NameCensus.

UK surname

Bursell

A surname deriving from an Anglo-Saxon place name containing burr or bur meaning "dwelling" and sǣl meaning "hall".

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Bursell surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Ealing, Chiswick and Beverley St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Kirklees and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bursell is 136 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.0%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1891

136 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bursell had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Bursell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bursell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bursell 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Bursells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Ealing, Chiswick, Beverley St Mary, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) and Kenilworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Kirklees and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Beverley St Mary Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Kenilworth Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 033 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Kirklees 041 Kirklees
3 Kingston upon Hull 020 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 031 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 030 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bursell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bursell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Bursell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bursell 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bursell 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

Bursell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bursell 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 Bursell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bursell

The surname Bursell is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "burh" or "byrig," which means a fortified town or a manor, and "sæl," meaning a dwelling or a hall. Thus, the name Bursell likely referred to someone who resided in or near a fortified town or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bursell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1182, where it appears as "Bursella." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century and may have originated earlier.

In the 13th century, the name Bursell appeared in various forms, such as "Burshill" and "Burcell," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period. The different spellings likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping practices.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Bursell was Sir John Bursell (c. 1430 - 1497), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1470. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses, supporting the Yorkist cause and contributing financially to the army of King Edward IV.

Another prominent individual with the Bursell surname was William Bursell (1692 - 1756), an English clergyman and author. He served as the rector of Bambrough in Northumberland and published several theological works, including "A Defence of the Christian Religion" (1730).

In the 16th century, the Bursell family was associated with the village of Burslem in Staffordshire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region. The name "Burslem" itself is derived from the Old English words "burh" and "læm," meaning a fortified town and a clay or loam, respectively.

During the 17th century, the name Bursell appeared in various parish records across England, including in counties such as Yorkshire, Worcestershire, and Somerset. One notable individual from this period was Robert Bursell (1620 - 1679), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithms and the calculation of planetary orbits.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Bursell surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with concentrations in areas like Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. Notable individuals from this period include John Bursell (1776 - 1844), a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in his hometown of Birmingham.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bursell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bursell 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. Yorkshire leads with 19 Bursells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 19 3.45x
Nottinghamshire 11 14.68x
Lincolnshire 7 7.87x
Middlesex 7 1.26x
Hampshire 5 4.39x
Kent 2 1.05x
Angus 1 1.94x
Devon 1 0.86x
Lanarkshire 1 0.56x
Lancashire 1 0.15x
Monmouthshire 1 2.49x
Surrey 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willerby In Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 16 Bursells recorded in 1881 and an index of 26666.67x.

Place Total Index
Willerby In Sculcoates 16 26666.67x
Nottingham St Mary 8 41.28x
North South Killingholme 6 4000.00x
Alton 4 465.12x
Standard Hill 3 1666.67x
Anlaby 2 1666.67x
Islington London 2 3.71x
Westminster St James 2 34.97x
Aberystruth 1 28.25x
Barony 1 2.20x
Baumber 1 1428.57x
Bethnal Green London 1 4.14x
Cottingham 1 84.03x
Deptford St Paul 1 6.84x
Devonport 1 75.19x
Dundee 1 5.20x
Heaton Norris 1 26.67x
Isleworth 1 40.49x
Kingsbury 1 714.29x
Lambeth 1 2.06x
Maidstone 1 17.70x
Portsea 1 4.48x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 4
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Harry 2
John 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Godfrey 1
Hy. 1
James 1
Lenard 1
R. 1
Samuel 1
Septmus 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 Bursell households.

FAQ

Bursell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bursell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Bursell surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bursell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Bursell a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Bursell surname mean?

A surname deriving from an Anglo-Saxon place name containing burr or bur meaning "dwelling" and sǣl meaning "hall".

What does the Bursell map show?

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