NameCensus.

UK surname

Cavill

An English habitational surname derived from a place name pertaining to a locality with chalky soil.

In the 1881 census there were 959 people recorded with the Cavill surname, ranking it #4,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,173, ranked #5,055, down from #4,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Wickersley and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, Taunton Deane and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cavill is 1,371 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.3%.

1881 census count

959

Ranked #4,040

Modern count

1,173

2016, ranked #5,055

Peak year

1911

1,371 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cavill had 959 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,173 in 2016, ranked #5,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,371 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cavill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cavill surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cavill 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 521 #4,814
1861 historical 431 #5,963
1881 historical 959 #4,040
1891 historical 1,045 #4,006
1901 historical 1,241 #3,988
1911 historical 1,371 #3,507
1997 modern 1,219 #4,652
1998 modern 1,273 #4,658
1999 modern 1,254 #4,742
2000 modern 1,244 #4,758
2001 modern 1,201 #4,795
2002 modern 1,257 #4,713
2003 modern 1,212 #4,765
2004 modern 1,208 #4,789
2005 modern 1,193 #4,781
2006 modern 1,175 #4,862
2007 modern 1,199 #4,817
2008 modern 1,175 #4,921
2009 modern 1,163 #5,080
2010 modern 1,211 #5,003
2011 modern 1,199 #4,983
2012 modern 1,180 #4,978
2013 modern 1,195 #4,999
2014 modern 1,190 #5,061
2015 modern 1,181 #5,042
2016 modern 1,173 #5,055

Geography

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Where Cavills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Wickersley, Sheffield, Spaxton, Asholt, Over Stowey, Nether Stowey, Fiddington and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Test Valley, Taunton Deane, Sedgemoor, Cornwall and Tendring. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Wickersley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Spaxton, Asholt, Over Stowey, Nether Stowey, Fiddington Somerset
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 007 Test Valley
2 Taunton Deane 006 Taunton Deane
3 Sedgemoor 007 Sedgemoor
4 Cornwall 062 Cornwall
5 Tendring 011 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cavill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cavill

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cavill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cavill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cavill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cavill is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cavill

The surname Cavill is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "cavel," meaning a lot or share of land. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who owned or was granted a specific parcel of land.

One of the earliest known references to the name Cavill can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1279. This document mentions a person named Richard Cavel, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern Cavill surname.

During the medieval period, the name Cavill was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. This is evidenced by various historical records, such as tax rolls and parish registers, which document individuals bearing the surname in these regions.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Cavill was Robert Cavill, a yeoman farmer born in Oxfordshire around 1520. He is mentioned in several land records and legal documents from that time period.

Another individual of historical significance is Thomas Cavill, born in Gloucestershire in 1642. He was a respected landowner and served as a local magistrate during the latter part of the 17th century.

As the centuries progressed, the Cavill surname spread to other parts of England, with families bearing the name appearing in places like Warwickshire and Yorkshire. One notable example is John Cavill, born in Yorkshire in 1745, who was a successful merchant and philanthropist in his time.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the Cavill surname was William Cavill, born in Oxfordshire in 1818. He was a renowned architect and designed several churches and public buildings in the region.

It is worth noting that the Cavill surname has also been associated with certain place names, such as Cavill Farm in Oxfordshire and Cavill Hall in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its historical roots in these areas.

While the surname Cavill is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, and professionals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cavill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cavill 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 200 Cavills recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 200 2.16x
Somerset 183 12.19x
Middlesex 102 1.09x
Gloucestershire 84 4.59x
Essex 56 3.04x
Devon 48 2.47x
Lincolnshire 44 2.95x
Hampshire 35 1.83x
Cornwall 29 2.75x
Derbyshire 24 1.64x
Glamorgan 22 1.35x
Wiltshire 22 2.67x
Surrey 15 0.33x
Staffordshire 14 0.44x
Lancashire 11 0.10x
Worcestershire 9 0.74x
Carmarthenshire 7 1.78x
Kent 7 0.22x
Bedfordshire 6 1.24x
Berkshire 6 0.86x
Hertfordshire 6 0.93x
Cumberland 4 0.50x
Northamptonshire 4 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.32x
Sussex 4 0.25x
Durham 3 0.11x
Lanarkshire 3 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 0.90x
Shropshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 33 Cavills recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.22x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 33 11.22x
Brightside Bierlow 24 13.24x
Ecclesall Bierlow 22 11.70x
Wickersley 22 859.38x
Clifton 18 19.47x
Hackney London 17 3.25x
Swindon 17 26.58x
Spaxton 16 547.95x
Stansted Mountfitchet 16 344.09x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 17.42x
Islington London 15 1.66x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 8.13x
Norton 14 116.38x
Stogursey 14 347.39x
Congresbury 13 341.21x
Saxelby With Ingleby 13 341.21x
Bristol St James In 12 44.61x
Bristol St James St Paul 12 19.68x
Fiddington 12 1538.46x
Bethnal Green London 11 2.72x
Cardiff St Mary 11 12.30x
Nether Hallam 11 8.80x
Stogumber 11 277.78x
Mile End New Town London 10 54.26x
Chelsea London 9 3.20x
Exeter Heavitree 9 62.20x
Stoke Damerel 9 6.62x
West Bromwich 9 4.99x
Bath St James 8 51.09x
Budock 8 100.63x
Camerton 8 183.07x
Combe Florey 8 792.08x
Hatfield Broad Oak 8 128.82x
Locking 8 2000.00x
Paulton 8 116.45x
Brampton Bierlow 7 59.17x
Carmarthen St Peter 7 20.84x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 17.81x
Lyndhurst 7 133.59x
Mile End Old Town London 7 3.53x
Nether Stowey 7 297.87x
Newlyn 7 155.21x
Tottenham 7 4.71x
Earley 6 51.46x
Ecclesfield 6 8.85x
Harwich St Nicholas 6 42.19x
Leeds 6 1.15x
Luton 6 7.18x
Portsmouth 6 13.63x
Redruth 6 20.09x
Shobrooke 6 292.68x
St Breock 6 105.26x
Swinefleet 6 150.38x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 24.55x
Thornton Curtis 6 400.00x
West Monkton 6 181.27x
Battersea 5 1.46x
Bramley In Rotherham 5 390.63x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 5 30.01x
Cannington 5 112.11x
Colchester St James 5 67.02x
Kimberworth 5 9.75x
Liverpool 5 0.74x
Lofthouse 5 36.23x
Roath 5 6.78x
Sculcoates 5 3.41x
Southampton St Mary 5 4.16x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.04x
Stanstead 5 326.80x
Taunton St Mary 5 18.14x
Westbury On Trym 5 8.07x
Banwell 4 72.99x
Beighton 4 60.51x
Bradfield 4 11.23x
Burlescombe 4 151.52x
Castleford 4 11.89x
Church Gresley 4 17.22x
Kings Norton 4 3.66x
Ratcliffe London 4 7.77x
Tidenham 4 141.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 61
William 57
Henry 31
George 30
Charles 29
Thomas 28
James 25
Frederick 18
Alfred 12
Edward 11
Arthur 10
Joseph 10
Walter 7
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Robert 5
Harry 4
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Matthew 3
Wm. 3
Chas. 2
Ebenezer 2
Fredk. 2
Jacob 2
Jas. 2
Thos. 2
Adam 1
Alonzo 1
Arnold 1
Cecil 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Chas.J. 1
David 1
Dick 1
E. 1
Erbin 1
Fred 1
Gilbert 1
Horatio 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1

FAQ

Cavill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cavill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 959 people were recorded with the Cavill surname. That placed it at #4,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cavill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,173 in 2016. That gives Cavill a modern rank of #5,055.

What does the Cavill surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name pertaining to a locality with chalky soil.

What does the Cavill map show?

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