NameCensus.

UK surname

Mordecai

A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Mordecai, meaning "little man" or "little warrior".

In the 1881 census there were 217 people recorded with the Mordecai surname, ranking it #12,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 446, ranked #10,871, up from #12,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary Whitechapel and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mordecai is 452 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.5%.

1881 census count

217

Ranked #12,188

Modern count

446

2016, ranked #10,871

Peak year

2014

452 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mordecai had 217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016, ranked #10,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 336 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mordecai surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mordecai surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mordecai 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 217 #12,188
1891 historical 312 #10,744
1901 historical 296 #11,749
1911 historical 336 #10,563
1997 modern 412 #10,759
1998 modern 435 #10,678
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 420 #10,998
2001 modern 413 #10,962
2002 modern 408 #11,272
2003 modern 386 #11,544
2004 modern 394 #11,417
2005 modern 369 #11,901
2006 modern 380 #11,666
2007 modern 382 #11,775
2008 modern 379 #11,960
2009 modern 391 #11,925
2010 modern 413 #11,690
2011 modern 403 #11,806
2012 modern 423 #11,195
2013 modern 447 #10,885
2014 modern 452 #10,857
2015 modern 443 #10,957
2016 modern 446 #10,871

Geography

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Where Mordecais are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Mary Whitechapel, St Dunstan Stepney, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Llangan or Llanganna. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Sunderland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Llangan or Llanganna Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 001 Vale of Glamorgan
2 Bridgend 005 Bridgend
3 Bridgend 013 Bridgend
4 Bridgend 014 Bridgend
5 Sunderland 028 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mordecai

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mordecai

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mordecai, 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 Mordecai surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mordecai 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mordecai is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mordecai is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mordecai 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 Mordecai 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Mordecai

The surname Mordecai originates from the Hebrew name Mordechai, which means "warrior" or "one who shatters." It is believed to have originated in ancient Israel, possibly during the time of the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC.

The name Mordecai appears in the Old Testament book of Esther, where Mordecai is a prominent figure and the cousin of Queen Esther. This biblical reference is one of the earliest known mentions of the name.

In medieval times, the surname Mordecai was commonly found among Jewish communities in Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal. It was likely adopted as a surname by families with ancestors named Mordecai or as a reference to the biblical figure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mordecai can be found in the Inquisition records of Spain from the 15th century. During this period, many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity or leave the country, and some may have adopted the surname Mordecai as a way to preserve their Jewish heritage.

Notable individuals with the surname Mordecai throughout history include:

1. Mordecai Sheftall (1735-1797), an American Revolutionary War patriot from Georgia and one of the earliest Jewish settlers in the American colonies. 2. Mordecai Manuel Noah (1785-1851), an American playwright, journalist, and politician who advocated for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the United States. 3. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (1890-1976), an African American minister and educator who served as the president of Howard University from 1926 to 1960. 4. Mordecai Richler (1931-2001), a Canadian writer and essayist known for his works exploring Jewish life in Montreal. 5. Mordecai Ardon (1896-1992), an Israeli painter and one of the founders of the Painters and Sculptors Association in Israel.

While the surname Mordecai is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich historical significance rooted in ancient Hebrew tradition and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mordecai families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mordecai 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. Glamorgan leads with 149 Mordecais recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.43x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 149 40.43x
Middlesex 57 2.69x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.73x
Pembrokeshire 4 5.95x
Huntingdonshire 2 4.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 21 Mordecais recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.67x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 21 100.67x
Mile End Old Town 19 56.87x
Newcastle Higher 19 760.00x
Llantrisant 17 182.99x
Llangan St Mary Hill 13 4814.81x
Llanblethian 11 2115.38x
Llandaff 9 73.41x
Llanwonno 9 67.98x
Radyr 9 2368.42x
Swansea Higher 9 234.38x
Ystradowen 8 5000.00x
Ystradyfodwg 8 24.74x
Coyty Lower 7 292.89x
Llantwit Vairdre 6 144.93x
St Botolph Aldgate 6 207.61x
Westminster St James 6 27.57x
Cowbridge 5 561.80x
Llanhary 5 2631.58x
Llanstadwell 4 181.82x
St Benedict Cambridge 4 526.32x
Paddington London 3 3.86x
Pendoylan 3 1034.48x
Swansea Town 3 9.93x
Bonvilston 2 1538.46x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 5.65x
Peterstone Super Ely 2 1111.11x
St Ives 2 91.74x
All Saints Cambridge 1 106.38x
Clase 1 7.30x
Hampstead London 1 3.03x
St John Near Swansea 1 21.93x
St Pancras London 1 0.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 10
Ann 9
Catherine 6
Sarah 6
Esther 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Edith 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Deborah 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Helen 1
Infant 1
J...n 1
Jennett 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Margretta 1
Martha 1
Mirriam 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susana 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 12
David 10
Thomas 9
Daniel 6
Joseph 6
George 5
Abraham 4
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Ed. 2
Edward 2
Evan 2
Henry 2
Hopkin 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Asher 1
Brindy 1
Chas. 1
Daviel 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Gomer 1
Gwilym 1
James 1
Jonah 1
Lazarus 1
Louis 1
Maurice 1
Morgan 1
Moses 1
Moss 1
Nathan 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Richd.William 1
Solomon 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Mordecai surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mordecai surname in 1881?

In 1881, 217 people were recorded with the Mordecai surname. That placed it at #12,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mordecai surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016. That gives Mordecai a modern rank of #10,871.

What does the Mordecai surname mean?

A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Mordecai, meaning "little man" or "little warrior".

What does the Mordecai map show?

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