmingham 23 2.56x
Nottingham St Mary 21 5.64x
Pembroke St Mary 21 48.04x
Chipping Campden 20 293.26x
Sheepshed 20 123.23x
Narberth South 19 763.05x
Mile End Old Town 18 10.68x
Swansea Town 17 11.15x
Stoulton 15 1111.11x
Islington London 14 1.35x
Littlemore 14 769.23x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 3.40x
Loveston 12 2608.70x
Putney 11 22.60x
Willington 11 585.11x
Aston 10 1.35x
Camberwell 10 1.47x
Cranleigh 10 131.23x
Kensington London 10 1.68x
Lenton 10 29.49x
Loughborough 10 18.61x
St Pancras London 10 1.16x
Whitburn 10 134.95x
Bradford 9 15.17x
Knutsford Nether 9 63.16x
Northampton St Sepulchre 9 17.61x
Nottingham St Peter 9 56.07x
Stretford 9 12.91x
Wolverhampton 9 3.25x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.72x
Castle Donnington 8 81.47x
Mounton 8 6666.67x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 12.54x
No Mans Heath 8 3076.92x
Plymouth Charles The 8 8.17x
Prendergast 8 154.14x
Shoreditch London 8 1.73x
St Andrewthe Less 8 10.35x
Walsall Foreign 8 4.30x
Wanstead 8 21.67x
Wednesbury 8 8.88x
Burslem 7 6.78x
Cannock 7 11.13x
Enderby 7 114.19x
Great Wyrley 7 178.57x
Henllan Amgoed 7 1320.75x
Leslie 7 43.72x
Lichfield St Chad 7 86.31x
Llanover 7 26.55x
Morton In Bourn 7 201.73x
Pershore Holy Cross 7 78.30x
Redditch 7 24.75x
Roath 7 8.29x
Tottenham 7 4.11x
Westbury On Severn East 7 14.78x
Ystradyfodwg 7 4.29x
Bromsgrove 6 12.78x
Deptford St Paul 6 2.13x
Great Crosby 6 17.36x
Harborne 6 5.19x
Iffley 6 107.91x
Jeffreston 6 331.49x
Leek Lowe 6 12.51x
Marlborough St Peter St 6 123.46x
Rowington 6 198.02x
Thringstone 6 132.45x
Weston 6 194.17x
Cheltenham 5 3.09x
Colchester St Giles 5 24.00x
Everton 5 1.24x
Hampstead London 5 3.01x
Llansamlet Higher 5 36.02x
Newton North 5 2941.18x
Ombersley 5 64.35x
Openshaw 5 8.42x
Steynton 5 45.58x
Williamston 5 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 71
William 60
George 38
James 34
Thomas 34
Joseph 22
Charles 19
Henry 18
Frederick 14
Robert 11
Richard 8
Albert 7
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Harry 7
Samuel 7
Walter 6
Ernest 5
Alfred 4
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
David 3
Michael 3
Willm. 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Edgar 2
Edwd. 2
Fred 2
G. 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Lawford 2
Mark 2
Owen 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Wm. 2
B.J. 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Everard 1
Frances 1
Fred.S. 1
Frederic 1
Jabez 1
Jas. 1

FAQ

Merriman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Merriman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,095 people were recorded with the Merriman surname. That placed it at #3,632 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Merriman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,899 in 2016. That gives Merriman a modern rank of #3,347.

What does the Merriman surname mean?

An occupational surname for a steward or bailiff, derived from the Anglo-Norman French "mareiman" meaning "horse servant."

What does the Merriman map show?

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