NameCensus.

UK surname

Moneypenny

An English surname derived from an archaic term for a penny-pincher or miser.

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Moneypenny surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, down from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denbighshire, Three Rivers and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moneypenny is 125 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.4%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

1999

125 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moneypenny had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 79 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Moneypenny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moneypenny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moneypenny 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 119 #24,733
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Moneypennys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denbighshire, Three Rivers, Wirral and Southend-on-Sea. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denbighshire 014 Denbighshire
2 Three Rivers 012 Three Rivers
3 Three Rivers 008 Three Rivers
4 Wirral 028 Wirral
5 Southend-on-Sea 015 Southend-on-Sea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moneypenny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moneypenny

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Moneypenny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Moneypenny household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Moneypenny is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Moneypenny is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Moneypenny falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moneypenny 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 Moneypenny, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moneypenny

The surname "Moneypenny" is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to a place where the family's ancestral estate or manor was situated.

One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Old English words "munan" meaning "money" and "penig" meaning "penny," implying a connection to a place where taxes or tolls were collected. Another interpretation links it to the Old English word "munec," meaning "monk," suggesting a possible association with a monastery or religious order.

The earliest known record of the name "Moneypenny" appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This reference provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir William Moneypenny, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Wars of Scottish Independence. His descendants continued to hold lands and influence in the northern counties of England for several generations.

During the Tudor era, a prominent member of the Moneypenny family was Sir Thomas Moneypenny (1460-1537), who served as a courtier and diplomat under King Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in negotiations with Scotland and his role in the marriage treaty between Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon.

In the 17th century, the Moneypenny name gained further recognition with the birth of Richard Moneypenny (1614-1688), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles II.

Another notable figure was Sir William Moneypenny (1725-1801), a Scottish landowner and politician who represented the county of Fife in the British Parliament for several years during the latter half of the 18th century.

The name "Moneypenny" has also been associated with various place names throughout England and Scotland, such as Moneypenny's Burn in Ayrshire, Scotland, and Moneypenny's Hill in Northumberland, England, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moneypenny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moneypenny 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 31 Moneypennys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 31 3.94x
Middlesex 17 2.56x
Fife 7 17.83x
Sussex 5 4.47x
Essex 4 3.06x
Lanarkshire 3 1.40x
Yorkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 10 Moneypennys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.37x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 10 39.37x
St Andrews 7 391.06x
Everton 6 23.92x
Hammersmith London 6 36.72x
Kensington London 6 16.27x
Ardwick 5 70.42x
Toxteth Park 4 15.01x
West Ham 4 13.84x
Portslade 3 441.18x
Droylsden 2 77.82x
Govan 2 3.77x
Littlehampton 2 224.72x
St Luke London 2 18.80x
St Pancras London 2 3.75x
Broughton In Salford 1 13.89x
Carlton In Selby 1 588.24x
Cheetham 1 17.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 8.00x
Didsbury 1 96.15x
Old Monkland 1 11.75x
Westminster St James 1 14.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Eliza 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Aseneth 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Harrietta 1
Helen 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
May 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
George 2
(Mr) 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Sarah 1
Thomas 1
Willm.J. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Moneypenny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moneypenny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Moneypenny surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moneypenny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Moneypenny a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Moneypenny surname mean?

An English surname derived from an archaic term for a penny-pincher or miser.

What does the Moneypenny map show?

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