NameCensus.

UK surname

Ancell

A variant spelling of the surname Ansel, derived from the Germanic name Anselm meaning "divine protection."

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Ancell surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eckington and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Blackpool and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ancell is 404 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.3%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

2010

404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ancell had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 327 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ancell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ancell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ancell 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 201 #10,364
1861 historical 173 #13,553
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 327 #10,966
1911 historical 295 #11,597
1997 modern 361 #11,892
1998 modern 372 #12,008
1999 modern 382 #11,843
2000 modern 381 #11,814
2001 modern 372 #11,855
2002 modern 383 #11,820
2003 modern 365 #12,038
2004 modern 366 #12,053
2005 modern 374 #11,778
2006 modern 380 #11,666
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 382 #11,901
2009 modern 400 #11,729
2010 modern 404 #11,902
2011 modern 386 #12,170
2012 modern 388 #11,996
2013 modern 392 #12,100
2014 modern 396 #12,100
2015 modern 390 #12,139
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Ancells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Eckington, Manchester, Portsmouth, Portsea and Eccles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brighton and Hove, Blackpool, Copeland and Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness. 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 3
2 Eckington Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Eccles Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brighton and Hove 009 Brighton and Hove
2 Blackpool 009 Blackpool
3 Brighton and Hove 002 Brighton and Hove
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ancell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ancell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Ancell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ancell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ancell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ancell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ancell 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 Ancell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ancell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ancell

The surname Ancell originated in the British Isles, specifically in England. It is derived from the Old French personal name Ancell or Auncel, which is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Ansell. The name Ansell itself is derived from the Old German word "ans," meaning "half-god" or "divine."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ancell can be traced back to the 13th century. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners and households in England, mentions individuals with the surname Ancell living in various counties such as Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Ancell was John Ancell, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another early record is that of William Ancell, who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1344.

During the Medieval period, the surname Ancell was also associated with several place names in England. For instance, there was a hamlet called Ancell in Lincolnshire, and a manor called Ancell's Farm in Hertfordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, such as Ancill, Ansill, and Ansel.

Notable individuals with the surname Ancell throughout history include:

1. Robert Ancell (c. 1492 - 1558), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.

2. Samuel Ancell (1675 - 1743), an English Presbyterian minister and author, best known for his work "The Perpetual Guide to the Almanack."

3. Henry Ancell (1779 - 1838), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

4. Samuel Ancell (1836 - 1914), an English-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales.

5. Henry Ancell (1882 - 1966), a British artist and etcher known for his landscapes and architectural works.

The surname Ancell has also been found in various historical records across different regions of England, such as parish registers, wills, and tax records, further attesting to its long-standing presence in the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ancell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ancell 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. Hampshire leads with 39 Ancells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.13x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 39 8.13x
Lancashire 25 0.90x
Cornwall 22 8.30x
Surrey 19 1.67x
Middlesex 15 0.64x
Kent 13 1.63x
Sussex 12 3.04x
Warwickshire 12 2.03x
Northamptonshire 9 4.09x
Nottinghamshire 8 2.54x
Perthshire 8 7.61x
Staffordshire 8 1.01x
Derbyshire 7 1.91x
Dunbartonshire 7 11.13x
Denbighshire 6 6.79x
Buckinghamshire 5 3.53x
Essex 5 1.08x
Lanarkshire 4 0.53x
Worcestershire 4 1.31x
Argyllshire 3 4.60x
Devon 3 0.62x
Leicestershire 2 0.77x
Stirlingshire 2 2.32x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Flintshire 1 1.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 29 Ancells recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.84x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 29 30.84x
Madron Penzance 20 207.47x
Aston 12 7.38x
Manchester 11 8.81x
Camberwell 8 5.35x
Perth West Church 8 160.32x
St Pancras London 8 4.25x
Aldershot 7 43.56x
Eckington 7 78.65x
Kirkintilloch 7 81.87x
Chevening 6 689.66x
Salford 6 7.34x
Wrexham Abbot 6 270.27x
Brewood 5 219.30x
Northampton St Giles 5 59.59x
Nottingham St Mary 5 6.13x
Battersea 4 4.64x
Colchester St Botolph 4 101.78x
Glasgow 4 2.98x
Northampton Priory St 4 30.28x
Overbury 4 740.74x
Subdeanary 4 377.36x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 14.35x
Dunoon Kilmun 3 59.06x
Heyshott 3 833.33x
Lee 3 25.86x
Radford 3 18.71x
Rufford 3 410.96x
Stony Stratford West 3 309.28x
Walsall Foreign 3 7.35x
Beckenham 2 19.16x
Campsie 2 42.19x
Chelsea London 2 2.84x
Lewes St Ann 2 149.25x
Loughborough 2 16.98x
Mitcham 2 27.74x
Penge 2 13.38x
Saltash 2 97.09x
Stony Stratford East 2 344.83x
Cliddesden 1 370.37x
Cliffe 1 55.56x
Croydon 1 1.58x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 333.33x
Hammersmith London 1 1.73x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 136.99x
Hastings St Mary 1 10.18x
Hulme 1 1.72x
Kirkdale 1 2.14x
Lambeth 1 0.49x
Lewes St John Southover 1 37.74x
Mold 1 17.51x
Old Alresford 1 250.00x
Oving 1 75.19x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.66x
Plympton Maurice 1 108.70x
Powderham 1 434.78x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.31x
Southwark St Olave 1 55.87x
St George In East London 1 4.54x
St Marylebone London 1 0.80x
Stockport 1 3.76x
Tottenham 1 2.68x
Walmer 1 28.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 12
John 11
William 11
James 9
George 7
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Balty 1
Chas.Godfrey 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Hayward 1
Jonathan 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Samuel 1
Theodore 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Ancell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ancell surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Ancell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Ancell a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Ancell surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Ansel, derived from the Germanic name Anselm meaning "divine protection."

What does the Ancell map show?

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