NameCensus.

UK surname

Cassels

A locational surname originating from a place name in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 537 people recorded with the Cassels surname, ranking it #6,413 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 419, ranked #11,445, down from #6,413 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Bothwell and Lanark. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Wiltshire and Overtown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cassels is 637 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.0%.

1881 census count

537

Ranked #6,413

Modern count

419

2016, ranked #11,445

Peak year

1891

637 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cassels had 537 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,413 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 419 in 2016, ranked #11,445.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 637 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cassels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cassels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cassels 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 374 #6,376
1861 historical 436 #5,907
1881 historical 537 #6,413
1891 historical 637 #6,081
1901 historical 636 #6,754
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 408 #10,844
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 427 #10,919
2000 modern 407 #11,252
2001 modern 397 #11,299
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 400 #11,262
2004 modern 405 #11,177
2005 modern 413 #10,918
2006 modern 417 #10,886
2007 modern 421 #10,920
2008 modern 430 #10,834
2009 modern 439 #10,911
2010 modern 443 #11,046
2011 modern 443 #10,924
2012 modern 420 #11,278
2013 modern 429 #11,280
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 421 #11,435
2016 modern 419 #11,445

Geography

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Where Cassels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Bothwell, Lanark, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Wiltshire, Overtown, Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank and Wealden. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Lanark Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 Wiltshire 054 Wiltshire
3 Overtown North Lanarkshire
4 Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank South Lanarkshire
5 Wealden 001 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cassels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cassels

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Cassels 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

Cassels is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cassels falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cassels

The surname "CASSELS" is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 14th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "Carsuel," which means "narrow strait" or "narrow crossing." It is believed that the name originated in the area around the town of Cassels, located in Ayrshire, Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Ragman Rolls," a historic document dating back to the late 13th century. This document contains the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The spelling "Carsuel" appears in this record.

In the 16th century, the name began to appear in various Scottish records with the spelling "Cassels." One notable example is John Cassels, a Scottish clergyman who lived from 1562 to 1637. He served as the minister of Tranent, East Lothian, and was known for his religious writings.

Another prominent figure with the surname Cassels was Sir Andrew Cassels (1612-1673), a Scottish lawyer and judge. He served as a Lord of Session, one of the highest judicial positions in Scotland at the time.

In the 18th century, the Cassels family gained prominence in the military. John Cassels (1713-1789) was a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

The name Cassels also has a connection to the Scottish town of Ayr. In the 19th century, John Cassels (1813-1891) was a prominent banker and businessman in Ayr, and he served as the Provost (mayor) of the town from 1868 to 1871.

Another notable figure from this period was Robert Cassels (1853-1929), a Scottish engineer and shipbuilder. He played a significant role in the development of the shipbuilding industry on the River Clyde in Glasgow.

While the name Cassels has its origins in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to emigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cassels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cassels 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 269 Cassels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.73x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 269 15.73x
Ayrshire 60 15.16x
Fife 27 8.63x
Dunbartonshire 24 16.89x
Midlothian 23 3.25x
Lancashire 19 0.30x
Middlesex 13 0.25x
Durham 11 0.70x
Northumberland 11 1.40x
Angus 9 1.84x
Renfrewshire 9 2.20x
Shropshire 9 1.97x
Aberdeenshire 8 1.63x
West Lothian 6 7.54x
Channel Islands 5 3.19x
Dumfriesshire 5 4.28x
Essex 5 0.48x
Stirlingshire 5 2.56x
Ross-shire 3 2.07x
Yorkshire 3 0.06x
Argyllshire 2 1.36x
Berwickshire 2 3.12x
Cheshire 2 0.17x
Orkney 2 3.44x
Banffshire 1 0.91x
Clackmannanshire 1 2.29x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Kent 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.31x
Surrey 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

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 45 Cassels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.40x.

Place Total Index
Barony 45 10.40x
Carluke 45 289.76x
Hamilton 40 83.88x
Glasgow 36 11.86x
Lanark 33 239.83x
Govan 26 6.15x
Kilmarnock 15 31.85x
Riccarton 11 184.25x
Lesmahagow 10 55.31x
Edinburgh Greenside 9 96.15x
Ferry Port On Craig 9 174.76x
Kirkmichael 9 249.31x
New Kilpatrick 9 66.57x
New Monkland 9 17.81x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 8.73x
Carmunnock 8 610.69x
Dundee 8 4.37x
Everton 8 4.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 11.74x
South Leith 8 10.04x
Ayr 7 37.47x
Falkland 7 142.28x
Kirkintilloch 7 36.27x
Elswick 6 9.56x
Linlithgow 6 58.77x
Markinch 6 56.44x
Paisley High Church 6 18.39x
Pontesbury 6 107.91x
St Quivox 6 44.84x
Stewarton 6 76.63x
Cardross 5 29.31x
Closeburn 5 183.82x
St Marylebone London 5 1.77x
St Peter Port 5 17.25x
Wanstead 5 27.35x
Benwell 4 46.51x
Dunfermline 4 8.31x
Largs 4 42.92x
Liverpool 4 1.05x
Strathblane 4 164.61x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 6.02x
Bothwell 3 6.47x
North Leith 3 9.15x
Old Monkland 3 4.42x
Oswestry Rural 3 42.86x
Rutherglen 3 11.96x
Shettleston 3 19.60x
South Mimms 3 41.38x
West Greenock 3 4.08x
Auckinleck 2 16.33x
Barnston 2 392.16x
Cambusnethan 2 5.27x
Coldingham 2 34.72x
Kensington London 2 0.68x
Kincardine 2 74.91x
Maryhill 2 5.98x
Ratho 2 60.61x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.15x
Stronsay Eday 2 52.63x
Walton On Hill 2 5.88x
Banff 1 10.50x
Brighton 1 0.56x
Christchurch 1 4.26x
Colinton 1 12.66x
Drymen 1 38.17x
Heaton Norris 1 2.80x
Hunsingore 1 303.03x
Kilmallie 1 13.21x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 10.71x
Kirkdale 1 0.95x
Lambeth 1 0.22x
Old Kilpatrick 1 5.96x
Paddington London 1 0.51x
Rosskeen 1 14.64x
Row 1 5.44x
Rugby 1 5.54x
Sarratt 1 78.74x
Skelton In Great 1 185.19x
Tynemouth 1 2.37x
Westoe 1 1.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Eliza 3
Mary 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Julia 2
Amy 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Honora 1
Isabel 1
Jean 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Maude 1
Nora 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Thomas 6
John 5
James 4
Robert 4
Richard 2
Alexada 1
Alexander 1
Barmeth 1
Edward 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cassels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cassels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 537 people were recorded with the Cassels surname. That placed it at #6,413 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cassels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 419 in 2016. That gives Cassels a modern rank of #11,445.

What does the Cassels surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place name in Scotland.

What does the Cassels map show?

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