NameCensus.

UK surname

Minshall

An English habitational name referring to one who dwelt at a minster hall or similar residence.

In the 1881 census there were 585 people recorded with the Minshall surname, ranking it #5,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 805, ranked #6,877, down from #5,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Stockport and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Cannock Chase and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Minshall is 990 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.6%.

1881 census count

585

Ranked #5,965

Modern count

805

2016, ranked #6,877

Peak year

1911

990 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Minshall had 585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 805 in 2016, ranked #6,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 990 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Minshall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Minshall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Minshall 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 463 #5,613
1881 historical 585 #5,965
1891 historical 745 #5,342
1901 historical 849 #5,366
1911 historical 990 #4,576
1997 modern 704 #7,217
1998 modern 832 #6,548
1999 modern 831 #6,599
2000 modern 856 #6,419
2001 modern 833 #6,445
2002 modern 855 #6,433
2003 modern 846 #6,369
2004 modern 844 #6,386
2005 modern 830 #6,422
2006 modern 815 #6,514
2007 modern 838 #6,447
2008 modern 826 #6,565
2009 modern 840 #6,625
2010 modern 845 #6,727
2011 modern 851 #6,611
2012 modern 823 #6,692
2013 modern 823 #6,785
2014 modern 824 #6,815
2015 modern 812 #6,843
2016 modern 805 #6,877

Geography

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Where Minshalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Stockport, Wolstanton, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Cannock Chase, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Stockport Cheshire
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase
4 Stoke-on-Trent 014 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 013 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Minshall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Minshall

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

Minshall 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

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

Meaning and origin of Minshall

The surname Minshall is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "mynster" and "scealu," meaning "monastery" and "hut" or "shelter," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked at a monastery.

One of the earliest known references to the name Minshall can be found in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1272, where a Richard de Monestershale is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word for monastery.

In the 14th century, records show a Ranulphus de Munshull in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327. This spelling variation, "Munshull," is believed to be closely related to the modern spelling of Minshall.

The Minshall name has also been linked to several place names in Cheshire and Staffordshire, such as Minshull Vernon and Minshull Vernors. These place names likely derived from the surname itself or vice versa, reflecting the connection between the name and specific geographic locations.

One notable figure in history with the surname Minshall was Richard Minshull (1609-1686), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. Another was John Minshull (1670-1728), an English churchman and academic who served as the Warden of Manchester Collegiate Church.

In the 18th century, Humphrey Minshull (1736-1799) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Cheshire and Lancashire.

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Minshull (1808-1890) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent politician and Member of Parliament.

Finally, one of the more recent historical figures with the Minshall surname was Sir Edward Giles Minshull (1861-1945), a British judge and lawyer who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Minshall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Minshall 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. Cheshire leads with 181 Minshalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.34x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 181 14.34x
Shropshire 126 25.51x
Staffordshire 111 5.75x
Lancashire 69 1.02x
Flintshire 26 16.92x
Middlesex 18 0.31x
Denbighshire 11 5.09x
Somerset 7 0.76x
Surrey 7 0.25x
Sussex 7 0.73x
Warwickshire 5 0.35x
Derbyshire 4 0.45x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.83x
Worcestershire 3 0.40x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.43x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 19 Minshalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.81x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 19 12.81x
Cheadle 17 70.54x
Chetwynd 16 1006.29x
Stockport 14 21.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 6.84x
Abenbury Fechan 12 6000.00x
Edgmond 11 202.21x
Oswestry Town 11 69.58x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 29.29x
Whitchurch 10 104.38x
Wolstanton 10 17.06x
Birkenhead 9 8.95x
Crowton 9 989.01x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 26.43x
Prees 9 149.75x
Runcorn 9 30.94x
Biddulph 8 73.46x
Childs Ercall 8 930.23x
Monks Coppenhall 8 16.80x
Preston Gubbals 8 952.38x
Timperley 8 182.23x
Worsley 8 19.13x
Barnton 7 232.56x
Brighton 7 3.60x
Chester St John Baptist 7 30.86x
Cheswardine 7 331.75x
Clevedon 7 73.15x
Gnosall 7 150.21x
Rugeley 7 50.54x
Stockport Etchells 7 260.22x
Walton On Hill 7 19.05x
Wharton 7 101.89x
Barrow In Furness 6 6.50x
Brinnington 6 50.89x
Burslem 6 10.86x
Cuddington In Northwich 6 750.00x
Hawarden 6 49.71x
Irby 6 2142.86x
Lambeth 6 1.20x
Little Bolton 6 6.88x
Mile End Old Town 6 6.65x
Nantwich 6 40.93x
Norton In Hales 6 821.92x
Wem 6 81.63x
Bredbury 5 68.49x
Davenham 5 434.78x
Leftwich 5 89.29x
Norley 5 352.11x
Sedgley 5 6.98x
Wrexham Regis 5 31.17x
Adbaston 4 377.36x
Aston 4 1.01x
Audlem 4 134.68x
Beswick 4 23.05x
Marple 4 46.19x
Oldham 4 1.83x
Paddington London 4 1.90x
Pickhill 4 701.75x
Shrewsbury St Mary 4 20.52x
Smallthorne 4 55.87x
St Martin 4 72.46x
St Pancras London 4 0.87x
Trentham 4 24.38x
Willenhall 4 11.07x
Atherton 3 12.15x
Bangor Is Y Coed 3 379.75x
Bolas Magna 3 508.47x
Bridgnorth St Mary 3 62.24x
Dukinfield 3 5.14x
Everton 3 1.39x
Garston 3 14.99x
Great Bolton 3 3.34x
Harthill 3 1500.00x
Ludworth 3 71.26x
Moreton Corbet 3 612.24x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 3 20.68x
Shawbury 3 157.89x
W Felton 3 142.86x
Weaverham Cum Milton 3 89.82x
Wolstanton Oldcott 3 42.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Sarah 34
Elizabeth 29
Ann 17
Jane 15
Hannah 13
Alice 12
Martha 12
Annie 11
Ellen 11
Emily 9
Fanny 7
Frances 5
Catherine 4
Eliza 4
Harriet 4
Lydia 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth 2
Gertrude 2
Margret 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
May 2
Rhoda 2
Caroline 1
Clementina 1
Elise 1
Elizth. 1
Elzth. 1
Flora 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Lousia 1
Lucretia 1
M.A. 1
Maggie 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 38
Thomas 27
Joseph 16
George 15
James 13
Edward 9
Samuel 9
Henry 7
Richard 7
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Ernest 2
Harold 2
Mark 2
Thos. 2
Alf. 1
Benj. 1
Bertram 1
Cresswell 1
Ebeneza 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Geoffrey 1
Gurton 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Josiah 1
Magor 1
Nathl. 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Saml.Jno. 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Minshall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Minshall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 585 people were recorded with the Minshall surname. That placed it at #5,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Minshall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 805 in 2016. That gives Minshall a modern rank of #6,877.

What does the Minshall surname mean?

An English habitational name referring to one who dwelt at a minster hall or similar residence.

What does the Minshall map show?

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