NameCensus.

UK surname

Cecil

An English surname derived from the Welsh name Seisyll, meaning "sixth-born" or "blind to evil."

In the 1881 census there were 494 people recorded with the Cecil surname, ranking it #6,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 676, ranked #7,937, down from #6,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Trevethin with Pontypool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Forest of Dean and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cecil is 784 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.8%.

1881 census count

494

Ranked #6,837

Modern count

676

2016, ranked #7,937

Peak year

1999

784 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cecil had 494 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 676 in 2016, ranked #7,937.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 767 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cecil surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cecil surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cecil 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 288 #7,884
1861 historical 321 #7,938
1881 historical 494 #6,837
1891 historical 594 #6,436
1901 historical 664 #6,534
1911 historical 767 #5,650
1997 modern 713 #7,150
1998 modern 772 #6,955
1999 modern 784 #6,912
2000 modern 747 #7,124
2001 modern 727 #7,146
2002 modern 726 #7,299
2003 modern 719 #7,230
2004 modern 697 #7,426
2005 modern 689 #7,441
2006 modern 679 #7,549
2007 modern 679 #7,623
2008 modern 654 #7,879
2009 modern 668 #7,913
2010 modern 686 #7,894
2011 modern 688 #7,791
2012 modern 670 #7,877
2013 modern 687 #7,855
2014 modern 685 #7,919
2015 modern 671 #7,984
2016 modern 676 #7,937

Geography

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Where Cecils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Trevethin with Pontypool and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Forest of Dean, Kensington and Chelsea and South Staffordshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Trevethin with Pontypool Monmouthshire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 008 Chichester
2 Forest of Dean 005 Forest of Dean
3 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Chichester 010 Chichester
5 South Staffordshire 002 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cecil

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cecil

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Cecil is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cecil is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cecil

The surname CECIL has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin name Caecilius, which itself comes from the Roman family name Caecilius. The name is thought to be connected to the Latin word caecus, meaning "blind."

The earliest recorded instances of the name come from the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Ceccill and Cecill. These early spellings suggest that the name may have originally been a reference to someone with a visual impairment or a nickname related to blindness.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into its modern form of CECIL, and it began to spread across various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname CECIL was William CECIL, 1st Baron Burghley (1520-1598), a prominent English statesman who served as Lord High Treasurer under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in the English Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England.

Another historically significant figure bearing the CECIL name was Robert CECIL, 1st Earl of Salisbury (1563-1612), the son of William CECIL. He served as the Secretary of State and Lord Privy Seal under Queen Elizabeth I and later became Lord Treasurer under King James I.

In the realm of literature, the CECIL surname is associated with Algernon CECIL, Baron Amherst of Arracan (1792-1857), a British diplomat and author who wrote several books on his travels and experiences in India and Burma.

The name has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Cecil County in Maryland, which was named after Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605-1675), a prominent English colonist and the first proprietor of the Province of Maryland.

Other notable individuals with the CECIL surname include David CECIL, 6th Marquess of Exeter (1905-1981), a British biographer and literary scholar, and Henry CECIL, 10th Marquess of Exeter (1939-1988), a British peer and Conservative politician.

While the CECIL surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British colonization and migration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cecil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cecil 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. Middlesex leads with 201 Cecils recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.22x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 201 4.22x
Monmouthshire 56 16.27x
Lancashire 27 0.48x
Herefordshire 18 9.22x
Worcestershire 18 2.90x
Staffordshire 16 1.00x
Sussex 16 1.99x
Essex 15 1.60x
Yorkshire 15 0.32x
Surrey 14 0.60x
Warwickshire 12 1.00x
Gloucestershire 11 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 10 3.47x
Kent 10 0.62x
Northamptonshire 8 1.79x
Pembrokeshire 8 5.29x
Hampshire 6 0.61x
Peeblesshire 5 22.33x
Rutland 5 14.31x
Hertfordshire 4 1.22x
Lincolnshire 4 0.53x
Somerset 3 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.33x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.16x
Perthshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 69 Cecils recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.37x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 69 33.37x
Droylsden 22 119.37x
Mile End Old Town London 21 20.73x
Trevethin 17 52.31x
Bow London 16 26.40x
Llanfoist 14 588.24x
Llanover 11 93.62x
St George Hanover Square 11 13.12x
Brighton 9 5.56x
Chelsea London 9 6.27x
Goodrich 9 737.70x
Kings Norton 9 16.15x
Llanrothall 9 3000.00x
Spitalfields London 8 22.34x
Walton West 8 1333.33x
Aston 7 2.12x
Islington London 7 1.52x
Penkridge 7 169.08x
Walthamstow 7 20.70x
Bermondsey 6 4.23x
St Marylebone London 6 2.36x
St Woollos 6 15.62x
Wycombe 6 27.97x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.40x
Kensington London 5 1.89x
Newland 5 63.69x
Paddington London 5 2.86x
Redcar 5 133.69x
Stretton 5 1562.50x
Tidenham 5 347.22x
Traquair 5 403.23x
Wanstead 5 30.38x
West Bromwich 5 5.44x
Westminster St John 5 8.63x
Birmingham 4 1.00x
Eton 4 61.35x
Frampton 4 277.78x
Hove 4 11.36x
Kidderminster Borough 4 11.00x
Limehouse London 4 7.65x
Newington 4 2.27x
St Pancras London 4 1.04x
Stamford Baron St Martin 4 166.67x
Aberystruth 3 9.89x
Acton 3 10.75x
Brading 3 23.13x
Chiswick 3 11.53x
Fulham London 3 4.35x
Hackney London 3 1.12x
Ratcliffe London 3 11.41x
Rottingdean 3 109.49x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 30.61x
Tottenham 3 3.96x
Brickendon 2 131.58x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.78x
Croydon 2 1.55x
Holdenhurst 2 7.82x
Kidderminster Foreign 2 22.75x
Lewisham 2 2.31x
Leyton 2 12.35x
Lower Mitton 2 36.50x
Monmouth 2 21.91x
Northampton Priory St 2 7.44x
Northampton St Giles 2 11.72x
Pembury 2 86.96x
Rotherhithe 2 3.40x
Toxteth Park 2 1.05x
Wolverhampton 2 1.62x
Alverstoke 1 2.83x
Bath St Peter St Paul 1 29.50x
Bridlington 1 9.26x
Hatfield 1 15.04x
Newport 1 6.09x
Perth St Pauls 1 20.20x
Radwinter 1 72.46x
Speldhurst 1 12.09x
St Ann St Agnes London 1 588.24x
St Mary Woolnoth London 1 454.55x
St Michael Crooked Lane 1 909.09x
Tonbridge 1 1.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 39
Charles 20
George 20
James 16
John 15
Thomas 15
Henry 13
Edward 9
Frederick 5
Joseph 5
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Robert 4
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Aubrey 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Walter 2
Andre 1
Antony 1
Daniel 1
Ean 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Egerton 1
Elizth. 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jno.Benjm. 1
Josep 1
Leonard 1
Lord 1
Raymond 1
Richard 1
Rotheram 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Cecil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cecil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 494 people were recorded with the Cecil surname. That placed it at #6,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cecil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 676 in 2016. That gives Cecil a modern rank of #7,937.

What does the Cecil surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Welsh name Seisyll, meaning "sixth-born" or "blind to evil."

What does the Cecil map show?

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