NameCensus.

UK surname

Bagnall

An English habitational surname derived from a place name near Stafford, England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,569 people recorded with the Bagnall surname, ranking it #1,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,542, ranked #1,915, down from #1,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Rotherham and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bagnall is 3,705 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

2,569

Ranked #1,738

Modern count

3,542

2016, ranked #1,915

Peak year

2002

3,705 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bagnall had 2,569 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,542 in 2016, ranked #1,915.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,700 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bagnall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bagnall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bagnall 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 1,562 #1,840
1861 historical 1,542 #1,844
1881 historical 2,569 #1,738
1891 historical 2,689 #1,768
1901 historical 3,275 #1,701
1911 historical 3,700 #1,404
1997 modern 3,283 #1,960
1998 modern 3,677 #1,830
1999 modern 3,702 #1,837
2000 modern 3,700 #1,825
2001 modern 3,624 #1,821
2002 modern 3,705 #1,827
2003 modern 3,610 #1,834
2004 modern 3,594 #1,838
2005 modern 3,547 #1,844
2006 modern 3,560 #1,837
2007 modern 3,562 #1,852
2008 modern 3,575 #1,853
2009 modern 3,643 #1,866
2010 modern 3,684 #1,888
2011 modern 3,624 #1,896
2012 modern 3,520 #1,914
2013 modern 3,574 #1,915
2014 modern 3,605 #1,908
2015 modern 3,566 #1,914
2016 modern 3,542 #1,915

Geography

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Where Bagnalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Rotherham, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Birmingham Town: Aston and West Bromwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 West Bromwich Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 010 Wrexham
2 Wrexham 003 Wrexham
3 Wrexham 012 Wrexham
4 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
5 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bagnall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bagnall

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bagnall is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bagnall is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bagnall

The surname Bagnall originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bæcen" and "halh," which together mean "baker's nook" or "baker's corner." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to bakers or those involved in the baking trade.

One of the earliest known references to the name Bagnall can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Ralph de Bagenhalh, who held lands in Staffordshire. This early spelling variation reflects the name's origins and provides a glimpse into its evolution over time.

During the Middle Ages, the name Bagnall was primarily concentrated in the counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire. Several place names in these regions, such as Bagnall in Staffordshire and Bagnall Heath in Cheshire, are thought to be derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in those areas.

In the 16th century, records show a notable figure named John Bagnall (1545-1622), who was a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. Another notable individual was Sir Samuel Bagnall (1638-1704), a British army officer who served during the English Civil War and later became Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The 17th century saw the emergence of Richard Bagnall (1628-1687), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle and was also a renowned scholar and author. In the 18th century, Henry Bagnall (1700-1768) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

In the 19th century, John Bagnall (1806-1888) was a notable British industrialist and engineer who founded the Bagnall Locomotive Works in Stafford. His company became renowned for manufacturing steam locomotives and played a significant role in the development of Britain's railway infrastructure.

Throughout history, the surname Bagnall has been associated with various professions, including bakers, merchants, military personnel, clergy, architects, and industrialists. While the name's origins can be traced back to England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bear this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bagnall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bagnall 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. Staffordshire leads with 834 Bagnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.85x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 834 9.85x
Yorkshire 293 1.18x
Lancashire 283 0.95x
Warwickshire 218 3.45x
Middlesex 119 0.47x
Worcestershire 108 3.30x
Cheshire 103 1.86x
Northumberland 75 2.01x
Derbyshire 73 1.86x
Surrey 64 0.52x
Shropshire 60 2.77x
Durham 56 0.75x
Leicestershire 47 1.69x
Nottinghamshire 35 1.03x
Essex 26 0.53x
Kent 24 0.28x
Herefordshire 20 1.94x
Gloucestershire 16 0.33x
Oxfordshire 15 0.97x
Flintshire 14 2.08x
Hertfordshire 13 0.75x
Cumberland 11 0.51x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.95x
Denbighshire 10 1.06x
Hampshire 10 0.19x
Somerset 9 0.22x
Devon 5 0.10x
Anglesey 4 0.90x
Glamorgan 4 0.09x
Sussex 3 0.07x
Suffolk 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 184 Bagnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.49x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 184 20.49x
Birmingham 91 4.32x
Aston 87 4.99x
West Bromwich 60 12.38x
Kimberworth 55 39.86x
Walsall Foreign 54 12.34x
Rugeley 36 59.24x
Dudley 35 8.79x
Stafford St Mary 30 25.03x
Byker 29 15.71x
Manchester 28 2.09x
Burslem 25 10.31x
Rotherham 25 17.84x
Winlaton 24 33.51x
Leeds 23 1.64x
Litchurch 22 13.92x
Wolstanton Knutton 22 42.55x
Cannock 21 14.21x
Gateshead 21 3.76x
Barrow In Furness 20 4.94x
Nether Hallam 19 5.65x
West Ham 19 1.74x
Bermondsey 18 2.41x
Ashby De La Zouch 17 26.36x
Salford 17 1.94x
Sandbach 17 35.99x
St Pancras London 17 0.84x
Stone 17 15.69x
Burton Upon Trent 16 8.08x
Leicester St Margaret 16 2.36x
Edgbaston 15 7.65x
Hulme 15 2.41x
Macclesfield 15 6.09x
Oldbury 15 9.31x
Oldham 15 1.56x
Rowley Regis 15 6.36x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 15 12.99x
Wednesbury 15 7.09x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 14 15.51x
Audley 14 16.71x
Bradford 14 10.05x
Castle Church 14 27.50x
Coventry Holy Trinity 14 7.41x
Kensington London 14 1.00x
Kingswinford 14 4.55x
West Derby 14 1.61x
Brightside Bierlow 13 2.67x
Draycott In Moors 13 371.43x
Drayton In Hales 13 29.10x
Newcastle Under Lyme 13 8.67x
Willenhall 13 8.20x
Wolverhampton 13 2.00x
Cheddleton 12 67.68x
Ecclesfield 12 6.58x
Kirkdale 12 2.40x
Liverpool 12 0.66x
Sedgley 12 3.81x
Battersea 11 1.19x
Madeley 11 13.84x
Abbots Bromley 10 79.62x
Altrincham 10 10.33x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.92x
Camberwell 10 0.62x
Checkley 10 45.48x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 2.11x
Everton 10 1.05x
Harborne 10 3.68x
Hucknall Torkard 10 11.66x
Normanton 10 13.39x
St George Martyr London 10 19.68x
Tipton 10 3.86x
Burntwood Edial 9 16.64x
Carmarthen St Peter 9 9.96x
Croydon 9 1.33x
Derby St Peter 9 7.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 1.78x
Hereford St Owen 9 26.49x
Kidderminster Foreign 9 19.43x
Ogley Hay 9 51.19x
West Bromwich 9 176.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 176
Elizabeth 100
Sarah 100
Ann 70
Jane 46
Annie 43
Eliza 39
Ellen 39
Emma 39
Hannah 31
Fanny 29
Harriet 25
Margaret 24
Alice 23
Catherine 23
Emily 23
Martha 20
Florence 14
Lucy 14
Anne 13
Louisa 13
Ada 12
Isabella 12
Clara 11
Edith 11
Caroline 10
Frances 10
Kate 10
Charlotte 9
Maria 9
Harriett 8
Matilda 8
Agnes 7
Elizth. 7
Esther 7
Rebecca 7
Susannah 7
Amelia 6
Amy 6
Beatrice 6
Lilly 6
Margt. 6
Rose 6
Selina 6
Susan 6
Bridget 5
Eleanor 5
Helen 5
Maud 5
Minnie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 147
John 133
Thomas 113
George 102
James 76
Joseph 59
Charles 46
Henry 44
Samuel 36
Edward 26
Arthur 25
Frederick 25
Richard 24
Alfred 22
Albert 21
Harry 19
Robert 17
Walter 16
Ernest 13
Joshua 13
Edwin 11
Wm. 10
Benjamin 9
Sampson 9
Francis 7
Frank 7
Herbert 7
Cornelius 6
Thos. 6
Daniel 5
Isaac 5
Patrick 5
Alexander 4
Fred 4
Geo. 4
Josiah 4
Percy 4
Ralph 4
Willm. 4
David 3
Leonard 3
Levi 3
Owen 3
Percival 3
Phillip 3
Saml. 3
Stephen 3
Noah 2
Philip 2
Reginald 2

FAQ

Bagnall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bagnall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,569 people were recorded with the Bagnall surname. That placed it at #1,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bagnall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,542 in 2016. That gives Bagnall a modern rank of #1,915.

What does the Bagnall surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name near Stafford, England.

What does the Bagnall map show?

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