NameCensus.

UK surname

Mountain

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a mountain or large hill.

In the 1881 census there were 2,109 people recorded with the Mountain surname, ranking it #2,096 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,522, ranked #2,620, down from #2,096 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley, East Lindsey and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mountain is 2,757 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.6%.

1881 census count

2,109

Ranked #2,096

Modern count

2,522

2016, ranked #2,620

Peak year

1911

2,757 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mountain had 2,109 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,096 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,522 in 2016, ranked #2,620.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,757 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mountain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mountain surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mountain 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 1,443 #1,995
1861 historical 1,537 #1,849
1881 historical 2,109 #2,096
1891 historical 2,331 #2,017
1901 historical 2,592 #2,120
1911 historical 2,757 #1,882
1997 modern 2,549 #2,484
1998 modern 2,621 #2,499
1999 modern 2,651 #2,494
2000 modern 2,601 #2,523
2001 modern 2,550 #2,517
2002 modern 2,595 #2,536
2003 modern 2,542 #2,531
2004 modern 2,539 #2,533
2005 modern 2,480 #2,555
2006 modern 2,500 #2,547
2007 modern 2,496 #2,572
2008 modern 2,495 #2,584
2009 modern 2,522 #2,625
2010 modern 2,606 #2,601
2011 modern 2,568 #2,607
2012 modern 2,546 #2,581
2013 modern 2,579 #2,593
2014 modern 2,588 #2,597
2015 modern 2,534 #2,621
2016 modern 2,522 #2,620

Geography

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Where Mountains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Thornhill and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley, East Lindsey, Wakefield and Rotherham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley
2 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
3 Wakefield 026 Wakefield
4 East Lindsey 005 East Lindsey
5 Rotherham 010 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mountain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mountain

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mountain is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mountain 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mountain

The surname "Mountain" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "munte" or "mont," which referred to a hill or mountain. This name was likely given as a descriptive surname to individuals who lived near or came from a mountainous region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Mountain" dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where a person named William de la Munte is mentioned. This spelling variation, "de la Munte," reflects the Norman French influence on English surnames during that time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where a Richard del Monte is listed. The use of the preposition "del" or "de la" before the surname was common, indicating the person's association with a particular place.

The surname "Mountain" may also have derived from place names containing the word "mount" or "mountain," such as Montacute in Somerset or Montfort in various locations across England. Individuals who originated from or lived near these places might have adopted the surname "Mountain" over time.

Among notable historical figures bearing the surname "Mountain" is John Mountain (c. 1610-1672), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of London from 1663 to 1672. Another prominent individual was George Jehoshaphat Mountain (1789-1863), a Canadian Anglican bishop who served as the third Bishop of Montreal from 1836 to 1863.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Mountain" is found in the Virginia colonial records, where a George Mountain is mentioned in 1639. Later, in the 18th century, Jacob Mountain (1751-1825) was a notable figure, serving as the first Anglican Bishop of Quebec from 1793 to 1825.

Other notable individuals with the surname "Mountain" include William Mountain (1789-1866), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, and George Arbuthnot Mountain (1798-1865), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1857 to 1861.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mountain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mountain 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. Yorkshire leads with 939 Mountains recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 939 4.57x
Lincolnshire 216 6.52x
Middlesex 167 0.81x
Gloucestershire 118 2.90x
Lancashire 116 0.47x
Surrey 109 1.08x
Norfolk 82 2.57x
Durham 57 0.92x
Staffordshire 31 0.44x
Essex 30 0.73x
Northamptonshire 26 1.33x
Northumberland 23 0.75x
Monmouthshire 20 1.33x
Cambridgeshire 18 1.37x
Oxfordshire 18 1.41x
Derbyshire 16 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.57x
Suffolk 16 0.63x
Devon 13 0.30x
Kent 13 0.18x
Channel Islands 11 1.79x
Lanarkshire 11 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.64x
Hampshire 8 0.19x
Warwickshire 8 0.15x
Cheshire 6 0.13x
Glamorgan 6 0.17x
Bedfordshire 4 0.37x
Somerset 4 0.12x
Sussex 4 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.13x
Royal Navy 2 0.81x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.12x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Fife 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Isle of Man 1 0.26x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 80 Mountains recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.90x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 80 6.90x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 65 16.98x
Lambeth 42 2.32x
Hunslet 33 10.30x
Flockton 30 358.00x
St Pancras London 29 1.74x
Emley 28 305.01x
Wakefield 28 17.76x
Bristol St George 26 13.83x
Boston 25 24.86x
Chorlton On Medlock 24 6.14x
Westoe 24 6.86x
Holy Trinity 22 4.45x
Wortley In Bramley 22 13.52x
Eccleshill 21 42.01x
Peterborough 21 14.88x
Sculcoates 21 6.45x
York St Mary 21 24.68x
Headingley Cum Burley 20 15.13x
Dewsbury 19 9.02x
Morley 19 17.79x
Toxteth Park 19 2.28x
West Bromwich 19 4.74x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 18 24.13x
Easingwold 18 124.14x
West Ham 17 1.88x
York St Margaret 17 133.44x
Baildon 16 41.37x
Bingley 16 12.23x
Camberwell 16 1.21x
Leake 16 105.40x
Westminster St John 16 6.34x
Great Grimsby 15 7.13x
Liversedge 15 16.40x
Newington 14 1.83x
Altofts 13 57.34x
Longbenton 13 9.95x
Mirfield 13 11.53x
Bromley London 12 2.63x
Manningham 12 4.74x
Risca 12 42.48x
Scarborough 12 6.43x
Aldborough In Great 11 303.03x
Barony 10 0.59x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 10 14.23x
Boroughbridge 10 144.93x
Brightside Bierlow 10 2.48x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 7.38x
Clifton In York 10 23.28x
Shoreditch London 10 1.11x
St Andrewthe Less 10 6.67x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 10 10.48x
Withern 10 308.64x
York St Saviour 10 50.99x
Alfreton 9 9.13x
Bradford 9 1.81x
Braithwell 9 348.84x
Holbeck 9 6.61x
Hornsey 9 3.43x
Idle 9 9.45x
Islington London 9 0.45x
Keighley 9 4.11x
Kensington London 9 0.78x
Liverpool 9 0.60x
Norwich St Stephen 9 30.76x
Poplar London 9 2.30x
Sherburn 9 53.32x
St Helier 9 4.50x
Thornhill 9 15.02x
Brearton 8 747.66x
Cuddesdon 8 228.57x
Horton In Bradford 8 2.49x
Hulme 8 1.56x
Langriville 8 338.98x
Lichfield St Michael 8 36.43x
Monkwearmouth 8 13.55x
Newington 8 14.14x
South Milford 8 106.81x
South Ormsby 8 382.78x
Trusthorpe 8 337.55x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 132
William 122
George 75
Thomas 74
James 53
Joseph 53
Charles 43
Henry 41
Robert 31
Arthur 26
Samuel 22
Alfred 21
Wm. 16
Walter 14
Richard 13
Francis 12
Albert 10
Edward 10
Frank 9
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Herbert 9
Benjamin 8
David 7
Tom 7
Fred 6
Ernest 5
Friend 5
Mark 5
Michael 5
Christopher 4
Edwin 4
Thos. 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Frederic 3
Geo. 3
Harold 3
Lewis 3
Matthew 3
Percival 3
Peter 3
Sidney 3
Willie 3
Ben 2
Joshua 2
Mowbray 2
Percy 2
Saml. 2
Stanford 2

FAQ

Mountain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mountain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,109 people were recorded with the Mountain surname. That placed it at #2,096 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mountain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,522 in 2016. That gives Mountain a modern rank of #2,620.

What does the Mountain surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a mountain or large hill.

What does the Mountain map show?

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