NameCensus.

UK surname

Cartmel

A Norman surname derived from the town of the same name near Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.

In the 1881 census there were 334 people recorded with the Cartmel surname, ranking it #9,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, down from #9,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Poulton and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Eden and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cartmel is 334 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.3%.

1881 census count

334

Ranked #9,025

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

1881

334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cartmel had 334 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 334 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cartmel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cartmel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cartmel 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 204 #11,814
1881 historical 334 #9,025
1891 historical 229 #13,539
1901 historical 208 #14,760
1911 historical 241 #13,229
1997 modern 230 #16,109
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 243 #16,094
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 237 #16,048
2002 modern 229 #16,771
2003 modern 231 #16,504
2004 modern 223 #16,965
2005 modern 233 #16,434
2006 modern 229 #16,748
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 229 #17,092
2009 modern 247 #16,549
2010 modern 243 #17,100
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 241 #16,925
2013 modern 230 #17,756
2014 modern 231 #17,813
2015 modern 234 #17,577
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Cartmels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Poulton, Lytham, Preston and Crosthwaite. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Eden, South Lakeland, West Lancashire and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bees Cumberland
2 Poulton Lancashire
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Crosthwaite Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
2 Eden 005 Eden
3 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
4 West Lancashire 008 West Lancashire
5 South Gloucestershire 005 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cartmel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cartmel

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Cartmel is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cartmel is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cartmel

The surname Cartmel originated in Cumbria, England, and can be traced back to the village of Cartmel, located in the district of South Lakeland. The name is derived from the Old English words "cærr," meaning rock or rocky hill, and "mel," meaning a flat hillock or sandbank. Cartmel referred to the rocky hill overlooking the village.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Cartmel dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cartmel." The village of Cartmel and its surrounding lands were held by the Priory of Cartmel, a significant religious institution in the region during the Middle Ages. It is likely that some of the earliest bearers of the surname were associated with the Priory or lived in the village itself.

One notable historical figure with the surname Cartmel was William Cartmel (c. 1455-1513), a Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in the early 16th century. He played a role in the intellectual debates of the time, particularly concerning the authority of the Pope.

Another individual of note was Thomas Cartmel (c. 1610-1689), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, from 1675 until his death. He was known for his scholarship and contributed to the college's library collection.

In the 17th century, John Cartmel (1638-1705) was a prominent English merchant and member of the East India Company. He served as the Governor of Madras (now Chennai, India) from 1675 to 1677, overseeing the Company's interests in the region.

Moving forward to the 19th century, James Cartmel (1793-1868) was a British landscape painter renowned for his depictions of the Lake District, where he was born and spent much of his life. His works capture the beauty of the Cumbrian countryside and are held in collections across the United Kingdom.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir Cartmel Cartmel-Robinson (1866-1950), a British lawyer and judge who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1924 to 1936. He was known for his expertise in commercial law and played a significant role in shaping legal precedents in England during his career.

While the surname Cartmel has its roots in the village of the same name, it has since spread throughout England and beyond, carried by individuals who have contributed to various fields, including religion, academia, commerce, art, and law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cartmel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cartmel 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 190 Cartmels recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 190 4.91x
Cumberland 89 31.73x
Cheshire 10 1.39x
Hampshire 9 1.35x
Surrey 8 0.50x
Caernarfonshire 6 4.55x
Hertfordshire 6 2.67x
Midlothian 5 1.15x
Westmorland 5 6.98x
Middlesex 4 0.12x
Flintshire 1 1.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 39 Cartmels recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.71x.

Place Total Index
Preston 39 37.71x
Keswick 30 835.65x
Marton 29 1128.40x
Whitehaven 19 127.09x
Kirkby Ireleth 17 880.83x
Wythburn 15 6521.74x
Lathom 11 235.55x
Great Neston 10 421.94x
Ulverston 10 88.81x
Everton 9 7.30x
Thornton In Fylde 9 106.38x
Hulme 8 9.91x
Portsea 8 6.11x
Barrow In Furness 7 13.31x
Llanbeblig 6 44.88x
Lytham 6 101.69x
Aspatria 5 185.19x
Burscough 5 847.46x
Edinburgh Trinity 5 354.61x
Lydiate 5 416.67x
Shevington 5 282.49x
Workington 5 31.13x
Camberwell 4 1.92x
St Cuthbert W O 4 29.26x
Westby With Plumpton 4 666.67x
Accrington 3 8.53x
Crosthwaite 3 857.14x
Dalton In Furness 3 20.11x
Islington London 3 0.95x
Layton With Warbreck 3 21.14x
Parton 3 181.82x
Skelmersdale 3 46.58x
St Albans St Michael 3 119.52x
St Albans St Peter 3 39.58x
Above Derwent 2 192.31x
Bermondsey 2 2.06x
Crook 2 645.16x
Kendal 2 15.26x
Kirkdale 2 3.08x
Little Bolton 2 4.02x
Newington 2 1.66x
Toxteth Park 2 1.53x
Applethwaite 1 46.73x
Blackburn 1 0.97x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.26x
Brackenthwaite 1 769.23x
Bristol St Thomas 1 136.99x
Cockerham 1 101.01x
Cockersand Abbey 1 2500.00x
Dilworth 1 42.19x
Heap 1 4.88x
Liverpool 1 0.43x
Mold 1 12.59x
Portsmouth 1 6.50x
Preston Quarter 1 12.72x
Tottenham 1 1.93x
Upper Rawcliffe With 1 144.93x
Wetheral 1 26.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 19
Margaret 16
Jane 14
Sarah 10
Catherine 6
Isabella 6
Agnes 4
Ann 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Emily 3
Grace 3
Harriet 3
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adeline 1
Ama 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Betty 1
Cathrine 1
Christina 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
Elizh.Ann 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Georgina 1
Hanna 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Jennie 1
Kate 1
L.M. 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Mart. 1
May 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Vernonca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 23
Thomas 20
Richard 10
James 9
George 8
Isaac 8
Abraham 7
Joseph 5
Daniel 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Albert 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Jonathan 2
Thos. 2
Wallace 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Burton 1
Cowper 1
Ernest 1
Geo.Herbert 1
Guy 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Levi 1
Samuel 1
Wm.C. 1
Wulston 1

FAQ

Cartmel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cartmel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 334 people were recorded with the Cartmel surname. That placed it at #9,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cartmel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Cartmel a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Cartmel surname mean?

A Norman surname derived from the town of the same name near Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.

What does the Cartmel map show?

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