NameCensus.

UK surname

Arnell

Derived from a pet form of the Germanic name Arnold, meaning "strong as an eagle".

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Arnell surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 793, ranked #6,970, up from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and South Bersted and Bognor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Scarborough and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arnell is 829 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.9%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

793

2016, ranked #6,970

Peak year

1999

829 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arnell had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 793 in 2016, ranked #6,970.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 676 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Arnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Arnell 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 288 #7,884
1861 historical 324 #7,860
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 465 #7,874
1901 historical 550 #7,533
1911 historical 676 #6,248
1997 modern 767 #6,758
1998 modern 822 #6,617
1999 modern 829 #6,616
2000 modern 818 #6,657
2001 modern 790 #6,707
2002 modern 809 #6,712
2003 modern 796 #6,680
2004 modern 768 #6,898
2005 modern 770 #6,813
2006 modern 770 #6,844
2007 modern 782 #6,815
2008 modern 793 #6,802
2009 modern 822 #6,726
2010 modern 829 #6,826
2011 modern 818 #6,820
2012 modern 805 #6,796
2013 modern 814 #6,844
2014 modern 808 #6,936
2015 modern 795 #6,969
2016 modern 793 #6,970

Geography

Back to top

Where Arnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, South Bersted and Bognor, Portsmouth, Portsea and Selsey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Scarborough and North Lincolnshire. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 South Bersted and Bognor Sussex
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Selsey Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 012 Chichester
2 Chichester 014 Chichester
3 Chichester 008 Chichester
4 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
5 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Arnell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Arnell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Arnell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Arnell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Arnell is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arnell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arnell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Arnell

The surname Arnell has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "earn," meaning eagle, and "hyll," meaning hill or slope. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a hill frequented by eagles or someone who lived on a hill with a distinct eagle-like shape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arnell can be found in the Feet of Fines, a collection of legal records from medieval England, dating back to 1196. In this document, a man named Richard Arnell is mentioned in connection with a land transaction in Warwickshire.

The name Arnell also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1212, where it is recorded as "Arnhelle." This variation in spelling highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that time period.

A notable individual bearing the surname Arnell was Sir John Arnell (c.1420-1492), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk. He served as the Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk and was a influential figure in East Anglia during the Wars of the Roses.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Arnell (1572-1639), an English politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ipswich and later for Suffolk. He was a staunch Puritan and supported the cause of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the Arnell family established themselves in the county of Gloucestershire. One member of this branch, William Arnell (1626-1701), was a renowned Quaker preacher and author, known for his work "The Grounds of a Holy Life."

During the 18th century, the name Arnell can be found in various records from the county of Derbyshire. A notable figure from this time was Samuel Arnell (1743-1818), a clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Kimberley and Rector of Greasley.

The surname Arnell also has a presence in Scotland, where it is believed to have originated from the place name Arnol or Arnoll, which means "eagle's hill" or "eagle's slope." One notable Scotsman bearing this surname was Sir William Arnell (1827-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist who served as the Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1890 to 1892.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Arnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arnell 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. Sussex leads with 96 Arnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.48x.

County Total Index
Sussex 96 15.48x
Middlesex 68 1.85x
Yorkshire 50 1.37x
Hampshire 47 6.24x
Surrey 21 1.17x
Essex 20 2.76x
Durham 19 1.74x
Gloucestershire 13 1.80x
Somerset 9 1.52x
Devon 7 0.91x
Lancashire 7 0.16x
Warwickshire 7 0.75x
Glamorgan 4 0.62x
Kent 2 0.16x
Lincolnshire 2 0.34x
Cornwall 1 0.24x
Derbyshire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.39x
Oxfordshire 1 0.44x
Royal Navy 1 2.28x

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 31 Arnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.70x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 31 8.70x
Selsey 31 2719.30x
Subdeanery 15 319.15x
Heworth 13 60.30x
Portsea 13 8.80x
Whitby 13 105.86x
Alverstoke 9 32.99x
Bedminster 9 16.18x
Crigglestone 8 227.92x
Harrow On The Hill 8 108.84x
Whippingham 8 140.11x
Bosham 7 443.04x
Newington 7 5.15x
Oving 7 334.93x
St Marylebone London 7 3.57x
Terrington With 7 985.92x
Great Driffield 6 80.21x
Lamesley 6 101.87x
Leyton Low 6 40.65x
Warblington 6 200.67x
Carisbrooke 5 47.80x
Clerkenwell London 5 5.76x
Colchester St Giles 5 69.74x
Donnington 5 1162.79x
Hove 5 18.38x
Sidlesham 5 420.17x
Birmingham 4 1.29x
Bitton Oldland 4 54.27x
Cilybebill 4 163.93x
Clifton 4 10.97x
Ditton 4 224.72x
Hunston 4 1538.46x
Kensington London 4 1.96x
North Mundham 4 645.16x
Rotherhithe 4 8.80x
West Ham 4 2.50x
Westbury On Trym 4 16.37x
Wolborough 4 41.32x
Broadwater 3 21.10x
Mitcham 3 26.48x
Portsmouth 3 17.28x
St Pancras London 3 1.01x
Wivenhoe 3 104.17x
Battersea 2 1.48x
Bromley London 2 2.47x
Chichester St Peter 2 400.00x
Coventry St Michael 2 6.71x
Great Grimsby 2 5.36x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 2 165.29x
Manchester 2 1.02x
Nafferton 2 129.03x
Ore 2 43.38x
Pagham 2 181.82x
Richmond 2 7.97x
Shoreditch London 2 1.25x
Tonbridge 2 4.42x
Wakefield 2 7.15x
Widdecombeinthe Moor 2 194.17x
Bolehall Glascote 1 25.45x
Chichester St Pancras 1 54.05x
Cranleigh 1 38.17x
Farlington 1 64.94x
Ford 1 769.23x
Glaisdale 1 71.94x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 37.17x
Hillingdon 1 8.53x
Holy Trinity St Mary 1 18.02x
Hornsey 1 2.15x
Lambeth 1 0.31x
Lanteglos 1 52.08x
Neithrop 1 13.11x
New Malton 1 22.94x
Paddington London 1 0.74x
Scarborough 1 3.02x
Sculcoates 1 1.73x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 5.91x
Walthamstow 1 3.83x
Wapping London 1 35.59x
Watford 1 5.09x
Whitefriars Precinct 1 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Jane 15
Elizabeth 12
Ann 10
Annie 10
Sarah 9
Charlotte 7
Caroline 5
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Esther 5
Ada 4
Ethel 4
Kate 4
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
May 3
Amy 2
Eleanor 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Maryana 2
Maude 2
Annabella 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Haziar 1
Honerratha 1
Katie 1
Lottie 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 20
Thomas 20
Charles 12
Henry 11
George 7
Alfred 5
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
James 4
David 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Johnson 2
Richard 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Ashley 1
Bertie 1
Cornelius 1
Denis 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
I. 1
Jacob 1
Jonathon 1
Lewis 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Simeon 1
Stanley 1
Thos.Walter 1

FAQ

Arnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Arnell surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 793 in 2016. That gives Arnell a modern rank of #6,970.

What does the Arnell surname mean?

Derived from a pet form of the Germanic name Arnold, meaning "strong as an eagle".

What does the Arnell map show?

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