NameCensus.

UK surname

Cleal

In the 1881 census there were 387 people recorded with the Cleal surname, ranking it #8,152 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, down from #8,152 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Tewkesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, South Somerset and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cleal is 626 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.2%.

1881 census count

387

Ranked #8,152

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

2002

626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cleal had 387 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,152 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 554 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cleal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cleal surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cleal 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 252 #9,804
1881 historical 387 #8,152
1891 historical 445 #8,134
1901 historical 496 #8,098
1911 historical 554 #7,244
1997 modern 593 #8,219
1998 modern 611 #8,288
1999 modern 622 #8,240
2000 modern 611 #8,322
2001 modern 611 #8,182
2002 modern 626 #8,196
2003 modern 591 #8,428
2004 modern 576 #8,575
2005 modern 567 #8,608
2006 modern 582 #8,469
2007 modern 591 #8,450
2008 modern 596 #8,464
2009 modern 594 #8,663
2010 modern 606 #8,723
2011 modern 591 #8,793
2012 modern 574 #8,891
2013 modern 574 #9,026
2014 modern 590 #8,922
2015 modern 584 #8,914
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

Back to top

Where Cleals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Tewkesbury and Symondsbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, South Somerset and New Forest. 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 London parishes London 1
3 Tewkesbury Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Symondsbury Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 002 Pembrokeshire
2 South Somerset 022 South Somerset
3 South Somerset 019 South Somerset
4 South Somerset 024 South Somerset
5 New Forest 011 New Forest

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cleal

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cleal

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

Cleal is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cleal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cleal 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. Dorset leads with 123 Cleals recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.68x.

County Total Index
Dorset 123 44.68x
Somerset 77 11.40x
Channel Islands 49 39.42x
Hampshire 40 4.65x
Middlesex 39 0.93x
Gloucestershire 28 3.40x
Surrey 14 0.69x
Lancashire 13 0.26x
Devon 10 1.15x
Wiltshire 10 2.70x
Essex 7 0.85x
Worcestershire 6 1.10x
Kent 4 0.28x
Warwickshire 4 0.38x
Yorkshire 3 0.07x
Royal Navy 2 4.00x
Herefordshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire leads with 20 Cleals recorded in 1881 and an index of 272.48x.

Place Total Index
Tewkesbury 20 272.48x
St Peter Port 19 82.64x
Burstock 13 4814.81x
St Helier 12 29.66x
Allington 11 447.15x
Crewkerne 10 139.47x
Haselbury Plucknett 10 1176.47x
Paddington London 10 6.48x
St Anne 10 450.45x
Longfleet 8 250.78x
Sydling St Nicholas 8 1000.00x
Yeovil 8 58.31x
Loders 7 510.95x
Lymington 7 110.76x
Mosterton 7 1521.74x
Portsea 7 4.15x
Southampton St Mary 7 12.95x
Spotland 7 12.65x
Trull 7 507.25x
Upway 7 666.67x
Willesden 7 17.70x
Bradford On Avon 6 50.51x
Bromley London 6 6.50x
Corscombe 6 638.30x
East Coker 6 405.41x
Huntspill 6 217.39x
Melcombe Regis 6 52.59x
Worcester St Peter 6 57.86x
Beaminster 5 163.40x
Bedminster 5 7.88x
Bothenhampton 5 649.35x
Netherbury 5 219.30x
Newington 5 3.23x
Portisham 5 485.44x
Preston 5 3.75x
Southampton All Sts 5 33.90x
Stanway 5 344.83x
West Dean 5 1111.11x
Wymering 5 354.61x
Aston 4 1.37x
Curry Rivell 4 176.99x
Mitcham 4 30.96x
St Sampson 4 71.43x
Toller Porcorum 4 625.00x
Wardour 4 366.97x
Westbury On Trym 4 14.35x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.65x
Cattistock 3 394.74x
Combpyne 3 1666.67x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 3 134.53x
Durston 3 937.50x
Gravesend 3 24.75x
Kenn 3 220.59x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.06x
Battersea 2 1.30x
Broadway 2 307.69x
Charminster 2 91.32x
Cheddington 2 1250.00x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.02x
Combe St Nicholas 2 122.70x
Fordingbridge 2 42.83x
Hackney London 2 0.85x
Halstock 2 312.50x
Islington London 2 0.49x
Leyton 2 14.03x
Parkstone 2 62.31x
Pitminster 2 101.01x
Portland 2 13.51x
Portsmouth 2 10.10x
Royal Navy 2 4.68x
Seaborough 2 1333.33x
Shoreditch London 2 1.10x
St Brelade 2 62.50x
St Maryde Castro 2 65.36x
St Pancras London 2 0.59x
Walcot 2 5.56x
West Chinnock 2 333.33x
Weymouth 2 38.39x
Bradpole 1 44.25x
Kings Nympton 1 111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 20
Ann 11
Annie 8
Jane 7
Sarah 7
Louisa 6
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Susan 5
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Martha 4
Matilda 4
Amelia 3
Florence 3
Jemima 3
Jessie 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Isabel 2
Lucy 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Agnes 1
B. 1
Bella 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Elizh. 1
Elsie 1
Emiley 1
Eunice 1
Joan 1
Julia 1
Worthy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
George 21
John 21
James 19
Charles 11
Henry 11
Thomas 10
Joseph 8
Alfred 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Amos 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Giles 2
Herbert 2
Levi 2
Tom 2
Ernest 1
Fredk.James 1
Fredrick 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Lot 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Nelson 1
Northcott 1
Oliver 1
Pantor 1
Percy 1
Ruben 1
Saml 1
Samsoon 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Cleal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cleal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 387 people were recorded with the Cleal surname. That placed it at #8,152 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cleal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Cleal a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Cleal map show?

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