NameCensus.

UK surname

Aspinall

A surname of English origin meaning "from the place called Aspinwall".

In the 1881 census there were 4,111 people recorded with the Aspinall surname, ranking it #1,102 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,629, ranked #1,470, down from #1,102 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Wigan and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Rossendale and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aspinall is 5,325 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

4,111

Ranked #1,102

Modern count

4,629

2016, ranked #1,470

Peak year

1911

5,325 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aspinall had 4,111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,102 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,629 in 2016, ranked #1,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,325 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Aspinall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aspinall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Aspinall 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 2,006 #1,445
1861 historical 2,520 #1,160
1881 historical 4,111 #1,102
1891 historical 4,233 #1,131
1901 historical 4,794 #1,181
1911 historical 5,325 #981
1997 modern 4,709 #1,386
1998 modern 4,770 #1,421
1999 modern 4,832 #1,414
2000 modern 4,819 #1,412
2001 modern 4,761 #1,397
2002 modern 4,804 #1,415
2003 modern 4,707 #1,407
2004 modern 4,601 #1,444
2005 modern 4,477 #1,462
2006 modern 4,472 #1,465
2007 modern 4,525 #1,457
2008 modern 4,538 #1,466
2009 modern 4,683 #1,457
2010 modern 4,798 #1,454
2011 modern 4,687 #1,465
2012 modern 4,588 #1,467
2013 modern 4,704 #1,459
2014 modern 4,743 #1,451
2015 modern 4,672 #1,464
2016 modern 4,629 #1,470

Geography

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Where Aspinalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Wigan, Liverpool, Blackburn and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Rossendale and Bolton. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 012 Wigan
2 Wigan 013 Wigan
3 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
4 Wigan 016 Wigan
5 Bolton 008 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Aspinall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Aspinall

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Aspinall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Aspinall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Aspinall 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

Aspinall is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Aspinall falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Aspinall

The surname Aspinall is of English origin, derived from a place name referring to an area where aspen trees grew. It likely emerged in Lancashire or Yorkshire during the 12th or 13th century. The name is a combination of the Old English words "aespe" meaning aspen and "shallu" meaning a shallow place or dell.

An early recorded spelling of the name is found in the Lancashire Inquests from 1322, where it appears as "del Aspinal". In the Wills at Chester from 1591, it is written as "Aspinall". These early records suggest the name was initially associated with a specific location before becoming a hereditary surname.

The Aspinall surname appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, recorded as a place name in the county of Lancashire. This provides evidence that the name has deep roots in this region of northern England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Aspinall, born around 1500 in Lancashire. He was a wealthy landowner and benefactor who donated funds for the establishment of a grammar school in Oldham.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir James Aspinall (1645-1711), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1697. He was knighted by King William III in recognition of his contributions to the city.

In the 18th century, William Aspinall (1717-1787) was a respected Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of Althorpe in Lincolnshire for over four decades.

The Aspinall name is also associated with the village of Aspinall in Leicestershire, which likely derived its name from a similar Old English origin.

One of the most famous individuals with this surname was the English gambler and conservationist John Aspinall (1926-2000), who founded the Howletts and Port Lympne animal parks in Kent. He was a controversial figure known for his eccentric lifestyle and passion for wildlife preservation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Aspinall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aspinall 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. Lancashire leads with 2,630 Aspinalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,630 5.51x
Yorkshire 971 2.44x
Cheshire 159 1.79x
Middlesex 57 0.14x
Durham 49 0.41x
Surrey 36 0.18x
Warwickshire 28 0.28x
Derbyshire 26 0.41x
Staffordshire 26 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 16 2.00x
Kent 15 0.11x
Hampshire 13 0.16x
Northamptonshire 10 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.35x
Devon 8 0.10x
Berkshire 6 0.20x
Sussex 5 0.07x
Brecknockshire 4 0.50x
Cornwall 4 0.09x
Glamorgan 4 0.06x
Somerset 4 0.06x
Angus 3 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.28x
Gloucestershire 3 0.04x
Isle of Man 3 0.40x
Leicestershire 3 0.07x
Lincolnshire 3 0.05x
Shropshire 3 0.09x
Cardiganshire 2 0.20x
Dorset 2 0.08x
Essex 2 0.03x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Renfrewshire 2 0.06x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 124 Aspinalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.28x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 124 4.28x
Wigan 122 18.30x
Heap 108 42.68x
Rastrick 104 93.96x
Hipperholme Cum 95 54.26x
Elland Cum Greetland 94 52.37x
Hindley 86 42.28x
Blackburn 81 6.38x
Great Bolton 73 11.55x
Toxteth Park 71 4.39x
Ashton Under Lyne 70 6.71x
Westhoughton 69 54.19x
Halliwell 68 39.16x
Preston 63 4.94x
Stainland Cum Old 61 89.46x
Manchester 58 2.70x
North Meols 55 11.78x
Little Bolton 51 8.31x
Pemberton 51 26.81x
Everton 50 3.29x
Ince In Makerfield 47 21.17x
Kirkdale 46 5.73x
Eccleston In Prescot 37 15.45x
Warley 37 32.13x
Bedford 35 35.07x
Farnworth 34 11.89x
Ovenden 34 19.17x
West Derby 34 2.44x
Over Darwen 33 8.66x
Gorton 32 7.13x
Ashton In Makerfield 31 22.82x
Castleton 31 6.51x
Halifax 31 5.30x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 30 21.84x
Oldham 29 1.88x
Upholland 29 47.43x
Hyde 28 10.69x
Pennington In Leigh 28 30.59x
Shevington 26 119.16x
Huddersfield 25 4.31x
Salford 23 1.64x
Bradford 22 2.28x
Lower Darwen 22 35.13x
Chorley 21 7.84x
Spotland 21 3.96x
Warrington 21 3.71x
Westleigh 21 19.38x
Chorlton On Medlock 20 2.64x
Leeds 20 0.89x
Southowram 20 16.44x
Walton On Hill 20 7.74x
Batley 19 5.02x
Blatchinworth 19 17.49x
Burnley 19 4.73x
Pendleton In Salford 19 3.34x
Withington 19 12.36x
Aspull 18 16.04x
Coppull 18 70.81x
Sutton 18 11.25x
Haslingden 17 8.60x
Hopwood 17 27.25x
Lathom 17 29.50x
Bootle Cum Linacre 16 4.22x
Streatham 16 5.36x
Dalton In Huddersfield 15 16.80x
Hunslet 15 2.41x
Lower Bebington 15 28.45x
Newton In Makerfield 15 10.27x
Orrell 15 25.29x
Wooldale 15 22.20x
Dewsbury 14 3.43x
Doncaster 14 4.81x
Golborne 14 22.51x
Kearsley 14 13.95x
Manningham 14 2.85x
Middlesbrough 14 2.70x
Sharples 14 27.05x
Soothill 14 9.73x
Monks Coppenhall 13 3.88x
Wilpshire 13 338.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 343
Elizabeth 181
Sarah 150
Ann 109
Alice 104
Jane 104
Ellen 88
Margaret 72
Martha 66
Hannah 58
Annie 55
Emma 50
Emily 29
Ada 28
Eliza 27
Betty 21
Edith 21
Catherine 19
Lucy 17
Charlotte 16
Esther 16
Fanny 15
Florence 15
Harriet 15
Clara 14
Kate 14
Maria 14
Bertha 13
Frances 13
Nancy 13
Susannah 12
Anne 11
Betsy 11
Caroline 11
Agnes 10
Louisa 10
Sophia 10
Ruth 9
Eliz. 8
Isabella 8
Rachel 8
Rebecca 8
Amelia 7
Eleanor 7
Elizth. 7
Gertrude 7
Lilly 7
Lydia 7
Maud 6
Helen 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 261
William 235
James 216
Thomas 161
George 80
Joseph 76
Robert 57
Henry 50
Samuel 50
Richard 42
Charles 36
Edward 36
Arthur 30
Peter 29
Fred 24
Alfred 22
Albert 21
Herbert 20
David 19
Edwin 19
Harry 17
Thos. 15
Frederick 14
Walter 14
Wm. 14
Ernest 9
Isaac 9
Moses 9
Sam 9
Edmund 8
Frank 8
Ralph 8
Daniel 7
Tom 7
Abraham 6
Hugh 6
Jno. 6
Jonathan 6
Lawrence 6
Squire 6
Adam 5
Benjamin 5
Fredk. 5
Miles 5
Paul 5
Robt. 5
Willie 5
Hall 4
Jas. 4
Luke 4

FAQ

Aspinall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aspinall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,111 people were recorded with the Aspinall surname. That placed it at #1,102 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aspinall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,629 in 2016. That gives Aspinall a modern rank of #1,470.

What does the Aspinall surname mean?

A surname of English origin meaning "from the place called Aspinwall".

What does the Aspinall map show?

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