NameCensus.

UK surname

Mussett

A variant of the English locational surname for someone from the village of Muskett.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Mussett surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Binham, London parishes and Mersea, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Sunderland and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mussett is 470 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.9%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

1999

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mussett had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 415 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mussett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mussett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mussett 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 317 #10,611
1901 historical 370 #10,017
1911 historical 415 #9,049
1997 modern 435 #10,351
1998 modern 462 #10,201
1999 modern 470 #10,120
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 441 #10,412
2002 modern 440 #10,638
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 435 #10,600
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 409 #11,032
2007 modern 407 #11,228
2008 modern 403 #11,398
2009 modern 418 #11,309
2010 modern 431 #11,285
2011 modern 409 #11,663
2012 modern 420 #11,278
2013 modern 426 #11,350
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 414 #11,605
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Mussetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Binham, London parishes, Mersea, West and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Sunderland, North Lincolnshire, South Norfolk and Scarborough. 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 Binham Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mersea, West Essex
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 021 Colchester
2 Sunderland 021 Sunderland
3 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
4 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
5 Scarborough 002 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mussett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mussett

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mussett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mussett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mussett is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Mussett is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mussett

The surname Mussett has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "musse," which means "small" or "little," and was initially used as a nickname for someone of small stature.

During the medieval period, the name was found primarily in the counties of Somerset and Devon in the southwest of England. Early spellings of the name included Musset, Mussett, and Mussatt, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mussett appears in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from 1243, where a certain William Mussett is mentioned as a landowner. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John Musset as a resident of the village of Hemyock in Devon.

In the 14th century, the Mussett surname can be found in various records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a Thomas Mussett in the village of South Petherton, Somerset. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1524, where a Richard Mussett is recorded as a taxpayer in the town of Crewkerne, Somerset.

One notable figure bearing the Mussett surname was Sir John Mussett (c. 1540-1613), a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1605 and was knighted by King James I in recognition of his public service.

Another prominent individual was Richard Mussett (1670-1742), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1737 to 1741. He was also the Rector of St. Clement's Church in Oxford from 1712 until his death.

In the 18th century, the name Mussett was associated with the village of Haselbury Plucknett in Somerset, where several members of the family were recorded as landowners and farmers. One such individual was Thomas Mussett (1714-1789), who owned a substantial estate in the area.

Another notable bearer of the Mussett surname was William Mussett (1786-1859), a highly respected artist and engraver who produced several famous works, including engravings of the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens.

During the 19th century, the Mussett family spread beyond their traditional stronghold in the southwest of England, with members of the family settling in various parts of the country and even emigrating to the British colonies overseas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mussett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mussett 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. Essex leads with 52 Mussetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.25x.

County Total Index
Essex 52 11.25x
Norfolk 41 11.39x
Surrey 41 3.59x
Middlesex 36 1.54x
Kent 26 3.26x
Suffolk 16 5.61x
Yorkshire 13 0.56x
Hampshire 8 1.67x
Dorset 3 1.95x
Durham 3 0.43x
Wiltshire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Mersea in Essex leads with 36 Mussetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4044.94x.

Place Total Index
West Mersea 36 4044.94x
Binham 11 2894.74x
Islington London 11 4.85x
Deptford St Paul 10 16.23x
Bermondsey 9 12.91x
Ealing 9 43.02x
Queenborough 9 1139.24x
Shoreditch London 9 8.87x
Syderstone 9 2195.12x
Middlesbrough 8 26.48x
Wells Next Sea 8 380.95x
Farnborough 7 138.89x
Newington 7 8.10x
Streatham 7 40.30x
Brancaster 5 806.45x
Croydon 5 7.90x
Ipswich St Helen 5 147.93x
Ipswich St Peter 5 130.21x
Sutton 5 189.39x
Wandsworth 5 22.19x
Camberwell 4 2.68x
Swanton Novers 4 1739.13x
Eltham 3 64.10x
Fordington 3 90.63x
Hintlesham 3 652.17x
Lexden 3 161.29x
Barking 2 14.79x
Battersea 2 2.32x
Carshalton 2 45.87x
East Donyland 2 180.18x
Edwardstone 2 571.43x
Fakenham 2 112.99x
St Gilesin Fields 2 147.06x
Upchurch 2 222.22x
West Bergholt 2 232.56x
West Rainton 2 92.59x
Acton 1 7.29x
Aldershot 1 6.22x
Ashen 1 555.56x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.67x
Canterbury St Mary 1 18.66x
Colchester Holy Trinity 1 98.04x
Colchester St Botolph 1 25.45x
Colchester St James 1 53.48x
East Mersea 1 434.78x
Figheldean 1 270.27x
Hampton Wick London 1 58.48x
Lamarsh 1 454.55x
Limehouse London 1 3.89x
Poplar London 1 2.26x
Ramsgate 1 7.67x
Rockland St Mary 1 277.78x
Sedgeford 1 163.93x
Spitalfields London 1 5.68x
Sudbury St Peter 1 64.10x
Wormingford 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Alice 9
Emma 8
Elizabeth 7
Florence 4
Martha 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Laura 3
Susan 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Amey 1
Anna 1
Aseneth 1
Axnath 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizath. 1
Elsie 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Hope 1
Ida 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Mahala 1
Manet 1
Maria 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 12
James 10
Henry 9
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
George 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Robt. 2
Amos 1
Clark 1
Edgar 1
Fred 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hy 1
Hy. 1
Joseph 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Whiby 1
Willia 1

FAQ

Mussett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mussett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Mussett surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mussett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Mussett a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Mussett surname mean?

A variant of the English locational surname for someone from the village of Muskett.

What does the Mussett map show?

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