NameCensus.

UK surname

Boydell

In the 1881 census there were 468 people recorded with the Boydell surname, ranking it #7,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 614, ranked #8,552, down from #7,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bolton-le-Moors, Wigan and Leigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boydell is 751 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.2%.

1881 census count

468

Ranked #7,114

Modern count

614

2016, ranked #8,552

Peak year

1911

751 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boydell had 468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016, ranked #8,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 751 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Boydell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boydell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boydell 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 238 #9,120
1861 historical 275 #9,082
1881 historical 468 #7,114
1891 historical 515 #7,249
1901 historical 631 #6,795
1911 historical 751 #5,736
1997 modern 690 #7,329
1998 modern 690 #7,565
1999 modern 690 #7,604
2000 modern 705 #7,449
2001 modern 691 #7,443
2002 modern 698 #7,530
2003 modern 676 #7,608
2004 modern 676 #7,616
2005 modern 653 #7,741
2006 modern 647 #7,829
2007 modern 638 #7,984
2008 modern 630 #8,105
2009 modern 648 #8,093
2010 modern 656 #8,181
2011 modern 634 #8,320
2012 modern 623 #8,342
2013 modern 630 #8,421
2014 modern 642 #8,349
2015 modern 646 #8,236
2016 modern 614 #8,552

Geography

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Where Boydells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bolton-le-Moors, Wigan, Leigh and Winwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan. 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 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Leigh Lancashire
4 Winwick Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 034 Wigan
2 Wigan 026 Wigan
3 Wigan 037 Wigan
4 Wigan 030 Wigan
5 Wigan 039 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boydell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boydell

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Boydell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Boydell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boydell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boydell 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

Boydell falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Boydell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boydell 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. Lancashire leads with 362 Boydells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.68x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 362 6.68x
Middlesex 21 0.46x
Yorkshire 16 0.35x
Cheshire 12 1.19x
Denbighshire 12 6.96x
Staffordshire 11 0.71x
Surrey 10 0.45x
Berkshire 4 1.17x
Warwickshire 4 0.35x
Durham 3 0.22x
Flintshire 3 2.44x
Hertfordshire 3 0.95x
Shropshire 3 0.76x
Gloucestershire 2 0.22x
Sussex 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowton in Lancashire leads with 71 Boydells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1929.35x.

Place Total Index
Lowton 71 1929.35x
Pennington In Leigh 53 510.11x
Westleigh 40 325.20x
Bedford 32 282.44x
Atherton 19 96.35x
Lostock 18 1475.41x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 18 115.46x
Hindley 16 69.26x
Great Bolton 14 19.51x
Great Lever 12 208.70x
Dukinfield 11 23.62x
Little Bolton 11 15.79x
Barnoldswick 10 158.48x
Rumworth 9 116.28x
Liverpool 8 2.43x
St George In East London 8 18.63x
Abram 7 168.27x
Bethnal Green London 7 3.53x
Newton 7 16.77x
Worsley 7 20.96x
Thornton In Craven 6 165.29x
Aldridge 5 168.92x
Farnworth 5 15.40x
Harborne 5 10.12x
Malden 5 862.07x
Windle 5 16.40x
Allington 4 310.08x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 25.92x
Everton 4 2.32x
Newton Regis 4 571.43x
St Pancras London 4 1.09x
Sulham 4 1739.13x
Wrexham Abbot 4 92.38x
Bushey 3 40.05x
Castle Eden 3 217.39x
Gresford Marford 3 612.24x
Rotherhithe 3 5.32x
Lambeth 2 0.50x
Prees 2 41.67x
Wrexham Regis 2 15.61x
Bibury 1 92.59x
Burton Upon Trent 1 2.77x
Clerkenwell London 1 0.93x
Golborne David 1 714.29x
Great Malvern 1 8.04x
Gresford 1 60.98x
Hastings St Mary 1 5.22x
Lancaster 1 3.10x
Llanrwst 1 16.75x
North Meols 1 1.89x
Paddington London 1 0.60x
Painswick 1 15.80x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 7.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Sarah 20
Alice 18
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 14
Ann 12
Martha 12
Margaret 11
Jane 9
Elizth. 6
Emily 4
Harriet 4
Agnes 3
Betty 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
C. 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Margt. 2
Nancy 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
E. 1
Elizb.A. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emmaline 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Irene 1
John 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M.A. 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
James 30
Thomas 22
William 21
Henry 12
Joseph 11
Richard 10
Peter 8
Edward 6
George 6
Charles 5
Ernest 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Joshua 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fred. 2
Isaac 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Alexr. 1
Andrew 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Cornelius 1
Earnest 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
O. 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Sam 1
Saml. 1
Simeon 1
Thos.G. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Boydell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boydell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 468 people were recorded with the Boydell surname. That placed it at #7,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boydell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016. That gives Boydell a modern rank of #8,552.

What does the Boydell map show?

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