NameCensus.

UK surname

Minney

A medieval English surname derived from the Old French word "minnour", referring to a miner or quarryman.

In the 1881 census there were 319 people recorded with the Minney surname, ranking it #9,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 555, ranked #9,223, up from #9,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley Hastings, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Rushden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Merthyr Tydfil and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Minney is 577 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.0%.

1881 census count

319

Ranked #9,326

Modern count

555

2016, ranked #9,223

Peak year

2011

577 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Minney had 319 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016, ranked #9,223.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 551 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Minney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Minney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Minney 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 319 #9,326
1891 historical 393 #8,995
1901 historical 480 #8,301
1911 historical 551 #7,274
1997 modern 551 #8,644
1998 modern 557 #8,837
1999 modern 559 #8,872
2000 modern 566 #8,744
2001 modern 549 #8,811
2002 modern 573 #8,710
2003 modern 547 #8,872
2004 modern 553 #8,823
2005 modern 529 #9,066
2006 modern 540 #8,939
2007 modern 547 #8,941
2008 modern 543 #9,060
2009 modern 555 #9,103
2010 modern 567 #9,148
2011 modern 577 #8,942
2012 modern 564 #9,014
2013 modern 565 #9,124
2014 modern 567 #9,161
2015 modern 561 #9,153
2016 modern 555 #9,223

Geography

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Where Minneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley Hastings, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Rushden, Cardington and Barford, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Merthyr Tydfil and Wellingborough. 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 Yardley Hastings Northamptonshire
2 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Rushden Northamptonshire
4 Cardington Bedfordshire
5 Barford, Great Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 004 Bedford
2 Merthyr Tydfil 006 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough
4 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
5 Wellingborough 009 Wellingborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Minney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Minney

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Minney 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

Minney 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

Minney falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Minney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Minney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Minney

The surname Minney is of Norman English origin and can be traced back to the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Miné" or "Minet," which was a diminutive form of the name "Emine" or "Emyn." These names were derived from the Germanic root "am-," meaning "industrious" or "hard-working."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Minney can be found in various medieval records and charters from the 12th and 13th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1199, where a certain Osbert Minny is mentioned.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest comprehensive records of landowners and tenants in England, there are several entries that may be related to the name Minney. These include "Minius" in Devon and "Minig" in Wiltshire, which could be variations or precursors of the modern surname.

The name Minney has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Minney Farm in Somerset and Minney's Green in Gloucestershire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Minney throughout history include:

1. William Minney (c. 1575-1654), an English landowner and member of Parliament for Wallingford in the early 17th century.

2. Richard Minney (c. 1690-1770), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, England, who donated funds for the establishment of several schools and charities.

3. Samuel Minney (1784-1859), a British architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas.

4. John Minney (1816-1890), an English author and journalist who wrote extensively on topics related to agriculture and rural life.

5. Rupert Minney (1902-1987), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Minney Trust, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting education and social welfare initiatives.

The name Minney, while not among the most common surnames, has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, architects, authors, and philanthropists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Minney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Minney 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. Northamptonshire leads with 139 Minneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.56x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 139 48.56x
Bedfordshire 97 61.55x
Buckinghamshire 12 6.52x
Middlesex 12 0.39x
Glamorgan 9 1.70x
Cheshire 8 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.71x
Lancashire 5 0.14x
Hertfordshire 4 1.91x
Huntingdonshire 4 6.62x
Kent 4 0.39x
Lanarkshire 3 0.30x
Oxfordshire 3 1.60x
Essex 2 0.33x
Surrey 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.19x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yardley Hastings in Northamptonshire leads with 73 Minneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5934.96x.

Place Total Index
Yardley Hastings 73 5934.96x
Great Barford 20 2439.02x
Rushden 20 522.19x
Cardington 18 1406.25x
Luton 16 58.65x
Little Staughton 14 2857.14x
Cople 13 2708.33x
Olney 10 393.70x
Swansea Town 9 20.71x
Bulwell 7 78.48x
Colmworth 7 1750.00x
Little Houghton 7 1320.75x
Castle Ashby 6 2727.27x
Finedon 6 239.04x
Wellingborough 6 41.70x
Bedford St Mary 5 123.15x
Newton 5 480.77x
Northampton All Sts 5 51.49x
Weston Favell 5 877.19x
St Marylebone London 4 2.46x
Todmorden Walsden 4 41.32x
Tonbridge 4 10.68x
Burford 3 184.05x
Burton Latimer 3 173.41x
Old Monkland 3 7.68x
Alconbury 2 277.78x
Bedford St Peter 2 48.90x
Chelsea London 2 2.18x
Cheshunt 2 27.29x
Duston 2 76.92x
Great Staughton 2 170.94x
Kensington London 2 1.18x
Northampton Priory St 2 11.64x
St Pancras London 2 0.82x
Wendover 2 101.01x
West Ham 2 1.51x
Aston 1 0.47x
Brinnington 1 15.92x
Cheadle 1 7.79x
Codicote 1 80.00x
Easton Maudit 1 555.56x
Heaton Norris 1 4.86x
Hollingworth 1 36.10x
Islington London 1 0.34x
Lambeth 1 0.38x
Northampton St Giles 1 9.17x
Oundle 1 31.25x
St George Hanover 1 2.52x
St Paul Walden 1 94.34x
Stanwick 1 147.06x
Thurleigh 1 158.73x
Ticehurst 1 31.85x
Wilden 1 217.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 11
Elizabeth 9
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Martha 6
Emily 5
Harriet 5
Jane 5
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Harriett 4
Rebecca 4
Rose 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Susannah 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maud 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Einght 1
Elizh.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Meley 1
Priscilla 1
Rebekah 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 17
William 15
John 13
Thomas 13
James 9
Joseph 9
Arthur 6
Henry 6
Harry 5
Albert 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Jabez 2
Spencer 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
H.F.H. 1
Hy.W. 1
Isaac 1
Jeffery 1
Lewis 1
Nathan 1
Nellie 1
Peter 1
Sidny 1
Thos. 1
Valentine 1
Willm.Charles 1
Wm 1
Zenas 1

FAQ

Minney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Minney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 319 people were recorded with the Minney surname. That placed it at #9,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Minney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016. That gives Minney a modern rank of #9,223.

What does the Minney surname mean?

A medieval English surname derived from the Old French word "minnour", referring to a miner or quarryman.

What does the Minney map show?

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