NameCensus.

UK surname

Minors

A surname denoting those of a less than legal age or of minor importance.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Minors surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 192, ranked #20,118, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Truro St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Winchester and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Minors is 233 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.9%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

192

2016, ranked #20,118

Peak year

1911

233 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Minors had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016, ranked #20,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 233 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Minors surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Minors surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Minors 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 209 #14,459
1901 historical 192 #15,518
1911 historical 233 #13,560
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 184 #19,037
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 197 #18,384
2001 modern 194 #18,287
2002 modern 192 #18,767
2003 modern 184 #19,075
2004 modern 182 #19,306
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 182 #19,618
2008 modern 183 #19,735
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 206 #19,318
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 192 #20,118

Geography

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Where Minors' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Truro St Mary, London parishes and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Winchester, Thurrock, Richmond upon Thames and Norwich. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Truro St Mary Cornwall
4 London parishes London 3
5 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 055 Kirklees
2 Winchester 011 Winchester
3 Thurrock 007 Thurrock
4 Richmond upon Thames 019 Richmond upon Thames
5 Norwich 002 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Minors

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Minors

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Minors surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Minors household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Minors is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Minors is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Minors 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 Minors 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 Minors, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Minors

The surname MINORS is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. This name is believed to have derived from the occupational term "miner," referring to those who worked in mines or quarries extracting minerals or stone.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname MINORS can be traced back to the 13th century in areas such as Derbyshire and Yorkshire, regions known for their extensive mining activities during that time. The name may have initially been spelled in various ways, including Mynor, Mynour, and Mynoure, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname MINORS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a historical record compiled in 1273, which mentions a John le Minur. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to the occupation of mining during that period.

In the 14th century, the surname MINORS appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1327, which lists a William le Mynour. Additionally, the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire from 1379 record a John Mynour, further solidifying the presence of the name in the region.

Notable individuals with the surname MINORS throughout history include:

1. Sir John Miners (c. 1560-1638), an English politician and member of parliament for the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. 2. Thomas Minors (1609-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Trelleck in Monmouthshire. 3. William Minors (1735-1809), an English landscape painter and engraver known for his depictions of rural scenes. 4. George Minors (1805-1880), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions in the mid-19th century. 5. Peter Minors (1923-2008), a British actor and theater director who had a prolific career spanning over six decades.

While the surname MINORS initially referred to those engaged in mining occupations, it eventually became a hereditary name passed down through generations, transcending its occupational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Minors families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Minors 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. Staffordshire leads with 40 Minors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.99x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 40 7.99x
Cornwall 30 17.87x
Middlesex 19 1.28x
Devon 12 3.89x
Surrey 11 1.52x
Kent 8 1.58x
West Lothian 8 35.83x
Somerset 6 2.51x
Essex 4 1.37x
Gloucestershire 4 1.38x
Northamptonshire 3 2.15x
Worcestershire 3 1.55x
Channel Islands 1 2.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.43x
Royal Navy 1 5.66x
Shropshire 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willenhall in Staffordshire leads with 21 Minors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 224.12x.

Place Total Index
Willenhall 21 224.12x
Sithney 15 882.35x
St Luke London 9 37.85x
Kirkliston 8 615.38x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 29.45x
Newington 6 10.95x
St Clement 6 342.86x
Thorne Coffin 6 10000.00x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 94.70x
Kenwyn 5 113.90x
Lambeth 5 3.87x
Marchington 5 2173.91x
Uttoxeter 5 195.31x
East Stonehouse 4 65.79x
Friern Barnet 4 122.32x
Truro St Mary 4 283.69x
Yoxall 4 606.06x
Blockley 3 275.23x
Bramshall 3 4285.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 10.96x
St Clement Danes 3 125.00x
West Ham 3 4.64x
Yelvertoft 3 1153.85x
Woolwich 2 10.70x
Bolsover 1 86.21x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 37.74x
Burton Upon Trent 1 8.54x
Chigwell 1 36.23x
Edgmond 1 70.92x
Lewisham 1 3.71x
Paddington London 1 1.83x
Royal Navy 1 6.62x
Shoreditch London 1 1.56x
St Helier 1 6.99x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.63x
Westminster St 1 18.28x
Whittington 1 98.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Ellen 3
Julia 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Rosina 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christian 1
Clara 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Emley 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Fany 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Mabel 1
Marion 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Thomasine 1
Winefred 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 9
Alfred 5
Edward 5
James 4
Charles 3
George 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Dennis 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred.William 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Major 1
Rowland 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Minors surname: questions and answers

How common was the Minors surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Minors surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Minors surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016. That gives Minors a modern rank of #20,118.

What does the Minors surname mean?

A surname denoting those of a less than legal age or of minor importance.

What does the Minors map show?

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