NameCensus.

UK surname

Chapell

An English surname derived from the French word "chapelle" meaning small chapel or sanctuary.

In the 1881 census there were 236 people recorded with the Chapell surname, ranking it #11,540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #11,540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough, London parishes and Faversham, Ospring Liberty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Sheffield and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chapell is 318 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 43.2%.

1881 census count

236

Ranked #11,540

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1891

318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chapell had 236 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 318 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Chapell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chapell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chapell 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 179 #11,346
1861 historical 289 #8,711
1881 historical 236 #11,540
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 248 #13,204
1911 historical 245 #13,084
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 122 #24,366
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 139 #24,912
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Chapells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough, London parishes, Faversham, Ospring Liberty, Sittingbourne and Rame. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Sheffield, Wiltshire and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Faversham, Ospring Liberty Kent
4 Sittingbourne Kent
5 Rame Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 012 Swale
2 Swale 010 Swale
3 Sheffield 039 Sheffield
4 Wiltshire 048 Wiltshire
5 Aylesbury Vale 007 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chapell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chapell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Chapell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Chapell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Chapell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chapell is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chapell 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 Chapell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Chapell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chapell

The surname Chapell originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "ciapel," which means "chapel." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a chapel or was associated with a particular chapel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Chapelle." This entry suggests that the name had already been established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Chapele" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its presence in the region during that time period. Additionally, the name "Chapelle" appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Chapell was William de Chapele, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1198. In the same century, a Roger de Chapele was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

During the 14th century, the name was sometimes associated with place names, such as in the case of John de Chapelle, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. This suggests that some individuals with the surname may have taken their names from specific locations.

Notable individuals with the surname Chapell throughout history include:

1. Sir Francis Chapell (1564-1647), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Midhurst. 2. John Chapell (1647-1712), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works. 3. William Chapell (1718-1797), a British admiral who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. 4. Henry Chapell (1840-1923), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and portraits. 5. Fenwick Chapell (1891-1968), an American author and journalist who wrote several books on history and travel.

The surname Chapell has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Chapelle, Chapelle, and Chapell. These variations reflect the evolution of language and the influence of regional dialects on the written form of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chapell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chapell 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 31 Chapells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.34x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 31 1.34x
Kent 25 3.14x
Gloucestershire 19 4.16x
Devon 16 3.30x
Hampshire 16 3.35x
Middlesex 16 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 15 4.77x
Lincolnshire 14 3.76x
Cheshire 13 2.53x
Somerset 9 2.40x
Surrey 9 0.79x
Lancashire 8 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 7 4.97x
Durham 7 1.01x
Essex 7 1.52x
Monmouthshire 7 4.15x
Glamorgan 3 0.74x
Royal Navy 3 10.80x
Suffolk 3 1.06x
Cornwall 2 0.76x
Leicestershire 2 0.77x
Warwickshire 2 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.68x
Channel Islands 1 1.45x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.35x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Norwell in Nottinghamshire leads with 12 Chapells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3636.36x.

Place Total Index
Norwell 12 3636.36x
East Stonehouse 8 83.68x
Horton In Bradford 8 22.17x
Sittingbourne 8 127.39x
Bedwellty 7 23.52x
Plumstead 7 26.41x
Water Eaton 7 3500.00x
Deeping St Nicholas 6 550.46x
West Derby 6 7.41x
West Ham 6 5.91x
Bishopwearmouth 5 8.40x
Horbury 5 123.76x
Hurdsfield 5 157.73x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 5 60.61x
Plymouth Charles The 5 23.39x
Southampton St Mary 5 16.64x
Trusthorpe 5 1851.85x
Bristol St Paul In 4 32.84x
Dewsbury 4 16.88x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 40.73x
Northwood 4 58.82x
Portsea 4 4.27x
Stockport 4 15.11x
Stroud 4 44.94x
Wotton Under Edge 4 148.70x
Battersea 3 3.50x
Bristol St Thomas 3 576.92x
Halesworth 3 149.25x
Hawkesbury 3 192.31x
Kingsbury 3 491.80x
Macclesfield 3 13.12x
Milton In Milton 3 88.76x
Royal Navy 3 12.63x
Snenton 3 24.29x
Woolwich 3 10.21x
Aston 2 1.24x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.63x
Ecclesfield 2 11.81x
Hunslet 2 5.55x
Leeds 2 1.53x
Madron 2 93.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.35x
Radstock 2 80.97x
Stoke St Gregory 2 175.44x
Streatham 2 11.56x
Swansea Town 2 6.01x
Whitwick 2 60.79x
Almondbury 1 8.95x
Bettws 1 128.21x
Bollington In 1 21.83x
Brancepeth 1 79.37x
Bridewell Precinct London 1 454.55x
Bromley 1 8.25x
Camberwell 1 0.67x
Carisbrooke 1 15.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.28x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.63x
Devonport 1 17.92x
Gillingham 1 6.10x
Herbrandston 1 344.83x
Hornsey 1 3.39x
Hove 1 5.80x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kensington London 1 0.77x
Leyton Low 1 10.70x
Maidstone 1 4.22x
Melbourn 1 69.44x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.02x
Newington 1 1.16x
Potter Hanworth 1 285.71x
Sandiacre 1 76.92x
Scunthorpe 1 59.52x
Selborne 1 103.09x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x
St Peter Port 1 7.82x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 86.96x
Sunbury 1 35.71x
Sunderland 1 8.16x
Trull 1 129.87x
Woking 1 14.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 13
Sarah 8
Ann 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Maria 4
Clara 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Martha 3
Adelaide 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Beatrice 1
Betsie 1
Bridget 1
Celia 1
Elen 1
Elisa 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizh 1
Elizth. 1
Estella 1
Eth.Jane 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Ida 1
Jemima 1
Kathleen 1
Leah 1
Lidia 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Mar. 1
Marget 1
May 1
Mildred 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
George 9
James 9
John 9
Henry 8
Charles 6
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Abram 1
Alexander 1
Cecil 1
Clarence 1
Eddy 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Graham 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hiram 1
Horace 1
Hy.Wm. 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
K.H. 1
Lister 1
Moses 1
Nicholas 1
Samuell 1
Wilm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chapell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chapell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 236 people were recorded with the Chapell surname. That placed it at #11,540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chapell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Chapell a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Chapell surname mean?

An English surname derived from the French word "chapelle" meaning small chapel or sanctuary.

What does the Chapell map show?

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