NameCensus.

UK surname

Mules

An occupational surname derived from the French word "mulet", referring to someone who raised or dealt with mules.

In the 1881 census there were 195 people recorded with the Mules surname, ranking it #13,054 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #13,054 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, North Petherwin and Hanwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, The Vale of Glamorgan and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mules is 195 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.3%.

1881 census count

195

Ranked #13,054

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1881

195 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mules had 195 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,054 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 195 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mules surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mules surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mules 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 182 #11,209
1861 historical 163 #14,242
1881 historical 195 #13,054
1891 historical 184 #15,869
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Mules' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, North Petherwin, Hanwell, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Penarth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, The Vale of Glamorgan and Huntingdonshire. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 North Petherwin Cornwall
3 Hanwell Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Penarth Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 006 Torridge
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 004 Vale of Glamorgan
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 009 Vale of Glamorgan
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 005 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Huntingdonshire 011 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mules

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mules

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mules is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Mules 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

Mules falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mules

The surname Mules is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English word "mul," meaning a hill or mound. This word is also found in several place names, such as Mulshoe in Buckinghamshire and Muleswell in Kent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mules can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1176, which mention a person named Richard Mules. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a Robert de Mules is listed.

The Mules surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, indicating its presence in that county. Additionally, the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332 record a John Mules.

In the 15th century, the Mules family was well-established in the village of Olney, Buckinghamshire. One notable member of this family was Sir John Mules, who served as a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire in 1447 and 1459.

Another prominent individual with the surname Mules was Thomas Mules, born in 1558 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned clergyman and author, best known for his work "The Miscelaneous Prophet," published in 1609.

In the 17th century, a family of Mules resided in the village of Stourton, Wiltshire. One member, Thomas Mules, born in 1621, was a successful merchant and landowner in the area.

Moving into the 18th century, William Mules, born in 1709 in Oxfordshire, was a notable mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1751.

The Mules surname has also been found in various records from other parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire, indicating its widespread distribution throughout the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mules families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mules 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. Devon leads with 65 Mules' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.09x.

County Total Index
Devon 65 16.09x
Glamorgan 49 14.50x
Middlesex 32 1.65x
Cornwall 25 11.38x
Surrey 9 0.95x
Channel Islands 4 6.95x
Pembrokeshire 3 4.86x
Leicestershire 2 0.93x
Somerset 2 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.85x
Cheshire 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.25x
Herefordshire 1 1.26x
Kent 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Penarth in Glamorgan leads with 24 Mules' recorded in 1881 and an index of 727.27x.

Place Total Index
Penarth 24 727.27x
Enfield 14 109.89x
Roath 10 65.15x
Exeter St Mary Major 8 327.87x
Hanwell 8 232.56x
Llandaff 7 62.28x
St Pancras London 7 4.48x
Stoke Damerel 7 24.75x
Camberwell 6 4.84x
Churchstow 6 2500.00x
Great Torrington 6 262.01x
North Petherwyn 6 1052.63x
Cardiff St John 5 45.29x
Chittlehampton 5 500.00x
Plymouth Charles The 5 28.09x
St Tudy 5 1428.57x
Exeter St Thomas The 4 97.09x
Farway 4 2105.26x
Lanteglos 4 392.16x
St Giles In The Wood 4 666.67x
St Helier 4 21.37x
St Kew 4 547.95x
St Teath 4 303.03x
Warbstow 4 3076.92x
St Mary Magdalene 3 185.19x
Steynton 3 150.75x
Swansea Town 3 10.83x
Alwington 2 800.00x
Belvoir 2 2222.22x
Kingston On Thames 2 8.80x
Barnstaple 1 15.77x
Bideford 1 23.09x
Bovey Tracey 1 70.92x
Bowdon 1 58.82x
Buckfastleigh 1 53.76x
Chatham 1 5.49x
Curry Rivell 1 95.24x
Didsbury 1 32.68x
Epsom 1 21.69x
George Nympton 1 769.23x
Great Marlow 1 31.55x
Hastings St Mary 1 12.29x
Helland 1 769.23x
Holdenhurst 1 9.58x
Ilfracombe 1 24.04x
Ilminster 1 45.87x
Nortonwith 1 256.41x
Paddington London 1 1.40x
Pilton 1 75.19x
Scarborough 1 5.72x
St Marylebone London 1 0.97x
Westleigh 1 303.03x
Westminster St John 1 4.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 13
Jane 4
Susan 4
Annie 3
Bertha 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Jessie 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Rebecca 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Caroline 1
Cecelia 1
Charlotte 1
Cordelia 1
Edith 1
Elenora 1
Eliz. 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Lidia 1
Liliam 1
Lititia 1
Louisa 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Selina 1
Slome 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 13
Thomas 8
George 6
Frederick 5
Henry 5
James 5
Charles 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Frank 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
C.H.M. 1
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jabes 1
Jas. 1
Jno.H. 1
Joshua 1
Philip 1
Roderick 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Mules surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mules surname in 1881?

In 1881, 195 people were recorded with the Mules surname. That placed it at #13,054 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mules surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Mules a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Mules surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the French word "mulet", referring to someone who raised or dealt with mules.

What does the Mules map show?

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