NameCensus.

UK surname

Caul

A surname referring to an enclosing membrane of a newborn.

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Caul surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, Toxteth Park and Mearns. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Angus, Carmarthenshire and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caul is 155 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.4%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2015

155 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caul had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 113 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Caul surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caul surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caul 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 87 #25,802
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 30 #30,073
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 134 #23,425
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Cauls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, Toxteth Park, Mearns, Manchester and Childwall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Angus, Carmarthenshire, Sefton and Leeds. 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 Southminster, Mayland, Steeple Essex
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Mearns Renfrew
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Childwall Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Angus Angus
2 Carmarthenshire 024 Carmarthenshire
3 Sefton 011 Sefton
4 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire
5 Leeds 044 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caul

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caul

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Caul 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

Caul 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

Caul falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Caul

The surname Caul has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'cawl,' which means 'cabbage' or 'kale.' This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone involved in cultivating or selling these vegetables.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where it appears as 'Cale.' This is likely an older spelling variation of the surname. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Thomas Calle in Oxfordshire, further indicating the name's presence in the 13th century.

The Caul surname has connections to various place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Cawl in Lincolnshire, and a Cauldon in Staffordshire. These locations may have influenced the name's development and spread across different regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Caul throughout history include:

1. John Caul (c. 1575-1637), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. 2. William Caul (1630-1689), an English Anglican clergyman and controversial writer known for his support of the Catholicism of King James II. 3. Thomas Caul (1645-1708), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 17th century. 4. Mary Caul (1735-1810), a British botanical artist and illustrator renowned for her intricate depictions of plants and flowers. 5. Richard Caul (1798-1876), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London during the Victorian era.

While the Caul surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through migration and settlement over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caul families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caul 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 23 Cauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 23 3.06x
Carmarthenshire 13 48.65x
Lanarkshire 6 2.93x
Renfrewshire 6 12.21x
Middlesex 5 0.79x
Essex 3 2.40x
Stirlingshire 2 8.55x
Cheshire 1 0.71x
Dumfriesshire 1 7.14x
Norfolk 1 1.03x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.17x
Suffolk 1 1.30x
Surrey 1 0.32x
Wigtownshire 1 11.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanelly in Carmarthenshire leads with 13 Cauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.95x.

Place Total Index
Llanelly 13 215.95x
West Derby 13 59.06x
Barony 6 11.56x
Mearns 6 697.67x
Everton 3 12.51x
Campsie 2 156.25x
Manchester 2 5.91x
Salford 2 9.04x
Toxteth Park 2 7.85x
West Ham 2 7.24x
Bethnal Green London 1 3.63x
Hackney London 1 2.81x
Islington London 1 1.63x
Kirkcowan 1 357.14x
Liscard 1 39.68x
Liverpool 1 2.19x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 204.08x
Nottingham St Mary 1 4.52x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 76.34x
Tinwald 1 526.32x
Wandsworth 1 16.39x
West Bergholt 1 434.78x
Westminster St James 1 15.34x
Wickhambrook 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 3
Edward 2
George 2
James 2
Patrick 2
Charles 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Caul surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caul surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Caul surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caul surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Caul a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Caul surname mean?

A surname referring to an enclosing membrane of a newborn.

What does the Caul map show?

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