NameCensus.

UK surname

Angel

A surname derived from a nickname for a person who was considered to be exceptionally beautiful or innocent.

In the 1881 census there were 1,250 people recorded with the Angel surname, ranking it #3,255 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,020, ranked #3,189, up from #3,255 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, Stockton-on-Tees and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Angel is 2,043 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.6%.

1881 census count

1,250

Ranked #3,255

Modern count

2,020

2016, ranked #3,189

Peak year

2014

2,043 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Angel had 1,250 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,255 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,020 in 2016, ranked #3,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,721 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Angel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Angel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Angel 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 943 #2,943
1861 historical 906 #3,056
1881 historical 1,250 #3,255
1891 historical 1,263 #3,421
1901 historical 1,579 #3,267
1911 historical 1,721 #2,846
1997 modern 1,895 #3,184
1998 modern 1,935 #3,238
1999 modern 1,916 #3,297
2000 modern 1,909 #3,289
2001 modern 1,871 #3,283
2002 modern 1,895 #3,317
2003 modern 1,872 #3,275
2004 modern 1,888 #3,255
2005 modern 1,885 #3,232
2006 modern 1,869 #3,281
2007 modern 1,862 #3,310
2008 modern 1,883 #3,298
2009 modern 1,910 #3,327
2010 modern 1,976 #3,306
2011 modern 1,950 #3,307
2012 modern 1,930 #3,282
2013 modern 2,008 #3,230
2014 modern 2,043 #3,209
2015 modern 2,029 #3,195
2016 modern 2,020 #3,189

Geography

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Where Angels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Willesden and Gayton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, Stockton-on-Tees, Wiltshire and Dacorum. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gayton Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 007 Gwynedd
2 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd
4 Wiltshire 041 Wiltshire
5 Dacorum 001 Dacorum

Forenames

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First names often paired with Angel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Angel

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Angel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Angel 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

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

Meaning and origin of Angel

The surname Angel has its roots in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, originating from the Latin word "angelus," which translates to "messenger" or "angel." This name first emerged during the Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula, encompassing modern-day Spain and Portugal.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Angel surname can be found in the "Libro de las Behetrías" ("Book of Bequests"), a 14th-century Castilian document that documented landowners and their properties. The document mentions individuals bearing the surname Angel, suggesting its widespread use in that era.

The Angel surname is believed to have been initially adopted as a descriptive name, referring to individuals who were considered angelic or virtuous in their behavior. It may have also been used as a nickname for individuals with a gentle or kind demeanor.

During the 15th century, the Angel surname gained prominence in various regions of Spain, particularly in Andalusia and Catalonia. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Juan Angel, a renowned architect who designed several notable structures in Seville during the late 15th century.

As the Spanish and Portuguese empires expanded their reach in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Angel surname traveled across the globe, carried by explorers, settlers, and colonists. One such notable figure was Pedro de Angel, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century.

In the 19th century, the Angel surname continued to spread, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields. Miguel Angel Asturias, a Guatemalan writer and diplomat, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1967 for his influential works that blended indigenous and European cultural traditions.

Another prominent figure was José Angel Lamas, a Venezuelan writer and politician who played a significant role in the country's independence movement in the early 19th century. His literary works and political activism left a lasting impact on Venezuelan society.

The Angel surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and entertainment industries. One such individual is Jack Angel, an American voice actor born in 1930, best known for his work in animated films and television series.

Overall, the surname Angel has a rich history that spans centuries and traverses various regions of the world, reflecting the diverse cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped its evolution and legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Angel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Angel 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 240 Angels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.91x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 240 1.91x
Devon 136 5.21x
Wiltshire 81 7.30x
Essex 62 2.50x
Norfolk 59 3.06x
Hertfordshire 57 6.59x
Surrey 53 0.87x
Hampshire 43 1.67x
Dorset 42 5.10x
Channel Islands 38 10.22x
Kent 38 0.89x
Somerset 37 1.83x
Glamorgan 30 1.37x
Yorkshire 30 0.24x
Lancashire 26 0.17x
Sussex 25 1.18x
Shropshire 22 2.03x
Pembrokeshire 19 4.77x
Staffordshire 19 0.45x
Gloucestershire 17 0.69x
Herefordshire 17 3.30x
Bedfordshire 16 2.46x
Denbighshire 15 3.17x
Durham 12 0.32x
Berkshire 11 1.17x
Cheshire 11 0.40x
Cornwall 11 0.77x
Flintshire 11 3.26x
Ayrshire 10 1.07x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.32x
Caernarfonshire 10 1.97x
Warwickshire 10 0.32x
Suffolk 8 0.52x
Monmouthshire 7 0.77x
Northamptonshire 7 0.59x
Anglesey 6 2.70x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.76x
Derbyshire 6 0.31x
Lanarkshire 6 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 5 2.01x
Orkney 4 2.90x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.89x
Royal Navy 3 2.01x
Lincolnshire 2 0.10x
Merionethshire 2 0.87x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 38 Angels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 38 3.13x
Gayton 30 923.08x
Great Yarmouth 26 16.27x
Kings Walden 24 490.80x
St Pancras London 24 2.38x
Calne 22 96.32x
Tormoham 20 18.10x
Lambeth 19 1.74x
St Giles In Fields London 19 30.87x
West Ham 19 3.48x
Newton Abbot St Mary 17 77.63x
St Anne 17 256.02x
St Marylebone London 17 2.54x
Woodgreen 16 1269.84x
Spitalfields London 15 15.90x
Winfrith Newburgh 15 363.20x
Pembroke St Mary 14 27.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 6.96x
St Peter Port 14 20.36x
Exeter St Sidwell 13 21.74x
Shoreditch London 13 2.39x
Ealing 12 10.70x
Lewisham 12 5.26x
Kington 11 86.34x
Rawmarsh 11 25.05x
Kilbirnie 10 44.37x
Offley 10 177.62x
Ruabon 10 15.35x
Swindon 10 11.62x
Upton Cum Chalvey 10 33.09x
Birmingham 9 0.85x
Brighton 9 2.11x
Great Yeldham 9 350.19x
Greenwich 9 4.51x
Isleworth 9 16.14x
Okehampton 9 91.37x
Swansea Town 9 5.03x
Bedminster 8 4.22x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.47x
Cavendish 8 162.27x
Downton 8 55.10x
Hatfield 8 45.64x
Kingswinford 8 5.20x
Luton 8 7.11x
Paddington London 8 1.73x
Wolborough 8 24.24x
Wootton Bassett 8 82.90x
Bromley London 7 2.54x
Caddington 7 73.61x
Camberwell 7 0.87x
Durnford 7 362.69x
Eaton 7 360.82x
Llanbeblig 7 13.60x
Llantrisant 7 12.72x
Portland 7 15.81x
St George Bloomsbury 7 9.73x
St Helier 7 5.78x
Totnes 7 45.84x
Warkworth 7 65.91x
Amlwch 6 28.67x
Caerwys 6 173.41x
Chatham 6 5.10x
Chelsea London 6 1.59x
Exeter Heavitree 6 30.82x
Hackney London 6 0.85x
Malmesbury St Paul 6 62.89x
Paignton 6 30.20x
St Albans St Peter 6 20.57x
Toppesfield 6 162.16x
Toxteth Park 6 1.19x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 6 36.90x
Worfield 6 79.79x
Caundle Purse 5 602.41x
Denbigh 5 26.29x
Huntingdon St John 5 69.25x
Linton 5 96.71x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 28.92x
St Andrewthe Less 5 5.51x
Stoke Newington London 5 5.12x
York St Crux 5 141.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 76
Sarah 52
Elizabeth 49
Eliza 24
Ann 23
Emma 23
Annie 22
Ellen 18
Emily 18
Jane 18
Louisa 16
Alice 14
Clara 9
Harriet 9
Maria 9
Martha 9
Florence 8
Kate 8
Anne 7
Charlotte 7
Margaret 7
Fanny 6
Hannah 6
Amelia 5
Caroline 5
Catherine 5
Jessie 5
Ada 4
Edith 4
Beatrice 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Rachel 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Susanna 3
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Honor 2
Jennette 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Matilda 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 83
John 60
Henry 39
James 31
Charles 28
Thomas 28
George 26
Alfred 20
Frederick 19
Edward 16
Albert 14
Robert 13
Arthur 12
Joseph 12
Samuel 12
Walter 11
Frank 9
David 8
Richard 8
Edwin 7
Mark 7
Benjamin 6
Harry 6
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Peter 4
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Eli 3
Francis 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Louis 3
Luke 3
Morris 3
Philip 3
Sidney 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Evan 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Manuel 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Phillip 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Angel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Angel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,250 people were recorded with the Angel surname. That placed it at #3,255 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Angel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,020 in 2016. That gives Angel a modern rank of #3,189.

What does the Angel surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for a person who was considered to be exceptionally beautiful or innocent.

What does the Angel map show?

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