NameCensus.

UK surname

Merryfield

An English surname referring to someone who lived near a happy or cheerful field.

In the 1881 census there were 195 people recorded with the Merryfield surname, ranking it #13,054 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, down from #13,054 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hockley and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Sefton and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Merryfield is 265 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.4%.

1881 census count

195

Ranked #13,054

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

1901

265 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Merryfield had 195 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,054 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 265 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Merryfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Merryfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Merryfield 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 151 #15,209
1881 historical 195 #13,054
1891 historical 246 #12,912
1901 historical 265 #12,652
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 187 #18,857
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 185 #18,840
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 174 #20,385
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

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Where Merryfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hockley, Lambeth, Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Sefton, Blaenau Gwent and Sedgemoor. 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 Hockley Essex
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 002 Isle of Wight
3 Sefton 007 Sefton
4 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
5 Sedgemoor 003 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Merryfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Merryfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Merryfield, 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 Merryfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Merryfield 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Merryfield is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Merryfield 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

Merryfield falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Merryfield

The surname Merryfield originates from England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "myrige" meaning "pleasant" and "feld" meaning "field" or "open land". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a pleasant open field or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire from 1195, where it appears as "Willelmus de Murifeld". This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been pronounced with a longer "u" sound.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279 mentions a "Robertus de Muryfeld". This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region during this period.

The Merryfield name can also be traced back to various locations in England, such as the village of Merrifield in Somerset and the hamlet of Merefield in Cheshire. These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Merryfield throughout history include:

1. John Merryfield (c. 1530-1587), an English composer and organist who served at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

2. William Merryfield (1695-1766), a British soldier and landowner who fought in the War of the Austrian Succession.

3. Mary Merryfield (1784-1850), an English philanthropist and educator who established several schools for underprivileged children in London.

4. Thomas Merryfield (1816-1892), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Bristol.

5. Alfred Merryfield (1848-1915), a British horticulturist and writer who specialized in the cultivation of daffodils and published several books on the subject.

While the surname may have evolved in its spelling over time, its roots can be traced back to the pleasant fields and meadows of medieval England, reflecting the rural origins and associations of many English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Merryfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Merryfield 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. Hampshire leads with 29 Merryfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.48x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 29 7.48x
Middlesex 27 1.43x
Devon 25 6.35x
Surrey 15 1.63x
Essex 13 3.48x
Lancashire 12 0.53x
Glamorgan 11 3.34x
Gloucestershire 9 2.43x
Somerset 9 2.95x
Staffordshire 9 1.41x
Worcestershire 6 2.43x
Berkshire 5 3.52x
Dorset 5 4.03x
Leicestershire 5 2.38x
Kent 4 0.62x
Durham 2 0.36x
Hertfordshire 2 1.53x
Norfolk 2 0.69x
Warwickshire 2 0.42x
Cornwall 1 0.47x
Lanarkshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 16 Merryfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.74x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 16 52.74x
Hockley 10 2500.00x
Llantrisant 8 96.39x
Portsea 8 10.52x
Alvechurch 6 571.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 17.17x
East Stonehouse 5 64.43x
Elton 5 64.43x
Harborne 5 24.43x
Kings Worthy 5 1724.14x
Lambeth 5 3.03x
Leicester St Margaret 5 9.77x
Reigate Foreign 5 50.10x
Selborne 5 632.91x
Sonning 5 318.47x
St Mary Bourne 5 714.29x
Tottenham 5 16.59x
Widnes 5 30.88x
Glastonbury 4 160.64x
Kensington London 4 3.80x
West Bromwich 4 10.94x
Westminster St John 4 17.36x
Battersea 3 4.31x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 3 88.76x
Coldred 3 3000.00x
Hornsey 3 12.54x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 37.64x
New Alresford 3 297.03x
St Luke London 3 9.88x
Wyke Regis 3 168.54x
Birmingham 2 1.26x
Cann 2 555.56x
Gateshead 2 4.75x
Gunthorpe 2 1428.57x
Islington London 2 1.09x
Neath 2 29.85x
Old Alresford 2 625.00x
Rickmansworth 2 55.71x
Rochford 2 183.49x
Ardwick 1 4.94x
Camberwell 1 0.83x
Chelsea London 1 1.75x
Exeter St David 1 29.76x
Folkestone 1 7.99x
Habergham Eaves 1 4.87x
Hammersmith London 1 2.15x
Maryhill 1 8.35x
Paddington London 1 1.44x
Plymouth Charles The 1 5.76x
Prittlewell 1 19.31x
Probus 1 113.64x
Shoreditch London 1 1.22x
St George In East 1 7.77x
St Marylebone London 1 0.99x
St Maurice Winchester 1 62.11x
Stoke Lane 1 227.27x
Swansea Town 1 3.70x
Wandsworth 1 5.49x
Wells St Cuthbert In 1 212.77x
Wembworthy 1 357.14x
Wolborough 1 20.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Eliza 7
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Constance 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Hellan 2
Lucy 2
Rebecca 2
Annie 1
Bethia 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Hetty 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Kattie 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Marion 1
Matha 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Olive 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
John 9
Thomas 7
William 7
Henry 6
James 6
Joseph 5
Charles 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Arthur 1
Edgar 1
Emily 1
Ephraim 1
Freddie 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jessie 1
Marmaduke 1
Oswald 1
S.W.J. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Uriah 1
Willey 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Merryfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Merryfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 195 people were recorded with the Merryfield surname. That placed it at #13,054 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Merryfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Merryfield a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Merryfield surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone who lived near a happy or cheerful field.

What does the Merryfield map show?

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