NameCensus.

UK surname

Atwell

Derived from a place name meaning "at the well" or "dweller by the spring or stream."

In the 1881 census there were 633 people recorded with the Atwell surname, ranking it #5,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 663, ranked #8,048, down from #5,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churchill, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atwell is 731 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.7%.

1881 census count

633

Ranked #5,604

Modern count

663

2016, ranked #8,048

Peak year

1999

731 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atwell had 633 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016, ranked #8,048.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 710 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Atwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atwell 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 437 #5,632
1861 historical 379 #6,739
1881 historical 633 #5,604
1891 historical 543 #6,951
1901 historical 645 #6,678
1911 historical 710 #6,007
1997 modern 707 #7,191
1998 modern 728 #7,266
1999 modern 731 #7,282
2000 modern 725 #7,300
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 705 #7,467
2003 modern 694 #7,433
2004 modern 709 #7,320
2005 modern 706 #7,283
2006 modern 680 #7,540
2007 modern 671 #7,688
2008 modern 662 #7,800
2009 modern 673 #7,876
2010 modern 690 #7,864
2011 modern 686 #7,811
2012 modern 659 #7,987
2013 modern 667 #8,042
2014 modern 674 #8,018
2015 modern 664 #8,056
2016 modern 663 #8,048

Geography

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Where Atwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churchill, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Merthyr Dovan, Highlight. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Sedgemoor and Waverley. 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 Churchill Somerset
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Merthyr Dovan, Highlight Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 008 Wiltshire
2 Bath and North East Somerset 019 Bath and North East Somerset
3 North Somerset 012 North Somerset
4 Sedgemoor 005 Sedgemoor
5 Waverley 006 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atwell

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Atwell 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

Atwell is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Atwell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Atwell

The surname Atwell has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "aet" and "well," meaning "at the well" or "near the water source." This suggests that the name may have originated from a topographic feature or a place name associated with a well or a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a person named William Attewell. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, with references to individuals such as John Attewelle (1315) and Adam Attewelle (1348). These records provide insight into the geographic distribution of the name during that period.

The Atwell surname is also linked to several place names in England, including Atwell in Somerset, Atwell Farm in Oxfordshire, and Atwell Close in Nottinghamshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Atwell throughout history include:

1. William Atwell (c. 1500 - 1562), an English Protestant reformer and martyr during the Marian Persecutions. 2. Robert Atwell (1579 - 1621), an English clergyman and author known for his work "The Faithful Surveyour." 3. Sir Thomas Atwell (1766 - 1838), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. 4. George Atwell (1807 - 1876), an English landscape painter and a member of the Royal Academy. 5. Winifred Atwell (1914 - 1983), a British pianist and entertainer known for her popular renditions of classical and ragtime music.

The Atwell surname has a rich history in England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century and connections to various place names and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atwell 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. Somerset leads with 158 Atwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.87x.

County Total Index
Somerset 158 15.87x
Middlesex 80 1.29x
Gloucestershire 67 5.52x
Hampshire 43 3.39x
Monmouthshire 40 8.95x
Glamorgan 28 2.60x
Staffordshire 26 1.25x
Surrey 25 0.83x
Dorset 19 4.68x
Cheshire 18 1.32x
Devon 16 1.24x
Kent 15 0.71x
Lanarkshire 15 0.75x
Durham 14 0.76x
Lancashire 13 0.18x
Essex 8 0.66x
Clackmannanshire 5 9.79x
Renfrewshire 5 1.04x
Worcestershire 5 0.62x
Yorkshire 5 0.08x
Bedfordshire 3 0.94x
Berkshire 3 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.36x
Oxfordshire 3 0.79x
Angus 2 0.35x
Cornwall 2 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.63x
Northumberland 2 0.22x
Warwickshire 2 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.38x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Merionethshire 1 0.88x
Northamptonshire 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bridgewater in Somerset leads with 30 Atwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 110.99x.

Place Total Index
Bridgewater 30 110.99x
St Woollos 24 48.10x
Churchill 19 1194.97x
Islington London 19 3.17x
Bedminster 15 16.03x
Clifton 14 22.83x
Houghton Le Spring 14 110.06x
Camberwell 12 3.04x
Macclesfield 12 19.78x
Tipton 12 18.77x
West Bromwich 12 10.04x
Almondsbury 11 237.58x
Crediton 11 90.16x
Paddington London 11 4.84x
Barony 10 1.98x
Shoreditch London 10 3.73x
Westbury On Trym 10 24.34x
Weston Super Mare 10 39.78x
Bow London 9 11.43x
Burrington 9 937.50x
Congresbury 9 357.14x
Corfe Mullen 9 612.24x
Evercreech 9 375.00x
Frimley 9 104.90x
Pilton 9 379.75x
Widnes 9 17.00x
Filton 8 1250.00x
Walcot 8 15.09x
Westminster St John 8 10.62x
Ystradyfodwg 8 8.47x
Carisbrooke 7 39.77x
Colchester St Giles 7 58.04x
Llanover 7 45.84x
Newport 7 101.74x
Portbury 7 421.69x
Portsea 7 2.82x
St Marylebone London 7 2.12x
Cardiff St Andrews 6 491.80x
Edington 6 652.17x
Millbrook 6 18.79x
Bradford 5 3.37x
Christchurch 5 18.19x
Clackmannan 5 51.81x
Dudley 5 5.09x
Govan 5 1.01x
Nailsea 5 127.23x
North Petherton 5 62.27x
Plumstead 5 7.11x
Renfrew 5 31.59x
St John Near Swansea 5 37.54x
Trevethin 5 11.84x
Bristol St James In 4 22.42x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 9.89x
Bruton 4 102.04x
Oystermouth 4 48.02x
Rowberrow 4 1111.11x
Altrincham 3 12.58x
Blandford Forum 3 37.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.63x
Chelsea London 3 1.61x
Luton 3 5.41x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.39x
Olveston 3 87.98x
Ramsgate 3 8.71x
Rotherfield Peppard 3 285.71x
Ryde 3 11.02x
Shaftesbury St James 3 141.51x
Stapleton 3 13.04x
Stockport 3 4.27x
Winscombe 3 111.52x
Bere Ferrers 2 94.34x
Canford Magna 2 85.47x
Elswick 2 2.72x
Godshill 2 68.26x
Manchester 2 0.61x
Margate St John Baptist 2 5.18x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.53x
Reading St Giles 2 4.39x
South Hayling 2 88.50x
Yaxley 2 69.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Elizabeth 29
Sarah 22
Annie 11
Jane 11
Ellen 10
Emma 10
Louisa 9
Eliza 8
Hannah 8
Alice 7
Ann 7
Charlotte 7
Lucy 7
Edith 6
Fanny 6
Florence 6
Kate 6
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Harriett 3
Lilly 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Edna 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Lilian 2
Rachel 2
Rosenea 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Cecilia 1
Emely 1
Emmel 1
Esther 1
Ethelend 1
Eunice 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
William 34
George 20
Henry 16
James 13
Edward 11
Joseph 11
Thomas 11
Charles 9
Samuel 8
Walter 8
Richard 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Willie 3
Andrew 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Noah 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2
Alfd 1
Ben 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred.K. 1
Fredk. 1
Geoffrey 1
Leger 1
Lewis 1
Macom 1
Margaret 1
Nathan 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Atwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 633 people were recorded with the Atwell surname. That placed it at #5,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016. That gives Atwell a modern rank of #8,048.

What does the Atwell surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "at the well" or "dweller by the spring or stream."

What does the Atwell map show?

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