NameCensus.

UK surname

Bagwell

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived by a stream or well in a bag-shaped hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Bagwell surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 534, ranked #9,515, up from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ilminster and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, West Dorset and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bagwell is 564 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 117.1%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

534

2016, ranked #9,515

Peak year

1999

564 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bagwell had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016, ranked #9,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 455 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bagwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bagwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bagwell 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 145 #13,223
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 354 #10,347
1911 historical 455 #8,428
1997 modern 551 #8,644
1998 modern 560 #8,793
1999 modern 564 #8,802
2000 modern 559 #8,829
2001 modern 540 #8,919
2002 modern 547 #9,017
2003 modern 532 #9,067
2004 modern 514 #9,327
2005 modern 491 #9,566
2006 modern 490 #9,613
2007 modern 491 #9,689
2008 modern 504 #9,575
2009 modern 506 #9,759
2010 modern 527 #9,667
2011 modern 531 #9,524
2012 modern 539 #9,328
2013 modern 547 #9,375
2014 modern 558 #9,280
2015 modern 541 #9,451
2016 modern 534 #9,515

Geography

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Where Bagwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ilminster, Preston and Farway. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, West Dorset, East Devon and Mid Devon. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Ilminster Somerset
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Farway Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
2 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
3 East Devon 012 East Devon
4 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
5 East Devon 009 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bagwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bagwell

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bagwell is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bagwell is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bagwell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bagwell

The surname Bagwell originated in England during the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Bagwell, a small village located near Tiverton in the county of Devon. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words "bagga" meaning "bag or pouch" and "well" meaning "stream or spring."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in tax rolls and parish records from the 13th and 14th centuries in Devon. Some of the earliest spellings include Baggewelle, Baggewelle, and Bagwelle. The name was also associated with the nearby village of Nymet Rowland, which was sometimes referred to as "Nymet Bagwell" in historical documents.

One of the earliest known references to the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1327, which mentions a John de Baggewelle. In the 15th century, a Thomas Bagwell was recorded as holding land near the village of Nymet Rowland in 1428.

During the Tudor period, the Bagwell family was well-established in Devon, with several members holding prominent positions in the local gentry. One notable figure was John Bagwell (c. 1480-1544), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Tiverton in 1539.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Bagwell family settled in Ireland, where they became part of the landed gentry in County Cork. One of the earliest Irish Bagwells was Richard Bagwell (c. 1620-1688), who acquired the estate of Marlefield near Clonmel.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bagwell include:

1. Richard Bagwell (1840-1918), an Irish historian and author best known for his work "Ireland Under the Tudors." 2. William Bagwell (1811-1888), an English clergyman and author of several theological works. 3. Philip Bagwell (1629-1698), an Irish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament. 4. Henry Bagwell (1591-1661), an English merchant and philanthropist who founded a school in Tiverton, Devon. 5. Edward Bagwell (1784-1856), an English artist and portrait painter who exhibited works at the Royal Academy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bagwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bagwell 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. Devon leads with 41 Bagwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.11x.

County Total Index
Devon 41 8.11x
Somerset 41 10.49x
Surrey 37 3.13x
Kent 28 3.38x
Dorset 22 13.80x
Lancashire 21 0.73x
Middlesex 16 0.66x
Hampshire 11 2.21x
Gloucestershire 7 1.47x
Cheshire 6 1.12x
Worcestershire 6 1.89x
Leicestershire 3 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.36x
Channel Islands 2 2.78x
Essex 2 0.42x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 3.46x
Sussex 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilminster in Somerset leads with 19 Bagwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 695.97x.

Place Total Index
Ilminster 19 695.97x
Preston 17 22.05x
Newington 11 12.26x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 22.51x
Closworth 10 10000.00x
Exeter Heavitree 9 238.73x
Chickerell 7 1029.41x
Deptford St Paul 7 10.95x
Gittisham 7 1891.89x
Lambeth 7 3.31x
Tonbridge 7 23.42x
Croydon 6 9.13x
Kings Norton 6 21.10x
Bradford Peverell 5 1851.85x
Dukinfield 5 20.19x
Farway 5 2083.33x
Melcombe Regis 5 75.64x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.79x
Bromley 4 31.67x
Fleet 4 3636.36x
Gloucester Barton St 4 143.37x
Hammersmith London 4 6.69x
North Leigh 4 2000.00x
Sidbury 4 370.37x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 34.72x
Gloucester St Aldate 3 508.47x
Leicester St Mary 3 13.79x
Over Darwen 3 13.03x
Sevenoaks 3 44.64x
Axmouth 2 350.88x
Bedminster 2 5.44x
Bridlington 2 36.30x
Camberwell 2 1.29x
Cotleigh 2 1428.57x
East Ham 2 22.47x
Milverton 2 138.89x
Paddington London 2 2.24x
Pitminster 2 173.91x
Princes Risborough 2 101.52x
St Helier 2 8.54x
St Maurice Winchester 2 96.62x
Sutton Bingham 2 5000.00x
Tormoham 2 9.35x
Ventnor 2 42.28x
Withycombe Rawleigh 2 76.05x
Abbas Combe 1 344.83x
Aldershot 1 6.00x
Beckenham 1 9.23x
Birkenhead 1 2.34x
Broadwater 1 10.65x
Chard 1 21.10x
Chatham 1 4.39x
Colyton 1 51.55x
Donyatt 1 312.50x
Dowlish Wake 1 344.83x
Ealing 1 4.61x
Fulham London 1 2.84x
Godshill 1 86.96x
Greenwich 1 2.59x
Hanwell 1 23.20x
Islington London 1 0.42x
Lewisham 1 2.26x
Middleton In Oldham 1 11.57x
Newport 1 37.04x
Northwood 1 14.10x
Ottery St Mary 1 30.12x
Payhembury 1 277.78x
Plympton St Mary 1 34.25x
Portsea 1 1.02x
Royal Navy 1 4.04x
St Faith Winchester 1 43.10x
St Marylebone London 1 0.77x
Westminster St James 1 4.00x
Witchampton 1 243.90x
Wootton 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 14
Emily 7
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Ann 4
Jane 4
Isabella 3
Lydia 3
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Em 1
Esther 1
Ettie 1
Flora 1
George 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Ivie 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
May 1
Melhia 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 15
James 12
Charles 11
George 8
Albert 6
Thomas 6
Henry 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
David 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Peter 2
Sydney 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
C.H. 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Job 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Willm.A. 1

FAQ

Bagwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bagwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Bagwell surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bagwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016. That gives Bagwell a modern rank of #9,515.

What does the Bagwell surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived by a stream or well in a bag-shaped hollow.

What does the Bagwell map show?

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