NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulder

A Dutch occupational surname referring to a miller or someone who grinds grain.

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Mulder surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 211, ranked #18,904, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Meadows and Southside, Dacorum and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulder is 216 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1658.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

211

2016, ranked #18,904

Peak year

2010

216 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulder had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016, ranked #18,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mulder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulder surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulder 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 13 #32,633
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 164 #19,944
1998 modern 170 #20,030
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 175 #19,902
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 163 #20,627
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 216 #18,492
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 209 #19,128
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 211 #18,904

Geography

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Where Mulders 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 Meadows and Southside, Dacorum, Hinckley and Bosworth and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Meadows and Southside City of Edinburgh
2 Dacorum 015 Dacorum
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Cheshire West and Chester 012 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulder

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mulder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mulder 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mulder 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

Mulder is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mulder falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mulder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Mulder

The surname Mulder originates from the Netherlands, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Dutch word "molder," which means a miller or someone who operates a mill for grinding grain. The name is believed to have been an occupational surname initially given to millers or those associated with the milling trade.

In the early 13th century, the name appeared in various Dutch records and documents, often with slight variations in spelling, such as "Molder," "Moulder," or "Muldere." One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Utrecht Archives, where a certain "Gherardus Muldere" is mentioned in a document dated 1276.

The Mulder surname can also be traced back to several place names in the Netherlands, such as Mulder, a small village in the province of Overijssel, and Mulderij, a hamlet in the province of Gelderland. These place names likely derived from the same occupational origin as the surname, indicating a connection to mills or milling activities in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Mulder surname. One of the earliest recorded was Gerrit Mulder (c. 1515-1585), a Dutch cartographer and navigator who accompanied the Spanish expeditions to the Americas in the 16th century. Later, in the 17th century, Jan Mulder (1619-1678) was a renowned Dutch mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of optics.

In the 19th century, Gerardus Johannes Mulder (1802-1880), a Dutch chemist and professor at Utrecht University, gained recognition for his work on proteins and organic chemistry. He is considered one of the pioneers in the study of biochemistry.

Another notable figure was Hendrik Mulder (1876-1957), a Dutch politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1945 to 1946, leading the country during the post-World War II reconstruction period.

More recently, the name Mulder gained international recognition through the fictional character Fox Mulder, played by actor David Duchovny in the popular television series "The X-Files," which aired from 1993 to 2018.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulder 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. Middlesex leads with 6 Mulders recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 5.13x
Durham 2 5.75x
Lancashire 2 1.44x
Cornwall 1 7.56x
Leicestershire 1 7.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 4 Mulders recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.51x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 4 42.51x
St Martin In Fields 2 285.71x
Blackburn 1 27.10x
Falmouth 1 212.77x
Liverpool 1 11.88x
South Shields 1 322.58x
Sunderland 1 163.93x
Twycross 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Laurence 1
Louise 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
Auguste 1
E. 1
Gustave 1
John 1

Top occupations

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 Mulder households.

FAQ

Mulder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Mulder surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016. That gives Mulder a modern rank of #18,904.

What does the Mulder surname mean?

A Dutch occupational surname referring to a miller or someone who grinds grain.

What does the Mulder map show?

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