UK surname
An English surname derived from the word for the small rodent.
In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Mouse surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 27, ranked #36,189, down from #21,449 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, St John Hackney and Houghton Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mouse is 158 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.6%.
1881 census count
86
Ranked #21,449
Modern count
27
2016, ranked #36,189
Peak year
1861
158 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mouse surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mouse surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 86 | #18,820 |
| 1861 | historical | 158 | #14,644 |
| 1881 | historical | 86 | #21,449 |
| 1891 | historical | 136 | #19,601 |
| 1901 | historical | 93 | #23,689 |
| 1911 | historical | 138 | #18,811 |
| 1997 | modern | 27 | #35,016 |
| 1998 | modern | 27 | #35,148 |
| 1999 | modern | 23 | #35,612 |
| 2000 | modern | 22 | #35,684 |
| 2001 | modern | 18 | #35,961 |
| 2002 | modern | 18 | #36,067 |
| 2003 | modern | 14 | #36,512 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 15 | #36,707 |
| 2007 | modern | 20 | #36,362 |
| 2008 | modern | 22 | #36,281 |
| 2009 | modern | 19 | #36,603 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 18 | #36,739 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 23 | #36,414 |
| 2014 | modern | 23 | #36,417 |
| 2015 | modern | 25 | #36,297 |
| 2016 | modern | 27 | #36,189 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, St John Hackney, Houghton Regis, St Luke and Dunstable. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 2 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Houghton Regis | Bedfordshire |
| 4 | St Luke | London (Central Districts) |
| 5 | Dunstable | Bedfordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mouse surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mouse, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mouse surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mouse household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mouse is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mouse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mouse, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MOUSE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mus," which means "mouse." This surname likely referred to someone who had some association with mice, such as a person who caught or dealt with mice.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership in England, there are several entries that could be related to the surname MOUSE. For example, there are references to people with the name "Musse" or "Mussun," which may have been early spellings or variations of the surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOUSE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named William Mous is mentioned. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279, which includes a reference to a John Mous.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname MOUSE was also found in various locations across England, including places like Huntingdonshire, Oxfordshire, and Yorkshire. Some early variations of the surname included spellings like "Mous," "Mousse," and "Mouss."
One notable historical figure with the surname MOUSE was Sir Christopher Mouse (c. 1510 – 1589), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Herefordshire in the 16th century.
Another individual with the surname MOUSE was John Mouse (c. 1540 – 1615), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
In the 17th century, there was a Robert Mouse (c. 1620 – 1685), who was an English lawyer and author. He wrote several legal treatises, including "The Student's Guide to the Common Law" and "The Student's Companion."
During the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname MOUSE was Richard Mouse (1725 – 1799), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta Supreme Court in British India.
In the 19th century, there was a William Mouse (1810 – 1876), who was an English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings in London, including St. James's Church and the former National Provincial Bank headquarters.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mouse surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 40 Mouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.77x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 40 | 4.77x |
| Bedfordshire | 33 | 75.98x |
| Devon | 7 | 4.01x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 3.46x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.60x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.58x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.10x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.24x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Houghton Regis in Bedfordshire leads with 20 Mouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 2898.55x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton Regis | 20 | 2898.55x |
| St Luke London | 11 | 81.78x |
| Hackney London | 9 | 19.14x |
| Luton | 7 | 93.09x |
| St Pancras London | 7 | 10.37x |
| Dunstable | 6 | 451.13x |
| Bromley London | 5 | 27.10x |
| Shoreditch London | 4 | 11.00x |
| Wear Gifford | 4 | 3076.92x |
| Buckland Brewer | 3 | 1428.57x |
| Hertford All Saints | 2 | 625.00x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.47x |
| Aldershot | 1 | 17.36x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 1.87x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 3.96x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.23x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.65x |
| West Ham | 1 | 2.74x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mouse surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mouse surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mouse households.
FAQ
In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Mouse surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 27 in 2016. That gives Mouse a modern rank of #36,189.
An English surname derived from the word for the small rodent.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mouse bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.