Markham
An English placename meaning "homestead by the marsh".
Name Census estimates that about 401 living Americans carry the first name Markham. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Markham today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markham births was 1959 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markham. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
401
~ 1 in 854,749 Americans
Peak year
1959
40 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
2022 SSA rank
#11,772
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Markham: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Markham from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 167 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Markham by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Markham during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Markhams live
Origin
Meaning and history of Markham
The name Markham is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "mearc" and "ham," meaning "boundary village" or "homestead on the boundary." This name was commonly found in areas of England where villages or settlements were established near territorial borders or boundaries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Markham can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was used as a surname for people living in the villages of Markham in Nottinghamshire and Markham in Somerset, England. Over time, the name transitioned from being a locative surname to a given name.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Markham was John Markham, a 14th-century English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1349 to 1361. Another prominent figure was Sir John Markham, an English military commander who fought in the Wars of the Roses and was knighted by King Edward IV in 1461.
In the 16th century, Gervase Markham, an English poet, author, and soldier, was known for his writings on various subjects, including husbandry, horsemanship, and household management. He was born in 1568 and died in 1637.
In the 17th century, William Markham, an English clergyman and scholar, served as the Archbishop of York from 1776 to 1807. He was also known for his efforts in promoting education and charity.
Another notable figure was Sir Clements Markham, born in 1830, who was an English geographer, explorer, and writer. He played a significant role in promoting and organizing Antarctic expeditions, including the famous voyage of Robert Falcon Scott in the early 20th century.
Throughout history, the name Markham has been associated with individuals from various fields, including law, military, literature, religion, and exploration, reflecting its English heritage and ties to historical events and eras.
People
Markham + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markham as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Markham: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markham?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 401 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markham going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 854,749 US residents.
Is Markham a common name?
We classify Markham as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 469 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markham most popular?
The single biggest year for Markham was 1959, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markham is about 54 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Markham a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markham in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.