NameCensus.

UK surname

Axtell

Derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" or "oak dell" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 368 people recorded with the Axtell surname, ranking it #8,454 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 471, ranked #10,456, down from #8,454 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, South Stoneham and Weston Turville. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Slough, Oxford and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Axtell is 556 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

368

Ranked #8,454

Modern count

471

2016, ranked #10,456

Peak year

1911

556 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Axtell had 368 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,454 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016, ranked #10,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 556 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Axtell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Axtell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Axtell 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 368 #8,454
1891 historical 393 #8,995
1901 historical 513 #7,901
1911 historical 556 #7,221
1997 modern 455 #9,985
1998 modern 513 #9,404
1999 modern 527 #9,277
2000 modern 533 #9,169
2001 modern 520 #9,192
2002 modern 528 #9,266
2003 modern 515 #9,288
2004 modern 496 #9,566
2005 modern 504 #9,393
2006 modern 490 #9,613
2007 modern 490 #9,704
2008 modern 501 #9,618
2009 modern 497 #9,911
2010 modern 498 #10,091
2011 modern 484 #10,194
2012 modern 482 #10,131
2013 modern 484 #10,281
2014 modern 493 #10,191
2015 modern 473 #10,440
2016 modern 471 #10,456

Geography

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Where Axtells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, South Stoneham, Weston Turville and Aston Clinton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Slough, Oxford, Aylesbury Vale, Newton Stewart and Selby. 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 1
2 South Stoneham Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Weston Turville Buckinghamshire
5 Aston Clinton Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Slough 006 Slough
2 Oxford 016 Oxford
3 Aylesbury Vale 021 Aylesbury Vale
4 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
5 Selby 001 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Axtell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Axtell

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Axtell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Axtell is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Axtell 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 Axtell 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 Axtell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Axtell

The surname Axtell has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "aesc" (ash tree) and "tun" (enclosure or homestead), suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near an ash tree enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, which mention a person named Richard de Axtell. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating where a person or family lived.

During the medieval period, the surname was often spelled in various ways, including Axtill, Axtyll, and Axtel. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 16th century, the name Axtell appeared in the parish records of Berkshire, where a family bearing this surname was recorded as landowners and farmers. One notable member of this family was Henry Axtell (1572-1631), a prominent clergyman who served as the rector of Didcot and Cholsey.

Another historical figure with the surname Axtell was Daniel Axtell (1622-1660), an English soldier and regicide who fought for the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He was a signatory to the death warrant of King Charles I and was later executed for his involvement in the regicide.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Axtell surname spread across England, with families settling in various counties, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Notable individuals from this period include John Axtell (1648-1730), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, and Thomas Axtell (1699-1778), a prominent lawyer and judge in Somerset.

In the 19th century, the Axtell surname began to appear in records from other parts of the British Isles, as well as in North America, where many English families had emigrated. One noteworthy individual was Samuel Beach Axtell (1819-1891), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th Governor of New Mexico Territory.

Throughout its history, the Axtell surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, including clergy, military, law, business, and agriculture. While the surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has maintained a presence over the centuries and continues to be carried on by families with roots in England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Axtell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Axtell 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 89 Axtells recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.90x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 89 40.90x
Middlesex 64 1.78x
Surrey 44 2.51x
Oxfordshire 34 15.30x
Kent 33 2.69x
Hertfordshire 28 11.29x
Hampshire 27 3.66x
Sussex 15 2.47x
Bedfordshire 14 7.51x
Derbyshire 6 1.06x
Carmarthenshire 3 1.98x
Yorkshire 3 0.08x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
Midlothian 2 0.41x
Devon 1 0.13x
Essex 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 0.23x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weston Turville in Buckinghamshire leads with 46 Axtells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4509.80x.

Place Total Index
Weston Turville 46 4509.80x
Aston Clinton 22 1195.65x
South Stoneham 21 131.25x
Redbourn 13 479.70x
Yarnton 11 3235.29x
Kensington London 10 5.00x
Kingston On Thames 10 23.74x
Shoreditch London 10 6.41x
Bromley 8 42.74x
Camberwell 8 3.48x
Shipbourne 8 1290.32x
Weedon 8 1509.43x
Dartford 7 55.73x
Dunstable 7 122.16x
Houghton Regis 7 235.69x
Oxford St Ebbe 7 107.03x
Brighton 6 4.90x
Chelsea London 6 5.53x
Clerkenwell London 6 7.06x
Eckington 6 43.83x
Islington London 6 1.72x
Oxford St Thomas 6 57.86x
St Anne Soho London 6 29.18x
Upton Cum Chalvey 6 69.20x
Cowley 5 72.05x
Godstone 5 159.24x
Hemel Hempstead 5 44.72x
Putney 5 30.47x
Shephall 5 1785.71x
Southwark St John 5 45.41x
Carisbrooke 4 39.06x
Lewisham 4 6.11x
Newington 4 3.01x
St Marylebone London 4 2.08x
St Pancras London 4 1.38x
Abergwilly 3 120.48x
Crayford 3 55.97x
Gillingham 3 11.85x
Hastings All Sts 3 52.45x
Hastings St Mary 3 19.87x
St Luke London 3 5.20x
Stoke Poges 3 113.21x
Tong 3 43.54x
Aylesbury 2 20.75x
Edinburgh Old Church 2 51.68x
Harrow 2 36.36x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 2 75.76x
St Albans St Michael 2 72.20x
Wendover 2 85.11x
Westminster St James 2 5.41x
Westminster St Margaret 2 11.52x
Wigan 2 3.35x
Woolvercot 2 222.22x
Aldershot 1 4.05x
Aston 1 0.40x
Battersea 1 0.76x
Beddington 1 14.75x
Broxbourne 1 20.33x
Caterham 1 12.90x
Chudleigh 1 42.02x
Cobham 1 34.72x
Croydon 1 1.03x
East Grinstead 1 11.64x
Exning 1 45.25x
Hackney London 1 0.50x
Hampstead London 1 1.78x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 89.29x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 7.72x
Lindfield 1 38.91x
Oxford St Giles 1 9.43x
Rickmansworth 1 14.64x
Southampton All Sts 1 7.90x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.58x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 12.36x
Wandsworth 1 2.89x
Welwyn 1 46.51x
Woking 1 9.46x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
George 20
James 17
Charles 13
John 9
Frederick 8
Thomas 8
Joseph 7
Arthur 5
Henry 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Walter 3
Daniel 2
Geo. 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
Archibald 1
Bertram 1
Clarke 1
D.H. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
G.A. 1
Gilbert 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Nathaniel 1
Peter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Axtell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Axtell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 368 people were recorded with the Axtell surname. That placed it at #8,454 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Axtell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016. That gives Axtell a modern rank of #10,456.

What does the Axtell surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" or "oak dell" in Old English.

What does the Axtell map show?

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