NameCensus.

UK surname

Bartels

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to a furrier or leather preparer and processor.

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Bartels surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, up from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Wiltshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bartels is 172 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.5%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

2010

172 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bartels had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 102 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Bartels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bartels surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bartels 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 102 #22,465
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 162 #20,716
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 154 #22,034
2009 modern 165 #21,552
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 162 #22,433
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

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Where Bartels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and St George the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Wiltshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Wyre Forest and Croydon. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 004 Sefton
2 Wiltshire 011 Wiltshire
3 Stoke-on-Trent 034 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Wyre Forest 008 Wyre Forest
5 Croydon 010 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bartels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bartels

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Bartels surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bartels 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bartels is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bartels is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bartels 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 Bartels 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 - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bartels, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bartels

The surname Bartels originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Holstein, Mecklenburg, and Schleswig-Holstein. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th or 14th century as a patronymic name, derived from the Germanic personal name Barthold or Bartholomew.

The name Barthold itself is composed of two elements: "bard" meaning "battle" or "warrior," and "hold" meaning "ruler" or "noble." Thus, the name Bartels essentially means "son of Barthold" or "son of the noble warrior." Over time, various spellings emerged, including Bartels, Bartel, Bartels, and Barthels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bartels can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bremen, dating back to the late 13th century. The name Bartels is also mentioned in the Lübecker Oberstadtbuch, a register of citizens in the city of Lübeck, from the 14th century.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Bartels was Johann Bartels, a German mathematician and astronomer born in Meldorf, Holstein, in 1570. He made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion.

Another historical figure was Hans Bartels, a German Baroque architect and sculptor active in the 17th century. He was responsible for designing several churches and buildings in the northern German region, including the Marienkirche in Rostock, which was completed in 1670.

In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Bartels (1737-1806) was a German philologist and librarian who worked at the famous Göttingen University Library. He published several works on classical literature and ancient manuscripts.

During the 19th century, Georg Bartels (1792-1858) was a German writer and journalist who published numerous novels and historical works. He is particularly known for his novel "Die Hermannschlacht" (The Battle of Arminius), which depicted the famous battle between Germanic tribes and the Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest.

Moving into the 20th century, Julius Bartels (1899-1964) was a German geophysicist and meteorologist who made significant contributions to the study of geomagnetism and the Earth's ionosphere. He developed the concept of the "Bartels Rotation," which describes the periodic variations in the Earth's magnetic field.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bartels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bartels 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. Middlesex leads with 36 Bartels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 5.43x
Durham 7 3.55x
Northumberland 6 6.08x
Surrey 6 1.86x
Yorkshire 6 0.91x
Lancashire 4 0.51x
Hampshire 1 0.74x
Lanarkshire 1 0.47x
Sussex 1 0.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George In East London in Middlesex leads with 11 Bartels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.28x.

Place Total Index
St George In East London 11 176.28x
Mile End Old Town London 9 63.78x
Hammersmith London 6 36.72x
Holy Trinity 6 37.95x
Jesmond 6 431.65x
Stranton 4 60.24x
Banstead 3 340.91x
Hartlepool 3 107.14x
Limehouse London 3 41.21x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 22.49x
St Anne Soho London 3 79.16x
Stretford 2 46.19x
Aldershot 1 21.98x
Brighton 1 4.43x
Hackney London 1 2.69x
Hulme 1 6.09x
Liverpool 1 2.09x
Paddington London 1 4.10x
Poplar London 1 7.99x
St Giles In Fields London 1 30.77x
Tradeston 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
E. 3
Elizabeth 3
A. 2
Annie 2
Henrietta 2
Jane 2
Lousie 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Agusta 1
Dorretta 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Hellen 1
Kate 1
Nelly 1
Rhoda 1
Richard 1
Sarah 1
Stedwig 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 4
John 3
August 2
Charles 2
George 2
Heinrich 2
Peter 2
William 2
Adolph 1
Alfred 1
Auguste 1
Benjamin 1
Carl 1
Ernst 1
Eugene 1
Frederick 1
G.H. 1
Gerhard 1
Louis 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bartels households.

FAQ

Bartels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bartels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Bartels surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bartels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Bartels a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Bartels surname mean?

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to a furrier or leather preparer and processor.

What does the Bartels map show?

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