NameCensus.

UK surname

Abel

Derived from the Hebrew name Hevel, meaning "breath" or "vanity," and refers to the biblical figure Abel.

In the 1881 census there were 1,916 people recorded with the Abel surname, ranking it #2,273 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,806, ranked #2,408, down from #2,273 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Breckland and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abel is 2,876 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.5%.

1881 census count

1,916

Ranked #2,273

Modern count

2,806

2016, ranked #2,408

Peak year

1999

2,876 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abel had 1,916 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,273 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,806 in 2016, ranked #2,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,591 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Abel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abel 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 1,150 #2,455
1861 historical 1,243 #2,293
1881 historical 1,916 #2,273
1891 historical 2,275 #2,052
1901 historical 2,591 #2,121
1911 historical 2,571 #1,987
1997 modern 2,751 #2,331
1998 modern 2,864 #2,345
1999 modern 2,876 #2,349
2000 modern 2,868 #2,347
2001 modern 2,781 #2,361
2002 modern 2,861 #2,348
2003 modern 2,791 #2,351
2004 modern 2,758 #2,375
2005 modern 2,724 #2,373
2006 modern 2,726 #2,375
2007 modern 2,731 #2,393
2008 modern 2,778 #2,377
2009 modern 2,835 #2,387
2010 modern 2,875 #2,397
2011 modern 2,771 #2,443
2012 modern 2,766 #2,414
2013 modern 2,810 #2,416
2014 modern 2,840 #2,405
2015 modern 2,829 #2,396
2016 modern 2,806 #2,408

Geography

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Where Abels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Breckland, Broadland, Powys and Kingston upon Hull. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
2 Breckland 010 Breckland
3 Broadland 002 Broadland
4 Powys 010 Powys
5 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abel

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

Abel 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

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

Meaning and origin of Abel

The surname Abel has its origins in the Middle Ages, originating from the Hebrew personal name Abel, meaning "breath" or "vanity." The name first appeared in England and Scotland, likely introduced by Jewish immigrants from the European continent or Normandy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Abel" in Cambridgeshire. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to spread across Britain, with variations in spelling appearing, such as Abell, Abelle, and Abyll.

In the 14th century, the surname Abel was also found in the Low Countries, particularly in the Dutch-speaking regions. It is believed that the name may have been adopted by families residing near places named Abel or derived from the Dutch word "abel," meaning "noble."

Notable individuals with the surname Abel include the English poet and playwright Thomas Abel (c. 1497-1540), who is best known for his morality play "The Tragedy of Cratander." Another prominent figure was Sir Frederic Augustus Abel (1827-1902), an English chemist and explosives expert who pioneered the development of smokeless gunpowder.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert Abel, who arrived in Virginia in 1622. John Abel (1578-1675), an early Puritan settler, was among the founders of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, in 1635.

Other notable individuals with the surname Abel include the German mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802-1829), who made significant contributions to the field of algebraic equations, and the American filmmaker Robert Abel (1937-2001), known for his pioneering work in computer animation and visual effects.

Throughout history, the surname Abel has been associated with various occupations and professions, from scholars and writers to scientists and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abel 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. Middlesex leads with 247 Abels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 247 1.31x
Aberdeenshire 222 12.74x
Yorkshire 204 1.09x
Norfolk 187 6.46x
Surrey 118 1.29x
Lancashire 112 0.50x
Warwickshire 64 1.35x
Northamptonshire 57 3.22x
Staffordshire 52 0.82x
Wiltshire 42 2.52x
Essex 40 1.08x
Worcestershire 39 1.59x
Kent 38 0.59x
Gloucestershire 36 0.98x
Leicestershire 35 1.68x
Herefordshire 28 3.63x
Carmarthenshire 26 3.28x
Angus 24 1.38x
Lincolnshire 24 0.80x
Suffolk 19 0.83x
Durham 18 0.32x
Hampshire 17 0.44x
Cardiganshire 16 3.49x
Denbighshire 16 2.25x
Derbyshire 16 0.54x
Glamorgan 16 0.49x
Radnorshire 16 10.54x
Kincardineshire 15 6.55x
Lanarkshire 15 0.25x
Midlothian 14 0.56x
Sussex 14 0.44x
Channel Islands 13 2.33x
Berkshire 12 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.47x
Bedfordshire 11 1.13x
Cheshire 11 0.26x
Oxfordshire 11 0.95x
Caernarfonshire 8 1.05x
Devon 8 0.20x
Monmouthshire 5 0.37x
Montgomeryshire 5 1.16x
Perthshire 5 0.59x
Renfrewshire 5 0.34x
Shropshire 5 0.31x
Hertfordshire 4 0.31x
Ayrshire 3 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.25x
Northumberland 3 0.11x
Banffshire 2 0.51x
Stirlingshire 2 0.29x
West Lothian 2 0.71x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.24x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.20x
Fife 1 0.09x
Merionethshire 1 0.29x
Morayshire 1 0.34x
Roxburghshire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 0.45x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 37 Abels recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.17x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 37 10.17x
Heigham 36 23.18x
Birmingham 33 2.09x
Bow London 32 13.36x
Inverurie 28 142.06x
Skene 28 242.21x
Hackney London 27 2.56x
Battersea 26 3.76x
Greens Norton 26 462.63x
Newhills 25 70.07x
Aston 23 1.76x
St Pancras London 23 1.52x
West Ham 22 2.68x
Bethnal Green London 19 2.32x
West Bromwich 19 5.23x
Darlington 18 8.33x
Salisbury St Martin 18 103.93x
Garston 17 25.80x
Bermondsey 16 2.86x
Lambeth 16 0.98x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 15 4.60x
Huggate 14 395.48x
Mile End Old Town London 14 3.50x
Paddington London 14 2.02x
Rotherhithe 14 6.02x
Holy Trinity 13 2.90x
Islington London 13 0.71x
Leicester St Margaret 13 2.56x
Presteigne 13 134.85x
Tottenham 13 4.34x
Wolverhampton 13 2.66x
Cranworth 12 779.22x
Great Yarmouth 12 5.01x
Kington 12 62.83x
Strensall 12 418.12x
Bromley London 11 2.66x
Doncaster 11 8.07x
Kintore 11 72.66x
Manchester 11 1.10x
Minera 11 114.23x
Plumstead 11 5.14x
St George In East London 11 6.22x
Woolwich 11 4.64x
Clapham 10 4.25x
Conwil Cayo 10 78.37x
Horton In Bradford 10 3.43x
Mark Eaton 10 225.73x
Newchurch 10 5.47x
Ringland 10 476.19x
St Marylebone London 10 1.00x
Swansea Town 10 3.72x
Ardwick 9 4.47x
Brighton 9 1.41x
Cromer 9 87.46x
Frettenham 9 625.00x
Glasgow 9 0.83x
Greasbrough 9 36.56x
Lampeterpont Stephen 9 116.43x
Liverpool 9 0.66x
Midmar 9 133.93x
Pencarreg 9 117.80x
Salisbury St Edmund 9 33.70x
Stoke Newington London 9 6.14x
Thornhill 9 16.54x
Aldershot 8 6.19x
Belbroughton 8 62.75x
Boston 8 8.76x
Drumoak 8 133.33x
Dundee 8 1.23x
Hampstead London 8 2.73x
Holme On Spalding Moor 8 65.47x
Huddersfield 8 2.94x
Langley 8 404.04x
Maryculter 8 115.94x
Northampton St Giles 8 11.87x
Norwich St Augustine 8 68.55x
Oldham 8 1.11x
Rastrick 8 15.45x
Walton On Hill 8 6.61x
Worcester St John 8 27.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 119
John 96
Thomas 66
George 58
James 40
Henry 33
Robert 29
Charles 28
Joseph 21
Frederick 20
Alfred 18
Edward 18
Arthur 15
Samuel 12
Walter 12
Harry 10
Daniel 8
Richard 8
Hugh 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Matthew 5
Peter 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Evan 4
Frank 4
Sidney 4
Benjamin 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Hy. 3
Roger 3
Abel 2
Abraham 2
Anthony 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Cyril 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Infant 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Abel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,916 people were recorded with the Abel surname. That placed it at #2,273 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,806 in 2016. That gives Abel a modern rank of #2,408.

What does the Abel surname mean?

Derived from the Hebrew name Hevel, meaning "breath" or "vanity," and refers to the biblical figure Abel.

What does the Abel map show?

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