NameCensus.

UK surname

Mura

A likely Italian surname derived from "muro," meaning "wall" or "barrier."

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Mura surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Thanet and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mura is 117 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1571.4%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2016

117 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mura had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mura surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mura surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mura 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 59 #31,734
1998 modern 65 #31,477
1999 modern 62 #31,893
2000 modern 63 #31,829
2001 modern 59 #32,080
2002 modern 58 #32,564
2003 modern 57 #32,704
2004 modern 60 #32,684
2005 modern 61 #32,814
2006 modern 74 #31,850
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 90 #30,567
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Muras 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 Enfield, Thanet, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wigan and Erewash. 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 Enfield 032 Enfield
2 Thanet 001 Thanet
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 021 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Wigan 018 Wigan
5 Erewash 013 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mura

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mura

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mura, 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 Mura surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mura 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mura is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mura 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

Mura falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mura

The surname "Mura" is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the northern regions near the Alps. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "murus," meaning "wall" or "rampart." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on fortifications or defensive structures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Mura" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery of Cava dei Tirreni in southern Italy. The name appears in a document dated around 1130 CE, referring to a landowner named Petrus de Mura.

In the 13th century, the name "Mura" is mentioned in the historical records of the Republic of Venice, where it was associated with several noble families from the city and its surrounding territories. One notable figure was Marco Mura, a prominent merchant and diplomat who served as the Venetian ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the late 15th century.

As the name spread throughout Italy, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Muro," "Murazzi," and "Murati." These variations often reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences. For instance, the surname "Murazzi" was more common in the northwestern regions of Piedmont and Liguria, where it may have been derived from the local word for "walls" or "fortifications."

In the 16th century, the name "Mura" gained prominence in the Kingdom of Naples, where it was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Giovan Battista Mura, a renowned painter and architect who lived from 1668 to 1749. His works can be found in various churches and palaces throughout Naples and its surrounding areas.

Another significant figure with the surname "Mura" was Francesco Mura, a Sardinian scholar and historian who lived from 1677 to 1743. He authored several important works on the history and culture of Sardinia, including the "Rerum Sardoarum Historia" (History of Sardinian Affairs).

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name "Mura" continued to be found across various regions of Italy, with notable individuals including Giuseppe Mura (1776-1832), a Neapolitan composer and conductor, and Antonio Mura (1854-1920), a sculptor and painter from the island of Sardinia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mura families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mura 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. Yorkshire leads with 4 Muras recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.93x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 4 5.93x
Middlesex 2 2.94x
Devon 1 7.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clayton in Yorkshire leads with 4 Muras recorded in 1881 and an index of 2352.94x.

Place Total Index
Clayton 4 2352.94x
Bromley London 1 66.67x
Plymouth Charles The 1 161.29x
St Pancras London 1 18.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Marie 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 1
Dinnis 1
Edward 1
Patrick 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 Mura households.

FAQ

Mura surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mura surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Mura surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mura surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Mura a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Mura surname mean?

A likely Italian surname derived from "muro," meaning "wall" or "barrier."

What does the Mura map show?

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