NameCensus.

UK surname

Murfitt

A variant spelling of the English surname Murfit, referring to the archaic occupation of "murefitter," a rat-catcher.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Murfitt surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 753, ranked #7,270, up from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stretham, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murfitt is 825 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.0%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

753

2016, ranked #7,270

Peak year

2000

825 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Murfitt had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 753 in 2016, ranked #7,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 681 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Murfitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Murfitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Murfitt 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 244 #8,950
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 452 #8,050
1901 historical 546 #7,568
1911 historical 681 #6,206
1997 modern 774 #6,716
1998 modern 776 #6,925
1999 modern 797 #6,815
2000 modern 825 #6,617
2001 modern 779 #6,782
2002 modern 790 #6,849
2003 modern 748 #7,036
2004 modern 756 #6,980
2005 modern 752 #6,941
2006 modern 752 #6,972
2007 modern 760 #6,978
2008 modern 756 #7,065
2009 modern 774 #7,071
2010 modern 801 #7,018
2011 modern 808 #6,874
2012 modern 775 #7,041
2013 modern 773 #7,169
2014 modern 760 #7,295
2015 modern 758 #7,241
2016 modern 753 #7,270

Geography

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Where Murfitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stretham, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Ely Trinity and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire. 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 Stretham Cambridgeshire
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ely Trinity Cambridgeshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 002 East Cambridgeshire
4 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
5 East Cambridgeshire 004 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Murfitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Murfitt

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

Murfitt is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Murfitt

The surname Murfitt is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English words "mere" meaning a boundary or border, and "fitt" meaning a small field or plot of land. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived or worked near a border or boundary area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Willelmus Merefitt is mentioned. The name is also found in various other medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, which lists a Robert Murefet.

The Murfitt name appears to have been concentrated primarily in the counties of Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire during the Middle Ages. It is possible that the name may have originated from a specific place name, though no definitive records have been found to confirm this.

One notable individual with the Murfitt surname was John Murfitt (1590-1659), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Litcham in Norfolk during the 17th century. Another early bearer of the name was Thomas Murfitt (1624-1692), a landowner and farmer from Nottinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes spelled as Murfett or Murfytt, as evidenced by records such as the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1572, which mentions a Robert Murfett.

Other historical figures with the Murfitt surname include William Murfitt (1742-1817), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War, and George Murfitt (1824-1903), an English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in the Victorian era.

Overall, the Murfitt surname has a long and interesting history, with its origins likely rooted in the medieval English countryside. While not a widespread name, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Murfitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murfitt 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 187 Murfitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.36x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 187 81.36x
Middlesex 60 1.65x
Yorkshire 34 0.95x
Norfolk 22 3.94x
Surrey 20 1.13x
Lancashire 13 0.30x
Lincolnshire 9 1.55x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.23x
Rutland 6 22.52x
Durham 4 0.37x
Essex 4 0.56x
Kent 2 0.16x
Bedfordshire 1 0.53x
Hertfordshire 1 0.40x
Oxfordshire 1 0.45x
Suffolk 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stretham in Cambridgeshire leads with 48 Murfitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2926.83x.

Place Total Index
Stretham 48 2926.83x
Littleport 46 1047.84x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 30 299.40x
Islington London 19 5.40x
Bethnal Green London 16 10.15x
Hoyland Nether 12 136.05x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 13.69x
Tottington Lower End 10 48.88x
Waterbeach 10 534.76x
St Andrewthe Less 9 34.27x
St Marylebone London 9 4.65x
Clerkenwell London 7 8.17x
Outwell 7 1627.91x
Tankersley 7 261.19x
Cottenham 6 196.72x
Hockwold Cum Wilton 6 631.58x
St Andrewthe Great 6 202.02x
Uppingham 6 188.68x
Wretton 6 1463.41x
Burwell 5 181.82x
Guilden Morden 5 409.84x
Hipperholme Cum 5 31.65x
Selston 5 91.58x
Upwell 5 297.62x
Denver 4 384.62x
Handsworth 4 42.06x
Harrow On The Hill 4 55.17x
Newington 4 2.98x
Stockton On Tees 4 7.69x
Wortley In Bramley 4 14.04x
Bermondsey 3 2.78x
Boston 3 17.05x
Elm 3 133.33x
Lambeth 3 0.95x
Loughton 3 84.75x
March 3 38.96x
Salford 3 2.37x
Boston Hall Hills 2 204.08x
Downham Market 2 52.22x
Paddington London 2 1.50x
Reedham 2 186.92x
Sutton St James 2 285.71x
Eaton Socon 1 33.90x
Exning 1 44.84x
Frant 1 23.09x
Greasley 1 9.07x
Hackney London 1 0.49x
Haddenham 1 46.30x
Hatley East 1 625.00x
Hilgay 1 47.62x
Lewisham 1 1.51x
Loversall 1 454.55x
Manea 1 68.97x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.75x
Neithrop 1 13.28x
Plumstead 1 2.42x
Romford 1 8.83x
Royston 1 46.95x
St Andrew Holborn 1 8.13x
Sutton St Mary 1 18.21x
Terrington St Clement 1 39.68x
Tydd St Mary 1 86.96x
Wath On Dearne 1 13.95x
Wisbech St Peter 1 8.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 22
George 13
Charles 12
Henry 10
Arthur 7
Frederick 6
Isaac 6
James 6
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
Edward 4
Abraham 3
Alfred 3
David 3
Josiah 3
Albert 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Gibbons 1
Hallett 1
Horace 1
Job 1
Jos. 1
Lanaworth 1
Lawrence 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Rayment 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Robinson 1
Robt. 1
Ruben 1
Russell 1
Standford 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Murfitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murfitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Murfitt surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murfitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 753 in 2016. That gives Murfitt a modern rank of #7,270.

What does the Murfitt surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Murfit, referring to the archaic occupation of "murefitter," a rat-catcher.

What does the Murfitt map show?

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