NameCensus.

UK surname

Chignell

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Chignell surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Romsey, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Inworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Bath and North East Somerset and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chignell is 189 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1911

189 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chignell had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chignell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chignell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chignell 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 164 #17,144
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 161 #20,754
1999 modern 167 #20,374
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 154 #21,308
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Chignells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Romsey, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Inworth, Tillingham and Havant. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Bath and North East Somerset, Kensington and Chelsea and Chelmsford. 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 Romsey Hampshire
2 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
3 Inworth Essex
4 Tillingham Essex
5 Havant Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 018 Huntingdonshire
2 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Chelmsford 011 Chelmsford
5 Chelmsford 003 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chignell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chignell

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Chignell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chignell 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

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

1881 census detail

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Chignell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chignell 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. Essex leads with 63 Chignells recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.04x.

County Total Index
Essex 63 27.04x
Middlesex 20 1.69x
Hampshire 15 6.20x
Devon 6 2.44x
Surrey 5 0.87x
Berkshire 3 3.39x
Cheshire 3 1.15x
Kent 2 0.50x
Hertfordshire 1 1.23x
Sussex 1 0.50x
Warwickshire 1 0.34x
Wiltshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Havant in Hampshire leads with 10 Chignells recorded in 1881 and an index of 819.67x.

Place Total Index
Havant 10 819.67x
Colchester St Giles 9 391.30x
Prittlewell 9 278.64x
Islington London 8 6.99x
Tillingham 8 1951.22x
Colchester St Botolph 6 303.03x
Exeter Heavitree 6 327.87x
Eastwood 5 2500.00x
Romsey Infra 5 609.76x
Witham 5 416.67x
Clerkenwell London 4 14.36x
Harrow On The Hill 4 169.49x
Southwark Christchurch 4 72.33x
Upminster 4 833.33x
Asheldham 3 5000.00x
Cookham 3 108.70x
Monks Coppenhall 3 30.52x
Inworth 2 769.23x
Kelvedon 2 322.58x
St Pancras London 2 2.11x
Walthamstow 2 23.84x
Willingale Spain 2 2500.00x
Birmingham 1 1.01x
Brickendon 1 263.16x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.22x
Little Coggeshall 1 666.67x
Maldon St Marys 1 178.57x
Messing 1 344.83x
Milton In Gravesend 1 16.56x
Rayleigh 1 185.19x
Salisbury The Close 1 384.62x
Shoreditch London 1 1.95x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.21x
St Lawrence Newland 1 1111.11x
Stanway 1 243.90x
Tottenham 1 5.32x
Warnham 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Emma 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Maud 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Enid 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Gertrude 1
Isabel 1
Isabell 1
Jannie 1
Jessie 1
Kathrine 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Sharlot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
George 7
James 6
John 6
Thomas 5
Henry 4
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
H.E. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Stanely 1
Whilliam 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chignell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chignell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Chignell surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chignell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Chignell a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Chignell map show?

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