NameCensus.

UK surname

Muncey

A surname derived from a place name, possibly originating from Muncey in Normandy.

In the 1881 census there were 282 people recorded with the Muncey surname, ranking it #10,148 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, down from #10,148 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hitchin and Enfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, East Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Muncey is 488 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.9%.

1881 census count

282

Ranked #10,148

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

1911

488 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Muncey had 282 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,148 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 488 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Muncey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Muncey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Muncey 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 194 #10,662
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 282 #10,148
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 434 #8,940
1911 historical 488 #7,980
1997 modern 444 #10,172
1998 modern 457 #10,279
1999 modern 453 #10,400
2000 modern 456 #10,321
2001 modern 439 #10,447
2002 modern 429 #10,858
2003 modern 423 #10,805
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 443 #10,331
2006 modern 445 #10,319
2007 modern 440 #10,533
2008 modern 432 #10,792
2009 modern 420 #11,266
2010 modern 428 #11,352
2011 modern 409 #11,663
2012 modern 415 #11,403
2013 modern 417 #11,556
2014 modern 426 #11,408
2015 modern 413 #11,622
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

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Where Munceys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hitchin, Enfield and Melbourn, Meldreth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, East Hertfordshire, Central Bedfordshire, Cambridge and Eastleigh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hitchin Hertfordshire
4 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Melbourn, Meldreth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 006 South Cambridgeshire
2 East Hertfordshire 002 East Hertfordshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 010 Central Bedfordshire
4 Cambridge 002 Cambridge
5 Eastleigh 004 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Muncey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Muncey

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Muncey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Muncey is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Muncey

The surname Muncey is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "munuc," meaning "monk," and was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a monastery or had some association with monastic life.

The earliest known record of the surname Muncey dates back to 1273, when a man named William Muncey was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This historical record was a survey of landowners and their holdings conducted during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Monke, Munke, and Munkey, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period. One notable individual from this time was John Muncey, a landowner in Worcestershire, recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

By the 16th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with the Muncey family being established in several counties, including Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. In 1586, a man named Thomas Muncey was listed in the muster rolls of Gloucestershire, indicating his participation in local militia.

One of the earliest known places associated with the Muncey surname is the village of Muncey in Gloucestershire. This place name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "munuc" and "ēg," meaning "monk's island" or "monk's meadow," suggesting a connection to a monastic settlement in the area.

Notable individuals with the surname Muncey include:

1. Richard Muncey (c. 1540-1608), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Essex. 2. John Muncey (1570-1645), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of King Charles I. 3. William Muncey (1701-1778), a British soldier and colonist who served in the British Army and later settled in Virginia, United States. 4. Elizabeth Muncey (1768-1818), an English poet and writer whose works included religious and moral poems. 5. Charles Muncey (1868-1940), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Muncey Trucking Company in Indiana.

The Muncey surname has been carried by individuals across various walks of life, including clergy, politicians, soldiers, writers, and entrepreneurs, reflecting its long-standing presence in English and British history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Muncey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Muncey 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 138 Munceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.65x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 138 78.65x
Middlesex 53 1.91x
Hertfordshire 34 17.80x
Surrey 23 1.70x
Kent 12 1.27x
Essex 10 1.83x
Sussex 4 0.86x
Aberdeenshire 3 1.17x
Durham 3 0.36x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.48x
Suffolk 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire leads with 25 Munceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 968.99x.

Place Total Index
Bassingbourn 25 968.99x
Histon 22 2391.30x
Chesterton 13 240.30x
Haslingfield 12 1666.67x
Camberwell 11 6.22x
Paddington London 11 10.80x
Litlington 10 1562.50x
St Andrewthe Less 10 49.88x
Hitchin 9 104.41x
Impington 9 2368.42x
St Marylebone London 9 6.08x
Harlton 8 2666.67x
Tewin 8 1600.00x
Stevenage 7 236.49x
Aldbury 6 697.67x
Babraham 6 2400.00x
Bromley 6 41.64x
Fordham 6 530.97x
Hackney London 6 3.86x
Rotherhithe 6 17.53x
Boxworth 5 2083.33x
Broomfield 5 3333.33x
West Ham 5 4.14x
Westminster St John 5 14.82x
Islington London 4 1.49x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 6.25x
Edmonton 3 13.44x
Fulham London 3 7.47x
Hampstead London 3 6.95x
Westoe 3 6.42x
Willesden 3 11.49x
Brighton 2 2.12x
East Guildford 2 1176.47x
Great Eversden 2 769.23x
Kensington London 2 1.30x
Putney 2 15.84x
Saffron Walden 2 34.60x
Soham 2 52.91x
St Botolph Cambridge 2 444.44x
Wakefield 2 9.49x
Welwyn 2 121.21x
Beddington 1 19.16x
Burwell 1 47.62x
Caxton 1 185.19x
Chelsea London 1 1.20x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.53x
Great Abington 1 384.62x
Great Hadham 1 81.30x
Greenwich 1 2.27x
Guilden Morden 1 107.53x
Ipswich St Peter 1 22.03x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.08x
Little Eversden 1 500.00x
Norwood 1 15.80x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.70x
St George Hanover 1 2.77x
Streatham 1 4.87x
Walthamstow 1 5.08x
Wanstead 1 10.44x
Watford 1 6.76x
Wicken 1 125.00x
Winkfield 1 28.99x
Woodford 1 16.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 9
Eliza 8
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Alice 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Charlotte 4
Florence 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Esther 3
Jane 3
Sophia 3
Frances 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Violet 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Blanch 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Elizbeth 1
Emmeline 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Hariet 1
Harriet 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Lilley 1
Lillie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
Charles 9
George 8
James 8
Richard 7
Thomas 7
Frederick 5
Edward 4
John 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Walter 2
Ebenezer 1
Francis 1
Frederc 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Izrael 1
Jonah 1
Jos. 1
Joshua 1
Kimpton 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Merric 1
Merrick 1
Moses 1
Nathan 1
Obed 1
Oliver 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Rueben 1
Simeon 1
Simon 1
Thos.F. 1
Victor 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Muncey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Muncey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 282 people were recorded with the Muncey surname. That placed it at #10,148 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Muncey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Muncey a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Muncey surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly originating from Muncey in Normandy.

What does the Muncey map show?

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