NameCensus.

UK surname

Ansell

Derived from the Old Norse personal name Ánsell, meaning "god's helmet" or "one protected by the gods."

In the 1881 census there were 3,462 people recorded with the Ansell surname, ranking it #1,315 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,759, ranked #1,428, down from #1,315 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Wolverhampton and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ansell is 5,258 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

3,462

Ranked #1,315

Modern count

4,759

2016, ranked #1,428

Peak year

2000

5,258 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ansell had 3,462 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,315 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,759 in 2016, ranked #1,428.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,163 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ansell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ansell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ansell 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 2,119 #1,375
1861 historical 1,817 #1,596
1881 historical 3,462 #1,315
1891 historical 3,225 #1,475
1901 historical 4,576 #1,242
1911 historical 5,163 #1,015
1997 modern 4,989 #1,314
1998 modern 5,208 #1,301
1999 modern 5,231 #1,307
2000 modern 5,258 #1,292
2001 modern 5,124 #1,292
2002 modern 5,144 #1,317
2003 modern 5,006 #1,316
2004 modern 4,962 #1,325
2005 modern 4,864 #1,337
2006 modern 4,866 #1,341
2007 modern 4,892 #1,349
2008 modern 4,890 #1,357
2009 modern 5,010 #1,359
2010 modern 5,034 #1,385
2011 modern 5,024 #1,363
2012 modern 4,869 #1,378
2013 modern 4,925 #1,387
2014 modern 4,895 #1,406
2015 modern 4,806 #1,416
2016 modern 4,759 #1,428

Geography

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Where Ansells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, St Pancras and Margate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Wolverhampton, North Hertfordshire, East Hertfordshire and Dover. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Margate Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 016 Portsmouth
2 Wolverhampton 027 Wolverhampton
3 North Hertfordshire 015 North Hertfordshire
4 East Hertfordshire 002 East Hertfordshire
5 Dover 001 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ansell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ansell

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

Ansell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ansell falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ansell

The surname Ansell originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English personal name Ansel, which was a diminutive of the Germanic name Anselm, meaning "divine protection." The name was first recorded in Hampshire, where the earliest records show it as a habitational name from any of the numerous places named with the Old English word "ansetl," meaning a hermitage or a secluded valley.

The Domesday Book, completed in 1086, contains several references to individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Anselmus and Anselmius. In the 12th century, the surname appeared in various records as Ansell, Ansill, and Annsell, indicating its widespread use across England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mentions a William Ansell. Another early bearer of the name was Roger Ansell, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

The surname Ansell has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir John Ansell (1597-1654) was a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. William Ansell (1624-1694) was an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious subjects.

In the 18th century, John Ansell (1724-1796) was a renowned English clockmaker known for his innovative designs and precision timepieces. James Ansell (1779-1846) was a British artist and portrait painter who exhibited his works at the Royal Academy.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir Edward Ansell (1839-1912), a British lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia) from 1899 to 1905.

The Ansell surname has a rich history rooted in the medieval English landscape and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including lawyers, clergymen, artists, and clockmakers, over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ansell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ansell 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 860 Ansells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.55x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 860 2.55x
Surrey 642 3.90x
Kent 342 2.97x
Sussex 264 4.64x
Bedfordshire 204 11.68x
Hertfordshire 190 8.17x
Hampshire 187 2.70x
Warwickshire 182 2.14x
Essex 115 1.73x
Staffordshire 77 0.68x
Yorkshire 60 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 48 2.25x
Buckinghamshire 34 1.67x
Suffolk 23 0.56x
Lancashire 22 0.05x
Lincolnshire 21 0.39x
Derbyshire 18 0.34x
Worcestershire 18 0.41x
Leicestershire 17 0.45x
Devon 15 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.33x
Gloucestershire 14 0.21x
Norfolk 14 0.27x
Somerset 12 0.22x
Cheshire 9 0.12x
Durham 9 0.09x
Northamptonshire 8 0.25x
Oxfordshire 8 0.38x
Royal Navy 6 1.49x
Berkshire 5 0.20x
Shropshire 4 0.14x
Glamorgan 3 0.05x
Northumberland 3 0.06x
Wiltshire 3 0.10x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Angus 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
West Lothian 1 0.20x

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 105 Ansells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.21x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 105 3.21x
Aston 90 3.84x
Shillington 86 334.24x
Camberwell 85 3.94x
St Pancras London 79 2.91x
Brighton 76 6.62x
Lambeth 71 2.41x
Dorking 68 61.59x
Margate St John Baptist 62 29.41x
Hackney London 57 3.01x
Battersea 51 4.11x
Croydon 47 5.15x
Hitchin 35 33.34x
Kensington London 34 1.81x
Birmingham 33 1.16x
Chelsea London 33 3.25x
Shoreditch London 32 2.19x
Deptford St Paul 31 3.49x
Stevenage 31 85.97x
Coventry St Michael 29 10.61x
St George In East London 29 9.14x
Horsham 28 25.34x
Portsea 27 1.99x
Hammersmith London 25 3.01x
Poplar London 25 3.93x
East Woodhay 24 135.90x
Wimbledon 23 12.46x
Rotherhithe 22 5.28x
St George Hanover Square 22 3.70x
Tottenham 22 4.09x
Ampthill 21 80.52x
Bromley London 21 2.83x
Enfield 21 9.49x
Finchley 21 16.23x
Luton 21 6.94x
Albury 20 133.42x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.36x
Chatham 20 6.31x
Meppershall 20 222.47x
Stoke Upon Trent 20 1.66x
Ash Next Sandwich 19 74.60x
Whitechapel London 19 5.71x
East Meon 18 99.72x
Mile End Old Town London 18 2.51x
Paddington London 18 1.45x
Reigate Foreign 18 10.11x
Woking 18 18.17x
Ashford 17 15.16x
West Ham 17 1.16x
Hove 16 6.41x
St Marylebone London 16 0.89x
Westminster St John 16 3.89x
Broxbourne 15 32.54x
Dunsfold 15 167.97x
Waltham Holy Cross 15 24.09x
Clapham 14 3.32x
Greenwich 14 2.61x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.53x
Plumstead 14 3.65x
St Anne Soho London 14 7.27x
St Luke London 14 2.59x
Willesden 14 4.40x
Barton In Clay 13 105.95x
Clerkenwell London 13 1.63x
Erith 13 11.46x
Limehouse London 13 3.51x
Ramsgate 13 6.92x
St George Bloomsbury 13 6.72x
St Paul Walden 13 110.36x
Tonbridge 13 3.13x
Aston 12 181.82x
Balsham 12 102.65x
Nottingham St Mary 12 1.02x
Shalford 12 65.93x
Watford 12 6.65x
Worplesdon 12 60.54x
Bow London 11 2.56x
Chislehurst 11 17.82x
Elstow 11 170.81x
Westminster St Margaret 11 6.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 193
Sarah 126
Elizabeth 101
Emma 81
Jane 69
Ann 63
Eliza 62
Ellen 61
Annie 56
Emily 54
Alice 53
Louisa 33
Harriet 31
Charlotte 26
Ada 24
Hannah 24
Martha 24
Edith 21
Kate 21
Clara 20
Fanny 19
Florence 19
Susan 19
Caroline 18
Harriett 18
Amelia 15
Amy 13
Anne 13
Esther 13
Frances 13
Maria 13
Rose 13
Catherine 12
Gertrude 11
Julia 11
Lucy 11
Margaret 11
Sophia 11
Agnes 10
Jessie 10
Matilda 9
Laura 8
Minnie 8
Eleanor 7
Elizth. 7
Phoebe 7
Bertha 6
Grace 6
Helen 6
Lizzie 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 246
George 149
John 145
James 121
Henry 100
Charles 92
Thomas 90
Alfred 60
Arthur 56
Frederick 56
Edward 39
Walter 36
Albert 32
Joseph 28
Harry 22
Richard 22
Ernest 16
Robert 15
Frank 14
Samuel 13
Stephen 13
David 11
Fred 11
Edwin 10
Herbert 9
Isaac 9
Francis 7
Reuben 7
Sidney 7
Fredk. 6
Abraham 5
Alexander 5
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
Josiah 5
Mark 5
Allen 4
Jesse 4
Morris 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Wm. 4
Alfd. 3
Chas. 3
Clement 3
Fredrick 3
Jacob 3
Jas. 3
Jessie 3
Solomon 3

FAQ

Ansell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ansell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,462 people were recorded with the Ansell surname. That placed it at #1,315 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ansell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,759 in 2016. That gives Ansell a modern rank of #1,428.

What does the Ansell surname mean?

Derived from the Old Norse personal name Ánsell, meaning "god's helmet" or "one protected by the gods."

What does the Ansell map show?

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