NameCensus.

UK surname

Cassells

A locational surname from places in Scotland derived from the Latin word castellum, meaning castle or fort.

In the 1881 census there were 498 people recorded with the Cassells surname, ranking it #6,796 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 877, ranked #6,418, up from #6,796 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, New Monkland and Hamilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Methil Methilhill, Harestanes and Glenrothes Collydean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cassells is 904 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.1%.

1881 census count

498

Ranked #6,796

Modern count

877

2016, ranked #6,418

Peak year

2010

904 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cassells had 498 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,796 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 877 in 2016, ranked #6,418.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 540 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cassells surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cassells surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cassells 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 245 #10,057
1881 historical 498 #6,796
1891 historical 469 #7,813
1901 historical 540 #7,620
1911 historical 175 #16,246
1997 modern 751 #6,874
1998 modern 780 #6,897
1999 modern 787 #6,888
2000 modern 807 #6,721
2001 modern 814 #6,556
2002 modern 855 #6,433
2003 modern 831 #6,451
2004 modern 853 #6,335
2005 modern 849 #6,315
2006 modern 833 #6,404
2007 modern 834 #6,479
2008 modern 854 #6,400
2009 modern 871 #6,445
2010 modern 904 #6,361
2011 modern 881 #6,435
2012 modern 875 #6,385
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 904 #6,350
2015 modern 887 #6,386
2016 modern 877 #6,418

Geography

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Where Cassells' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, New Monkland, Hamilton, Govan Combination and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Methil Methilhill, Harestanes, Glenrothes Collydean, Windygates and Coaltown and Barlanark. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Hamilton Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Methil Methilhill Fife
2 Harestanes East Dunbartonshire
3 Glenrothes Collydean Fife
4 Windygates and Coaltown Fife
5 Barlanark Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cassells

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cassells

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Cassells surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cassells household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Cassells is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cassells is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cassells

The surname Cassells is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to derive from the Scottish Gaelic word "caiseal," meaning a castle or fortified place, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or worked in a castle.

The name can be found in various historical records and manuscripts from the medieval period. For instance, there are references to individuals with the name Cassells in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Cassells, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1362. He was a landowner in the county of Ayrshire, which was a prominent region for the Cassells family in the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland, with John Cassells being appointed as a commissioner for the burgh of Irvine in 1567. This suggests that the Cassells family had achieved a certain level of prominence and status in the local community.

The name has also been associated with notable individuals throughout history. Sir Andrew Cassells (1637-1703) was a Scottish judge and Lord Advocate of Scotland during the reign of King William III. He played a significant role in the prosecution of the Jacobite rebels after the Glencoe Massacre.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Cassells (1788-1868), a Scottish publisher and bookseller based in Edinburgh. He founded the publishing house Cassell & Company, which became renowned for its literary works and educational publications.

George Norman Cassells (1854-1925) was a Canadian artist and illustrator, known for his paintings depicting scenes from Canadian history and daily life. He was also a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

In the 19th century, the Cassells family spread to various parts of the English-speaking world, including England, Canada, and the United States, as a result of migration and colonization.

While the surname Cassells has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Cassills, Cassillis, and Cassilis, it has maintained its Scottish roots and historical significance as a name associated with castles, fortifications, and prominent figures in Scottish history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cassells families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cassells 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. Lanarkshire leads with 210 Cassells' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.67x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 210 13.67x
Fife 47 16.71x
Lancashire 34 0.60x
Yorkshire 23 0.49x
Dunbartonshire 22 17.23x
Renfrewshire 22 5.98x
Durham 19 1.34x
Ayrshire 16 4.50x
Stirlingshire 16 9.13x
Northumberland 13 1.84x
Angus 11 2.50x
Middlesex 11 0.23x
Staffordshire 7 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.94x
West Lothian 6 8.39x
Hertfordshire 4 1.22x
Westmorland 4 3.83x
Cumberland 3 0.73x
Essex 3 0.32x
Midlothian 3 0.47x
Peeblesshire 3 13.43x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Surrey 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 43 Cassells' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.06x.

Place Total Index
Barony 43 11.06x
Govan 32 8.42x
Carluke 27 193.55x
New Monkland 23 50.65x
Kirkintilloch 21 121.11x
Wemyss 19 159.66x
Muiravonside 16 359.55x
Barrow In Furness 14 18.26x
Glasgow 14 5.13x
Hamilton 14 32.67x
Bothwell 12 28.80x
Stewarton 12 170.70x
Cambusnethan 10 29.31x
Avondale 8 89.09x
Paisley High Church 8 27.29x
Abbotshall 7 66.60x
Dundee 7 4.26x
Fulham London 7 10.16x
Largo 7 191.78x
Morpeth 7 84.24x
Shettleston 7 50.87x
Wolverhampton 7 5.68x
Everton 6 560.75x
Kirkliston 6 143.88x
Lanark 6 48.54x
Northallerton 6 99.83x
Salford 6 3.62x
Tottington Lower End 6 22.40x
Westoe 6 7.49x
Blantyre 5 31.27x
Eastwood 5 22.06x
Harton 5 89.61x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 5 287.36x
Wallsend 5 22.30x
Appleby St Michael 4 170.21x
Bushey 4 51.28x
Cambuslang 4 25.82x
Heworth 4 14.36x
Liverpool 4 1.17x
Markinch 4 41.88x
Ripon 4 36.63x
Dalziel 3 18.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.17x
Marton Le Moor 3 1111.11x
Mearns 3 46.51x
Monifieth 3 19.29x
Newlands 3 223.88x
Paisley Middle Church 3 14.00x
Pendleton In Salford 3 4.47x
Southwick 3 22.42x
Wanstead 3 18.27x
Abdie 2 125.00x
Cathcart 2 10.04x
Ceres 2 59.17x
Dunfermline 2 4.63x
Edmonton 2 5.22x
Kinglassie 2 93.46x
Preston Quarter 2 17.45x
St Luke London 2 2.62x
Tarbolton 2 34.19x
Blyton 1 86.96x
Colmonell 1 28.01x
Dalry 1 5.98x
Douglas 1 22.57x
Heckmondwike 1 6.61x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.63x
Kennoway 1 39.06x
Langthorpe 1 178.57x
Liff Benvie 1 1.50x
Meldrum 1 26.95x
New Kilpatrick 1 8.24x
Newington 1 7.72x
Old Monkland 1 1.64x
Port Glasgow 1 5.62x
Portsea 1 0.52x
Rothbury 1 49.26x
Sutton 1 5.29x
Wandsworth 1 2.19x
Wheatley 1 61.73x
Whitehaven 1 4.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Jane 8
Sarah 5
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Barbara 2
Dorothy 2
Fanny 2
Marion 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Euphenia 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Isabbela 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
May 1
Olive 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Susannah 1
Violet 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 9
James 7
Thomas 6
Robert 5
David 3
Patrick 3
Samuel 3
Andrew 2
George 2
Henry 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Rbt. 1
I.William 1
Nicholas 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Cassells surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cassells surname in 1881?

In 1881, 498 people were recorded with the Cassells surname. That placed it at #6,796 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cassells surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 877 in 2016. That gives Cassells a modern rank of #6,418.

What does the Cassells surname mean?

A locational surname from places in Scotland derived from the Latin word castellum, meaning castle or fort.

What does the Cassells map show?

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