NameCensus.

UK surname

Barwell

A habitational surname derived from locations in England called Barwell.

In the 1881 census there were 920 people recorded with the Barwell surname, ranking it #4,168 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,163, ranked #5,078, down from #4,168 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gretton and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, South Kesteven and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barwell is 1,290 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.4%.

1881 census count

920

Ranked #4,168

Modern count

1,163

2016, ranked #5,078

Peak year

1999

1,290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barwell had 920 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,168 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,163 in 2016, ranked #5,078.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,258 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Barwell 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 652 #3,985
1861 historical 773 #3,560
1881 historical 920 #4,168
1891 historical 946 #4,377
1901 historical 1,154 #4,225
1911 historical 1,258 #3,778
1997 modern 1,264 #4,508
1998 modern 1,277 #4,650
1999 modern 1,290 #4,627
2000 modern 1,257 #4,720
2001 modern 1,221 #4,736
2002 modern 1,231 #4,793
2003 modern 1,172 #4,903
2004 modern 1,161 #4,956
2005 modern 1,134 #5,003
2006 modern 1,129 #5,023
2007 modern 1,138 #5,030
2008 modern 1,161 #4,967
2009 modern 1,196 #4,952
2010 modern 1,226 #4,952
2011 modern 1,203 #4,960
2012 modern 1,141 #5,122
2013 modern 1,163 #5,124
2014 modern 1,159 #5,168
2015 modern 1,148 #5,164
2016 modern 1,163 #5,078

Geography

Back to top

Where Barwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gretton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, South Kesteven, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Leicester. 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 Gretton Rutland
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 001 Doncaster
2 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 013 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Leicester 035 Leicester
5 Leicester 004 Leicester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Barwell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Barwell

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

Barwell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Barwell

The surname Barwell is of English origin and is thought to have derived from a place name referring to a topographical feature or location. It is believed to have originated in the medieval era, around the 12th or 13th century.

One theory suggests that the name Barwell is derived from the Old English words "bearu" meaning a grove or a wood, and "well" referring to a spring or source of water. This could indicate that the name originally referred to a settlement or dwelling near a wooded area with a natural water source.

Another possible origin for the name Barwell is that it is a habitational name, referring to a place called Barwell. There are several locations in England with this name, such as the villages of Barwell in Leicestershire and Barwell in Lincolnshire. These place names may have originated from words like "bær" meaning a pasture or open field, and "well" referring to a spring or stream.

The surname Barwell can be found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Berewelle" and "Barewelle." This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Barwell was William de Barwell, who lived in the 13th century and is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire in 1230.

Other notable individuals with the surname Barwell include:

1. John Barwell (c. 1675-1743), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Thetford. 2. Richard Barwell (1741-1804), a British civil servant and politician who served as the Governor-General of Bengal from 1773 to 1781. 3. Edmund Barwell (1784-1854), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological subjects. 4. Nathaniel Barwell (1785-1865), an English surgeon known for his contributions to the field of orthopedics. 5. William Barwell (1807-1884), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in Leicestershire, including the Leicestershire County Lunatic Asylum.

The surname Barwell has been present in England for several centuries and has been associated with various individuals from different walks of life, including politicians, civil servants, clergymen, surgeons, and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Barwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barwell 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 145 Barwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 145 1.60x
Leicestershire 120 11.94x
Northamptonshire 88 10.32x
Warwickshire 60 2.63x
Surrey 53 1.20x
Essex 40 2.24x
Somerset 39 2.67x
Kent 36 1.16x
Rutland 36 54.10x
Yorkshire 35 0.39x
Monmouthshire 32 4.88x
Nottinghamshire 26 2.13x
Staffordshire 26 0.85x
Huntingdonshire 22 12.23x
Norfolk 22 1.58x
Lancashire 20 0.19x
Sussex 20 1.31x
Lincolnshire 18 1.24x
Worcestershire 15 1.27x
Glamorgan 10 0.63x
Isle of Man 10 5.94x
Gloucestershire 8 0.45x
Suffolk 8 0.72x
Caernarfonshire 6 1.64x
Herefordshire 6 1.61x
Cheshire 5 0.25x
Hertfordshire 5 0.80x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.52x
Oxfordshire 3 0.54x
Derbyshire 2 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.69x
Cardiganshire 1 0.45x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Shropshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 36 Barwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.69x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 36 14.69x
Edgbaston 23 32.46x
Empingham 21 823.53x
Birmingham 18 2.36x
Gretton 18 694.98x
Northampton Priory St 18 35.19x
Leighton 17 1634.62x
Shoreditch London 17 4.33x
Nottingham St Mary 16 5.06x
Camberwell 14 2.42x
Mitcham 14 50.16x
St George Hanover Square 14 8.77x
Leicester St Mary 12 14.78x
St Pancras London 12 1.65x
Bethnal Green London 11 2.79x
Llanover 11 49.17x
Deptford St Paul 10 4.19x
East Horndon 10 636.94x
Hampton London 10 67.11x
Neatishead 10 558.66x
Northampton St Giles 10 30.80x
Paddington London 10 3.00x
Witham 10 108.58x
Yardley 10 33.03x
Bromley 9 19.10x
Kettering 9 26.10x
Barwell 8 150.66x
Hammersmith London 8 3.58x
Harrow 8 57.76x
Kensington London 8 1.59x
Lambeth 8 1.01x
Lewisham 8 4.85x
Nailsea 8 138.89x
Onchan 8 16.51x
Paulton 8 119.76x
Trevethin 8 12.93x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 8.37x
Burton Overy 7 530.30x
Cameley 7 429.45x
Great Yarmouth 7 6.06x
Ibstock 7 95.89x
Leicester St Leonard 7 73.61x
Norton Juxta Twycross 7 569.11x
Roath 7 9.77x
West Derby 7 2.23x
Aston 6 0.95x
Bulwick 6 594.06x
Castle Donnington 6 72.03x
Chigwell 6 35.55x
Conway 6 84.63x
Hastings St Clement 6 41.72x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 6 58.59x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 6 196.08x
Wilnecote 6 91.60x
Bedminster 5 3.65x
Belgrave 5 22.05x
Birkenhead 5 3.14x
Bossall Claxton 5 568.18x
Burton Upon Trent 5 6.99x
Cheetham 5 6.23x
Croydon 5 2.04x
Gillingham 5 7.84x
Hackney London 5 0.98x
Horne 5 230.41x
Islington London 5 0.57x
Kimberworth 5 10.03x
Llanhilleth 5 116.01x
Mile End Old Town London 5 2.59x
Oundle 5 52.47x
Sileby 5 78.86x
Walsall Foreign 5 3.16x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 13.03x
Bradfield 4 11.55x
Brighton 4 1.30x
Chelsea London 4 1.46x
Clutton 4 126.18x
Irthlingborough 4 47.85x
Ketton 4 115.61x
Kirdford 4 75.47x
St Marylebone London 4 0.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 59
Elizabeth 48
Sarah 44
Jane 18
Alice 16
Ann 16
Annie 16
Eliza 16
Emily 16
Emma 14
Louisa 13
Ada 10
Ellen 10
Florence 8
Charlotte 7
Hannah 7
Edith 6
Fanny 6
Harriet 6
Kate 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Caroline 5
Frances 5
Martha 5
Anne 4
Clara 4
Margaret 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Catherine 3
Julia 3
Lizzie 3
Lucy 3
Minnie 3
Amy 2
Bessie 2
Dorothy 2
Francis 2
Harriett 2
Ida 2
Leah 2
Lilian 2
Mildred 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Cartherine 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ellsie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 68
John 42
Thomas 39
George 32
Charles 25
Henry 24
Edward 16
James 15
Arthur 11
Robert 10
Samuel 10
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
Alfred 7
David 6
Albert 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Elijah 4
Ernest 4
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Herbert 3
Matthew 3
Thos. 3
Benjamin 2
Charlie 2
Fred 2
Jno. 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Cecil 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
G.H. 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Jas. 1
Leeres 1
Leicester 1
Lewis 1
M. 1
Mark 1
Newman 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Barwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 920 people were recorded with the Barwell surname. That placed it at #4,168 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,163 in 2016. That gives Barwell a modern rank of #5,078.

What does the Barwell surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from locations in England called Barwell.

What does the Barwell map show?

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