NameCensus.

UK surname

Muncie

A habitational name from any of several places in England and Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Muncie surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 139, ranked #25,001, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock Rural, Watford and Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Muncie is 145 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 195.7%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

139

2016, ranked #25,001

Peak year

2014

145 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Muncie had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 139 in 2016, ranked #25,001.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 61 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Muncie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Muncie surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Muncie 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 12 #32,329
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 145 #24,395
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 139 #25,001

Geography

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Where Muncies 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 Cumnock Rural, Watford, Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Lanark North East and Forth, Braehead and Auchengray. 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 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
2 Watford 001 Watford
3 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire
4 Lanark North East South Lanarkshire
5 Forth, Braehead and Auchengray South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Muncie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Muncie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Muncie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Muncie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Muncie is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Muncie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Muncie 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 Muncie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Muncie

The surname Muncie originates from Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the lands of Muncey, located near the village of Glencorse in Midlothian. The name is thought to come from the Gaelic words "mun" meaning "hill" and "sith" meaning "fairy" or "peaceful", suggesting the name referred to a hill inhabited by fairies or a peaceful hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Willelmus de Muncey" appears, referring to William de Muncey from the lands of Muncey.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Muncy, Muncie, and Muncey. One notable bearer of the name during this time was Sir John Muncey, a Scottish knight who fought in the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513.

The Muncie surname is also associated with the town of Muncie, Indiana, which was named after the Muncie family who settled in the area in the early 19th century. The town's founder, David Muncie, was born in Pennsylvania in 1785 and established the settlement along the White River in 1822.

Other notable individuals with the surname Muncie include:

1. Robert Muncie (1835-1919), a Scottish-born Australian politician and member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. 2. Benjamin Muncie (1852-1925), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 3. James Phinney Muncie (1884-1965), an American writer and educator known for his works on educational psychology. 4. Rodney Muncie (born 1950), a Canadian actor best known for his roles in television series like "The Beachcombers" and "Danger Bay". 5. Heather Muncie-Townsend (born 1978), a Canadian Paralympic athlete who competed in swimming and won multiple gold medals.

While the Muncie surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly North America and Australia, where descendants of the original Muncey families have contributed to various fields and left their mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Muncie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Muncie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 24 Muncies recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.19x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 24 16.19x
Ayrshire 17 49.56x
Renfrewshire 5 14.08x
Aberdeenshire 1 2.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Auckinleck in Ayrshire leads with 17 Muncies recorded in 1881 and an index of 1603.77x.

Place Total Index
Auckinleck 17 1603.77x
Carluke 12 888.89x
Barony 6 15.99x
Paisley Low Church 4 357.14x
Glasgow 3 11.40x
Lesmahagow 3 191.08x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 11.29x
East Greenock 1 29.85x

FAQ

Muncie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Muncie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Muncie surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Muncie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 139 in 2016. That gives Muncie a modern rank of #25,001.

What does the Muncie surname mean?

A habitational name from any of several places in England and Scotland.

What does the Muncie map show?

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