NameCensus.

UK surname

Arnall

An Anglo-Norman surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the alder trees".

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Arnall surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, London parishes and Boston (incl. Boston allotments). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, South Norfolk and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arnall is 285 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.5%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1891

285 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arnall had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 285 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Arnall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arnall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arnall 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 180 #13,057
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 285 #11,515
1901 historical 280 #12,193
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 250 #15,675
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 254 #15,578
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 233 #16,590
2003 modern 222 #16,942
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 199 #18,699
2009 modern 201 #18,965
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 200 #19,524
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Arnalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, London parishes, Boston (incl. Boston allotments), St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, South Norfolk, Camden, Cannock Chase and Carmarthenshire. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 001 Forest of Dean
2 South Norfolk 003 South Norfolk
3 Camden 008 Camden
4 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase
5 Carmarthenshire 012 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arnall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arnall

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Arnall is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arnall 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

Arnall falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arnall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Arnall

The surname Arnall has its origins in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "earn" meaning eagle and "heal" meaning nook or corner, suggesting it may have been a place name referring to a location where eagles nested.

Records show the earliest known spelling of the name as "Ernehale" in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This entry references a manor in Staffordshire owned by an individual with this surname.

By the 13th century, variations such as "Arnhale" and "Arnhall" appeared in various county records and tax rolls across England. The name was particularly prominent in the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire, where place names like Arnfield and Arnold's Green may have contributed to its evolution.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was William Arnall, a merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was John Arnall, a priest who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Cheshire from 1482 to 1506.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Parliamentarian soldier named Richard Arnall fought for the Roundheads and was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery at the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the literary realm, William Arnall (1626-1679) was a prominent English writer and poet who published works such as "A Protestants Resolution" and "The Reformed Courtier."

The Arnall family also produced a notable scientist, Benjamin Arnall (1699-1786), who made significant contributions to the field of meteorology and authored several treatises on atmospheric phenomena.

Throughout history, the Arnall name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, soldiers, authors, and scientists, reflecting its deep roots and diverse influences within English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arnall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arnall 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. Cornwall leads with 33 Arnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.77x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 33 12.77x
Warwickshire 31 5.39x
Devon 29 6.10x
Lincolnshire 29 7.95x
Lancashire 19 0.70x
Surrey 19 1.71x
Middlesex 14 0.61x
Staffordshire 11 1.43x
Leicestershire 9 3.56x
Yorkshire 8 0.35x
Cheshire 7 1.39x
Derbyshire 6 1.68x
Bedfordshire 5 4.23x
Essex 2 0.44x
Kent 2 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.65x
Rutland 2 11.93x
Worcestershire 2 0.67x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.47x
Durham 1 0.15x
Glamorgan 1 0.25x
Oxfordshire 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Boston in Lincolnshire leads with 22 Arnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 198.74x.

Place Total Index
Boston 22 198.74x
Redruth 13 177.84x
Aston 11 6.94x
Lanteglos 10 840.34x
Battersea 8 9.52x
Sutton 8 99.38x
Birkenhead 7 17.43x
Lea Ashton Ingol 7 388.89x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 27.89x
Camborne 6 56.34x
East Stonehouse 6 64.10x
Hasland 6 164.84x
Knighton 6 419.58x
Manchester 6 4.93x
St Pancras London 6 3.27x
Wednesbury 6 31.17x
Alcester 5 263.16x
Bishops Tawton 5 337.84x
Bolton On Dearne 5 641.03x
Leake 5 299.40x
Luton 5 24.44x
Swimbridge 5 520.83x
Walsall Foreign 5 12.56x
Bodmin 4 93.46x
Diptford 4 769.23x
Leamington Priors 4 28.25x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 10.93x
Salford Priors 4 625.00x
Stonehouse East 4 165.98x
Studley 4 162.60x
Camberwell 3 2.06x
Islington London 3 1.36x
Thrussington 3 625.00x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 2 24.36x
Birmingham 2 1.04x
Burgh In Marsh 2 224.72x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.51x
Oakham Lordshold 2 114.29x
St Bartholomew Great 2 96.15x
West Ham 2 2.01x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 2.53x
Coyty Lower 1 38.76x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.66x
Filleigh 1 384.62x
Gateshead 1 1.97x
Gomersal 1 9.47x
Hackney London 1 0.78x
Naunton Beauchamp 1 1000.00x
Northfield 1 17.67x
Oxford St Giles 1 14.88x
Precinct Of Savoy London 1 1000.00x
Rugby 1 12.84x
Speldhurst 1 25.19x
St George Bloomsbury 1 7.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 7
Annie 6
Emma 6
Louisa 5
Edith 4
Grace 4
Anne 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Lilian 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annette 1
Athel 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Isabelle 1
Johanna 1
Lavinia 1
Lizzie 1
Louie 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Nanny 1
Prudence 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
Thomas 10
George 8
Henry 7
Alfred 5
Francis 5
Joseph 5
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
James 4
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Horatio 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Aaron 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Fred.B. 1
Frederic 1
Geo.Oliver 1
Harry 1
Jabez 1
Jas.Thos.T. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
W.G. 1
Walter 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Arnall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arnall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Arnall surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arnall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Arnall a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Arnall surname mean?

An Anglo-Norman surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the alder trees".

What does the Arnall map show?

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