NameCensus.

UK surname

Mersh

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Mersh surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 227, ranked #17,992, up from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mitcham, Woking and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Gloucester and Hastings.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mersh is 261 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 202.7%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

227

2016, ranked #17,992

Peak year

1998

261 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mersh had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016, ranked #17,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Mersh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mersh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mersh 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 247 #15,399
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 260 #15,390
2000 modern 258 #15,427
2001 modern 249 #15,573
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 227 #16,718
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 214 #17,378
2006 modern 214 #17,507
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 219 #17,597
2009 modern 222 #17,797
2010 modern 230 #17,750
2011 modern 233 #17,426
2012 modern 231 #17,448
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 232 #17,761
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 227 #17,992

Geography

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Where Mershs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mitcham, Woking, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Gloucester, Hastings, Christchurch and Rother. 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 Mitcham Surrey
2 Woking Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 007 Swale
2 Gloucester 007 Gloucester
3 Hastings 001 Hastings
4 Christchurch 006 Christchurch
5 Rother 011 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mersh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mersh

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mersh is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mersh is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mersh falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Mersh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mersh 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 26 Mershs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 26 3.51x
Surrey 26 7.20x
Hampshire 11 7.24x
Kent 8 3.16x
Sussex 3 2.40x
Royal Navy 1 11.33x
Wiltshire 1 1.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 13 Mershs recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.11x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 13 20.11x
Mile End Old Town 13 111.11x
Bromley 8 207.79x
Portsea 5 16.80x
Rotherhithe 5 54.59x
Shadwell London 5 241.55x
Chelsea London 4 17.91x
Warblington 4 666.67x
Stoke 3 176.47x
Beddington 1 71.43x
Bisley 1 588.24x
Camberwell 1 2.11x
Hove 1 18.25x
Islington London 1 1.39x
Mitcham 1 43.86x
Orcheston St George 1 2000.00x
Pevensey 1 1111.11x
Royal Navy 1 13.25x
Slaugham 1 250.00x
St Botolph Aldgate 1 99.01x
St George In East 1 19.84x
St Mary Kalendar 1 312.50x
Weeke 1 217.39x
Whitechapel London 1 13.68x
Wimbledon 1 24.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Allin 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Harriett 1
Leah 1
Lilly 1
Margaretta 1
Rebeca 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
George 5
John 5
Thomas 3
Richard 2
Arthur 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Melton 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Mersh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mersh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Mersh surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mersh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 227 in 2016. That gives Mersh a modern rank of #17,992.

What does the Mersh map show?

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