NameCensus.

UK surname

Merriott

A locational surname derived from a place name in Somerset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Merriott surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 160, ranked #22,694, down from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Compton Dundon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Cornwall and Horsham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Merriott is 267 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

1891

267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Merriott had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 267 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Merriott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Merriott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Merriott 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 137 #13,812
1861 historical 203 #11,865
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 176 #19,698
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 168 #21,290
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 174 #21,096
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Merriotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Compton Dundon, Shapwick (pt), Huntspill and Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Cornwall, Horsham and New Forest. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Compton Dundon Somerset
4 Shapwick (pt), Huntspill Somerset
5 Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 011 Caerphilly
2 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
3 Horsham 010 Horsham
4 New Forest 003 New Forest
5 Caerphilly 013 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Merriott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Merriott

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Merriott surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Merriott household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Merriott is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Merriott is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Merriott

The surname Merriott originated in the county of Somerset in South West England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "meri" meaning "pleasant" and "geat" meaning "a way or path", suggesting it may have initially referred to a pleasant pathway or road.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named William de Meriete in the county of Somerset. This early spelling variation highlights the name's origins in that region.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its more modern form of Merriott, as seen in records from the nearby village of Merriott in Somerset. This village likely took its name from the same roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection to the local area.

In 1327, a John Merriott is recorded as being a landowner in the Somerset village that bears his name. This provides evidence of the surname's continued presence in the region during the Middle Ages.

One notable figure with the surname was Sir Henry Merriott (1555-1632), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of London in 1613. His family had connections to both Somerset and Devon.

Another individual of note was John Merriott (1675-1743), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Burnham Deepdale in Norfolk.

In the 18th century, a member of the Merriott family, Thomas Merriott (1720-1799), was a successful merchant and landowner in Bristol. His son, also named Thomas Merriott (1748-1835), followed in his footsteps as a prosperous merchant and held the position of High Sheriff of Somerset in 1801.

While the Merriott surname is not among the most common in England, it has a long and notable history, particularly in the county of Somerset where its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Merriott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Merriott 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. Somerset leads with 46 Merriotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.86x.

County Total Index
Somerset 46 17.86x
Surrey 32 4.11x
Sussex 19 7.04x
Kent 9 1.65x
Middlesex 8 0.50x
Gloucestershire 7 2.23x
Devon 6 1.80x
Hampshire 6 1.83x
Buckinghamshire 5 5.17x
Derbyshire 4 1.60x
Glamorgan 4 1.44x
Berkshire 3 2.50x
Essex 3 0.95x
Lancashire 2 0.11x
Norfolk 2 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.93x
Dorset 1 0.95x
Durham 1 0.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.91x
Northamptonshire 1 0.66x
Wiltshire 1 0.71x
Yorkshire 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. Compton Dundon in Somerset leads with 16 Merriotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 5161.29x.

Place Total Index
Compton Dundon 16 5161.29x
Burnham 11 561.22x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 27.96x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 23.70x
Street 7 503.60x
Houghton 6 5454.55x
Middlezoy 6 1875.00x
Reigate Foreign 6 71.09x
East Grinstead 5 130.89x
Eton 5 228.31x
Farnham 5 82.51x
Stoke Damerel 5 21.45x
Ashtead 4 784.31x
Llantrisant 4 56.98x
Shirland 4 213.90x
Arundel 3 198.68x
Newington 3 5.08x
Portsmouth 3 39.74x
Tonbridge 3 15.24x
Basford 2 20.12x
Battersea 2 3.40x
Friern Barnet 2 56.82x
High Ongar 2 344.83x
Hove 2 16.91x
Othery 2 625.00x
Ramsgate 2 22.45x
Reading St Giles 2 16.98x
Southampton St Mary 2 9.70x
Woolwich 2 9.92x
Aller 1 384.62x
Attleborough 1 80.65x
Bedminster 1 4.13x
Brightside Bierlow 1 3.22x
Butleigh 1 238.10x
Canford Magna 1 163.93x
Chatham 1 6.66x
Edenbridge 1 93.46x
Great Dunmow 1 60.61x
Hardham 1 1666.67x
Heigham 1 7.58x
Islington London 1 0.64x
Kensington London 1 1.12x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.34x
Lambeth 1 0.72x
Lancing 1 135.14x
New Shoreham 1 61.73x
Northampton All Sts 1 19.57x
Ockley 1 294.12x
Oldham 1 1.63x
Paddington London 1 1.70x
Salford 1 1.79x
South Shields 1 23.58x
St Giles In Fields 1 18.12x
St Pancras London 1 0.78x
St Thomas Winchester 1 43.10x
Stokefleming 1 238.10x
Stratford Under Castle 1 588.24x
Wantage 1 52.36x
Watford 1 11.70x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 48.31x
Westminster St John 1 5.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 9
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Emily 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Charlotte 4
Ellen 4
Eliza 3
Emma 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Nellie 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Bessy 1
Caroline 1
Charity 1
Eiza 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Leah 1
Lily 1
Lizzey 1
Louisa 1
Lucey 1
Lucy 1
Marie 1
Maryann 1
Milly 1
Phebe 1
Roseanah 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Merriott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Merriott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Merriott surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Merriott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Merriott a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Merriott surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Somerset, England.

What does the Merriott map show?

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