NameCensus.

UK surname

Munns

A locational surname derived from the place name Munns in Hertfordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,068 people recorded with the Munns surname, ranking it #3,700 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,516, ranked #4,080, down from #3,700 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Erith, London parishes and Soham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Central Bedfordshire and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Munns is 1,699 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.9%.

1881 census count

1,068

Ranked #3,700

Modern count

1,516

2016, ranked #4,080

Peak year

2000

1,699 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Munns had 1,068 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,700 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016, ranked #4,080.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,645 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Munns surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Munns surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Munns 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 616 #4,192
1861 historical 573 #4,600
1881 historical 1,068 #3,700
1891 historical 1,172 #3,648
1901 historical 1,467 #3,482
1911 historical 1,645 #2,960
1997 modern 1,646 #3,604
1998 modern 1,669 #3,692
1999 modern 1,680 #3,699
2000 modern 1,699 #3,644
2001 modern 1,640 #3,690
2002 modern 1,653 #3,730
2003 modern 1,577 #3,822
2004 modern 1,562 #3,861
2005 modern 1,536 #3,870
2006 modern 1,552 #3,830
2007 modern 1,559 #3,842
2008 modern 1,564 #3,874
2009 modern 1,574 #3,932
2010 modern 1,574 #4,014
2011 modern 1,571 #3,980
2012 modern 1,537 #3,993
2013 modern 1,540 #4,053
2014 modern 1,532 #4,104
2015 modern 1,523 #4,079
2016 modern 1,516 #4,080

Geography

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Where Munns' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Erith, London parishes, Soham and Finedon or Thingdon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Central Bedfordshire, Wellingborough, Northampton and Gravesham. 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 Erith Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Soham Cambridgeshire
5 Finedon or Thingdon Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 011 Fenland
2 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
3 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough
4 Northampton 002 Northampton
5 Gravesham 005 Gravesham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Munns

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Munns

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Munns surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Munns household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Munns 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

Munns is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Munns falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Munns is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Munns

The surname Munns is of English origin, and can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, specifically the 11th century. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a hill or mound.

The name is derived from the Old English word "mun," which means "hill" or "mound." The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Munne," which appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership and property values compiled under the orders of William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Munns was John Munne, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1203. Another early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a certain Richard le Munne was listed.

The name Munns has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Munns Hill in Worcestershire and Munns Farm in Suffolk. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root word "mun," and may have influenced the surname's development.

Over the centuries, the surname has evolved and taken on various spellings, including Munn, Munne, and Mun. Some notable individuals with the surname Munns include:

1. Sir John Munns (1598-1667), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament. 2. Thomas Munns (1762-1842), an English businessman and philanthropist who established the Munns Charity in London. 3. Elizabeth Munns (1770-1846), a British writer and educator who authored several books on education and moral instruction. 4. William Munns (1818-1901), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London. 5. Edward Munns (1865-1947), an Australian politician and barrister who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia.

The surname Munns has a rich history that spans several centuries, with roots in the Old English language and connections to various place names throughout England. While it may have evolved in spelling over time, the essence of its topographic origins has remained intact.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Munns families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Munns 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. Kent leads with 193 Munns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.42x.

County Total Index
Kent 193 5.42x
Middlesex 186 1.78x
Northamptonshire 164 16.72x
Cambridgeshire 102 15.44x
Surrey 70 1.38x
Hertfordshire 49 6.82x
Huntingdonshire 49 23.67x
Bedfordshire 47 8.70x
Suffolk 27 2.13x
Lancashire 20 0.16x
Hampshire 19 0.89x
Essex 18 0.87x
Yorkshire 16 0.15x
Sussex 15 0.85x
Cheshire 13 0.56x
Warwickshire 12 0.46x
Durham 8 0.26x
Somerset 8 0.48x
Berkshire 7 0.89x
Lanarkshire 7 0.21x
Lincolnshire 7 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.43x
Shropshire 5 0.56x
Derbyshire 4 0.25x
Leicestershire 4 0.35x
Norfolk 4 0.25x
Staffordshire 3 0.09x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Isle of Man 2 1.03x
Buteshire 1 1.58x
Dorset 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Finedon in Northamptonshire leads with 58 Munns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 675.20x.

Place Total Index
Finedon 58 675.20x
Islington London 45 4.45x
Erith 41 116.98x
Margate St John Baptist 28 42.98x
Northampton St Sepulchre 26 52.10x
Soham 26 182.97x
Bekesbourne 19 1583.33x
Potton 19 264.99x
Exning 18 280.81x
Broughton 16 1523.81x
Camberwell 16 2.40x
Deptford St Paul 16 5.83x
Edmonton 16 19.04x
Bluntisham 15 386.60x
Cheshunt 15 59.69x
Enfield 15 21.92x
Luton 14 14.98x
Northampton Priory St 14 23.79x
Wellingborough 14 28.39x
Bermondsey 13 4.19x
Hackney London 13 2.22x
Clerkenwell London 11 4.47x
Canterbury St Alphage 10 263.16x
Hammersmith London 10 3.89x
Hastings St Mary 10 22.86x
Little Berkhampstead 10 662.25x
Milton In Gravesend 10 18.74x
Battersea 9 2.35x
Brading 9 31.68x
Fulham London 9 5.95x
Mile End Old Town 9 5.47x
Newington 9 2.34x
Northfleet 9 28.72x
Orwell 9 314.69x
Pownall Fee 9 87.38x
Sandy 9 94.54x
Batley 8 8.15x
Chatteris 8 47.48x
St Giles Cambridge 8 93.79x
West Thurrock 8 116.96x
All Saints Cambridge 7 150.86x
Barony 7 0.82x
Canterbury St Peter 7 174.56x
Crondall 7 60.98x
Gamlingay 7 101.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 5.21x
Limehouse London 7 6.11x
Lingfield 7 70.71x
Peterborough 7 9.86x
Ramsey 7 42.22x
St Marythe Great 7 325.58x
West Derby 7 1.93x
Aston 6 0.83x
Bainton 6 983.61x
Croydon 6 2.13x
Edgbaston 6 7.36x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 6 20.83x
Fen Stanton 6 157.48x
Kingsthorpe 6 55.05x
Leyton Low 6 14.34x
Over Darwen 6 6.07x
Ridge 6 413.79x
Spittlegate 6 26.02x
Bengeo 5 59.95x
Brighton 5 1.41x
Great Barton 5 170.07x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 5 69.74x
Kennington 5 189.39x
Kensington London 5 0.86x
Long Buckby 5 55.13x
Mansfield 5 10.28x
Oswestry Rural 5 36.23x
Raunds 5 50.05x
Shadwell London 5 17.14x
Stevenage 5 44.88x
Wakefield 5 6.30x
Wellington 5 21.97x
Paddington London 4 1.04x
Ratcliffe London 4 6.95x
St Pancras London 4 0.48x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 58
George 38
James 33
Thomas 30
Henry 26
Charles 20
Frederick 19
Edward 18
Alfred 15
Arthur 12
Joseph 12
Robert 9
Daniel 8
Samuel 8
Walter 8
Herbert 7
Stephen 7
Wm. 7
Albert 6
David 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Francis 5
Benjamin 3
Fred 3
Jabez 3
Richard 3
Cuthbert 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Leonard 2
Lusher 2
Michael 2
Archibald 1
Archie 1
Charlie 1
Clement 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Ewdard 1
F. 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jonas 1
Lane 1
Luke 1

FAQ

Munns surname: questions and answers

How common was the Munns surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,068 people were recorded with the Munns surname. That placed it at #3,700 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Munns surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016. That gives Munns a modern rank of #4,080.

What does the Munns surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the place name Munns in Hertfordshire, England.

What does the Munns map show?

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