NameCensus.

UK surname

Minnis

Derived from a place name meaning "at the moor," likely referring to someone who lived near a moor.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Minnis surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 488, ranked #10,156, up from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington), London parishes and Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Kirkshaws and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Minnis is 510 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 172.6%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

488

2016, ranked #10,156

Peak year

2001

510 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Minnis had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016, ranked #10,156.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 309 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Minnis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Minnis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Minnis 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 309 #10,848
1901 historical 305 #11,525
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 497 #9,340
1998 modern 499 #9,600
1999 modern 506 #9,574
2000 modern 504 #9,575
2001 modern 510 #9,312
2002 modern 506 #9,545
2003 modern 496 #9,540
2004 modern 488 #9,675
2005 modern 490 #9,577
2006 modern 484 #9,709
2007 modern 496 #9,626
2008 modern 489 #9,808
2009 modern 497 #9,911
2010 modern 507 #9,947
2011 modern 497 #9,997
2012 modern 492 #9,989
2013 modern 496 #10,080
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 493 #10,100
2016 modern 488 #10,156

Geography

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Where Minnis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington), London parishes, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton, Hitchin and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Kirkshaws, North Hertfordshire, Cannock Chase and Lochaber East and North. 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 Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington) Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
4 Hitchin Hertfordshire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 026 County Durham
2 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
3 North Hertfordshire 013 North Hertfordshire
4 Cannock Chase 007 Cannock Chase
5 Lochaber East and North Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Minnis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Minnis

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Minnis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Minnis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Minnis 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

Minnis is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Minnis falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Minnis 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Minnis

The surname MINNIS has its roots in Scotland, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mynydd," which means "hill" or "mountain." The name was initially used to denote someone who lived near a hill or in a hilly region.

The earliest records of the name MINNIS can be traced back to the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. Historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries mention individuals with similar spellings, such as "Mynnis" and "Myneys."

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of documents containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is that of John de Mynnis, who held lands in Berwickshire in the year 1296.

The MINNIS surname is also found in various medieval charters and other legal documents from the Scottish Borders region. For instance, in 1450, a charter granted lands in Roxburghshire to a certain William Mynnis.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the MINNIS surname was Robert Minnis, born around 1510 in Berwickshire, Scotland. He was a prominent landowner and farmer in the region.

In the 16th century, the name spread to other parts of Scotland, including Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. One notable figure was James Minnis, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who lived from 1560 to 1632.

During the 17th century, the MINNIS surname gained prominence in the Scottish Lowlands. John Minnis, born in 1620 in Roxburghshire, was a respected minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1682.

Another notable individual was Sir George Minnis, born in 1655 in Berwickshire. He was a successful businessman and landowner who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1709 to 1711.

In the 18th century, the MINNIS surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One notable figure was William Minnis, born in 1710 in Edinburgh, who became a successful merchant and immigrant to the American colonies, settling in Virginia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Minnis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Minnis 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. Lancashire leads with 40 Minnis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 40 1.93x
Hertfordshire 36 29.91x
Middlesex 19 1.09x
Surrey 13 1.53x
Yorkshire 13 0.75x
Dunbartonshire 10 21.31x
Cumberland 8 5.32x
Cheshire 7 1.82x
Hampshire 7 1.96x
Northumberland 7 2.69x
Durham 6 1.16x
Lanarkshire 4 0.71x
Bedfordshire 2 2.21x
Derbyshire 2 0.73x
Berkshire 1 0.76x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.36x
Kent 1 0.17x
Lincolnshire 1 0.36x
Somerset 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hitchin in Hertfordshire leads with 23 Minnis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 423.57x.

Place Total Index
Hitchin 23 423.57x
West Derby 16 26.39x
Much Woolton 11 391.46x
Kirkintilloch 10 156.99x
Willian 10 5555.56x
Hyde 7 61.57x
Lambeth 7 4.60x
Longbenton 7 63.64x
Portsmouth 7 84.95x
Battersea 6 9.34x
Caldewgate 6 72.82x
West Rainton 6 372.67x
Everton 5 7.57x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 24.81x
Hammersmith London 4 9.30x
Hunslet 4 14.83x
Mile End Old Town 4 14.51x
Norton In Malton 4 190.48x
Toxteth Park 4 5.70x
Graveley 3 1304.35x
Hackney London 3 3.06x
St Luke London 3 10.71x
New Monkland 2 11.98x
Normanton 2 86.58x
Oldham 2 2.99x
St Cuthbert W O 2 27.29x
Bath St Peter St Paul 1 80.65x
Beverley St Nicholas 1 70.42x
Bow London 1 4.50x
Chelsea London 1 1.90x
Glasgow 1 1.00x
Hornsey 1 4.53x
Kensington London 1 1.03x
Little Woolton 1 166.67x
Llanelly 1 6.03x
Luton 1 6.39x
Milton In Gravesend 1 11.20x
Newbury 1 23.81x
Old Monkland 1 4.46x
Salford 1 1.64x
Shillington 1 75.19x
St George Hanover 1 4.39x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 25.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 10
Ann 6
Alice 4
Annie 4
Emma 4
Margaret 4
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Sarah 3
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Lizzie 2
Rose 2
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Clare 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Gertrude 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marry 1
Phillis 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Minnis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Minnis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Minnis surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Minnis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 488 in 2016. That gives Minnis a modern rank of #10,156.

What does the Minnis surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "at the moor," likely referring to someone who lived near a moor.

What does the Minnis map show?

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