UK surname
An Americanized spelling of the French surname Meret or Mery referring to someone living near a wooded area.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Mery surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sutton, St Marylebone and St George the Martyr, St Andrew Holborn above the Bars, Furnival's Inn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mery is 131 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.3%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1861
131 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mery surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mery surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 39 | #26,319 |
| 1861 | historical | 131 | #17,052 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 90 | #25,399 |
| 1901 | historical | 46 | #29,047 |
| 1911 | historical | 25 | #30,654 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 27 | #35,148 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 18 | #36,104 |
| 2001 | modern | 11 | #36,727 |
| 2002 | modern | 11 | #36,780 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 10 | #37,224 |
| 2007 | modern | 13 | #36,990 |
| 2008 | modern | 14 | #36,950 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 14 | #37,115 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 19 | #36,691 |
| 2014 | modern | 19 | #36,740 |
| 2015 | modern | 20 | #36,653 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sutton, St Marylebone, St George the Martyr, St Andrew Holborn above the Bars, Furnival's Inn, Milton Abbas, Winterbourne Whitechurch, Owermoigne, Cheselborne and Tillington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sutton | Cambridgeshire |
| 2 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | St George the Martyr, St Andrew Holborn above the Bars, Furnival's Inn | London (Central Districts) |
| 4 | Milton Abbas, Winterbourne Whitechurch, Owermoigne, Cheselborne | Dorset |
| 5 | Tillington | Sussex |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mery surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mery, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mery household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mery is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mery, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MERY is believed to have originated in France during the late medieval period, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "merrie," which means "merry" or "joyful." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a cheerful or pleasant disposition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MERY can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners and their holdings in England. In this document, a certain Radulfus Mery is listed as a landowner in the county of Essex.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various records across England and France. For example, a Richard Mery is mentioned in the Calendars of the Patent Rolls from 1334, which were records of royal letters and grants issued by the English Crown.
Another notable early bearer of the name was John Mery, a 15th-century English poet and translator. Born around 1440, he is best known for his translation of Juan de Mena's "The Coronation," a poem celebrating the coronation of King Henry VI of England.
During the 16th century, the MERY surname can be found in various parish records and historical documents across England and France. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Mery, an English churchman who served as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the name MERY gained prominence in the British colonies of North America. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the New World was John Mery, who settled in Virginia in 1635.
Another notable figure with the MERY surname was Jacques Mery, a French mathematician and astronomer born in 1645. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and worked closely with the renowned astronomer Giovanni Cassini.
As the centuries progressed, the MERY surname continued to be found throughout various regions of Europe and the Americas, with many individuals bearing the name making notable contributions in various fields, such as science, literature, and the arts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mery surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 7 Merys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.23x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 7 | 4.23x |
| Cornwall | 2 | 10.67x |
| Devon | 2 | 5.80x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 1.02x |
| Durham | 1 | 2.03x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 3.78x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 3.93x |
| Somerset | 1 | 3.75x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 3 Merys recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.85x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Poplar London | 3 | 95.85x |
| Burnley | 2 | 120.48x |
| Limehouse London | 2 | 109.89x |
| Paignton | 2 | 769.23x |
| Alger Kirk Amber Hill | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Antony | 1 | 555.56x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 1 | 23.64x |
| Falmouth | 1 | 151.52x |
| St Anne Soho London | 1 | 105.26x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 11.31x |
| Thorpe Next Norwich | 1 | 370.37x |
| Wilton | 1 | 1428.57x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mery surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mery surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mery households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| (Cotton) Weaver | 2 |
| Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| Companion | 1 |
| Fleuriste | 1 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Ladys Maid | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
| Servant Dom | 1 |
| Ship Joiner Unemployed (... Lder) | 1 |
| Shop Keeper | 1 |
| Shop Keeper Wife | 1 |
| Sick Nurse Domestic | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Mery surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Mery a modern rank of #36,457.
An Americanized spelling of the French surname Meret or Mery referring to someone living near a wooded area.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mery bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.