NameCensus.

UK surname

Musty

A surname derived from the Old French word "mustier," meaning moldy or musty.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Musty surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Swindon and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Musty is 256 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.3%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

1911

256 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Musty had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 256 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Musty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Musty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Musty 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 256 #12,688
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 142 #22,687
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 138 #22,997
2005 modern 132 #23,623
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 128 #25,852
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Mustys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Swindon, Lyddington, Battersea and St Woollos (incl. Newport). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Swindon, Central Bedfordshire, Wiltshire and Canterbury. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 St Woollos (incl. Newport) Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 002 Stroud
2 Swindon 009 Swindon
3 Central Bedfordshire 025 Central Bedfordshire
4 Wiltshire 002 Wiltshire
5 Canterbury 002 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Musty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Musty

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Musty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Musty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Musty is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Musty 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

Musty falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Musty

The surname "MUSTY" is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mustig," which means "musty" or "stale-smelling." This term was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in damp or poorly ventilated conditions.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named Richard Musty is listed. This suggests that the name was already in use by the early 14th century, particularly in the West Midlands region of England.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various records across different counties in England, such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1451, where a John Musty is mentioned. The name was also found in the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1487, which recorded a transaction involving a Thomas Musty.

During the 16th century, the surname underwent some variations in spelling, including "Mustie" and "Mustye." One notable bearer of the name was John Mustie, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1520 and later became a Protestant martyr, being burned at the stake in 1557 during the reign of Queen Mary I.

In the 17th century, the surname continued to be documented in various parish records and other historical documents. For instance, the Hearth Tax records of 1662 for Staffordshire listed a William Musty as a householder in the town of Wolverhampton.

Another notable figure with the surname was Thomas Musty, a merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 17th century. He was involved in several legal disputes over property rights and left a substantial estate upon his death in 1698.

In the 18th century, the surname appeared in various genealogical records and parish registers across England. One notable bearer was John Musty, a clockmaker born in London in 1723, who became well-known for his intricate and ornate clocks.

As the surname spread throughout England and beyond, it inevitably underwent further variations in spelling, including "Musti," "Mustey," and "Mustye." However, the original spelling of "MUSTY" remained the most common form throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Musty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Musty 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. Gloucestershire leads with 97 Mustys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.14x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 97 26.14x
Wiltshire 28 16.73x
Middlesex 12 0.63x
Surrey 12 1.30x
Staffordshire 10 1.57x
Glamorgan 8 2.43x
Worcestershire 6 2.43x
Monmouthshire 5 3.66x
Oxfordshire 4 3.42x
Somerset 3 0.99x
Devon 2 0.51x
Essex 2 0.54x
Kent 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.48x
Northamptonshire 1 0.56x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Painswick in Gloucestershire leads with 19 Mustys recorded in 1881 and an index of 725.19x.

Place Total Index
Painswick 19 725.19x
Minety 18 3829.79x
Kingswood 10 1666.67x
Westbury On Trym 9 71.60x
Battersea 8 11.49x
Cardiff St Fagan 8 2580.65x
Charlton Kings 7 272.37x
Hampstead London 7 23.75x
Rowley Regis 7 39.33x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 48.50x
Cheltenham 6 20.96x
Hillmarton 6 1428.57x
Redmarley 6 923.08x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 73.64x
St Woollos 5 32.74x
Tormarton 5 1851.85x
Winchcomb 5 271.74x
Oaksey 4 1428.57x
Woking 4 71.94x
Bedminster 3 10.48x
Blackbourton 3 2142.86x
Caverswall 3 90.36x
Cirencester 3 59.76x
Clifton 3 15.99x
Stapleton 3 42.61x
Upton St Leonards 3 319.15x
Wotton Under Edge 3 136.99x
Chelsea London 2 3.51x
Fulham London 2 7.29x
Quenington 2 800.00x
Stroud 2 27.70x
West Ham 2 2.43x
Wickwar 2 333.33x
Alveston 1 188.68x
Aston 1 0.76x
Bexley 1 17.51x
Curbridge 1 256.41x
Exminster 1 70.42x
Gloucester St John Baptist 1 41.67x
Hackney London 1 0.94x
Heaton Norris 1 7.82x
Irthlingborough 1 57.47x
Mangotsfield 1 27.03x
Plymouth Charles The 1 5.76x
Stoughton 1 1111.11x
Stratton 1 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 11
Eliza 6
Sarah 6
Emily 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Paulina 2
Amelia 1
Caroline 1
Ethel 1
Faith 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Hester 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Lavina 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Mariann 1
Marth 1
Maud 1
Patience 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
George 9
James 8
John 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
Albert 5
Henry 4
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Algey 1
Auther 1
Charley 1
Charls 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edvin 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Jonah 1
Jonas 1
Jonathon 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Musty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Musty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Musty surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Musty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Musty a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Musty surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "mustier," meaning moldy or musty.

What does the Musty map show?

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