NameCensus.

UK surname

Conwell

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "holy spring" or "holy well" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Conwell surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 190, ranked #20,262, down from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Childwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havant, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conwell is 241 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.9%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

190

2016, ranked #20,262

Peak year

1861

241 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conwell had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016, ranked #20,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Conwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conwell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conwell 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 83 #19,181
1861 historical 241 #10,192
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 166 #20,532
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 165 #20,530
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 180 #20,341
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 174 #21,065
2013 modern 180 #20,954
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 190 #20,262

Geography

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Where Conwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Childwall, Bradford and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havant, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Saltcoats North East. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Childwall Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havant 018 Havant
2 Manchester 007 Manchester
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 015 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Saltcoats North East North Ayrshire
5 Manchester 002 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conwell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Conwell, 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 Conwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Conwell 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Conwell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Conwell 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

Conwell falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Conwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Conwell

The surname Conwell is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "cune" meaning "bold" and "welle" meaning "spring" or "stream". It is believed to have originated in the region of Warwickshire, England, and was initially used to denote someone who lived near a bold or brave spring or stream.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as Cunwelle, Conewelle, and Conwalle. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Godric Conewelle is listed as holding a manor in Warwickshire.

In the 13th century, a notable individual bearing the name was John Conwell, a monk and chronicler from the Abbey of Evesham in Worcestershire. His writings provide valuable insights into the history and daily life of the abbey during that time period.

During the 14th century, the Conwell family gained prominence in Somerset, where they held lands and estates. One of the most notable members was Sir John Conwell, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born in 1310 and died in 1378.

In the 16th century, the name appears in records from the city of Bristol, with a merchant named William Conwell (1525-1592) being a prominent figure in the city's trade and commerce.

Another notable individual was John Conwell (1608-1661), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Ipswich in Suffolk. He is best known for his work titled "The Doctrine of the Sabbath", which was published in 1644.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition through the life of Russell Conwell (1743-1825), an American educator and philanthropist. He founded the Conwell Academy in Pennsylvania, which later became part of the public school system.

As the name spread across different regions, various spellings emerged, such as Conwill, Conville, and Conville. However, the most common spelling has remained Conwell.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conwell 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. Lancashire leads with 32 Conwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 32 2.79x
Yorkshire 28 2.93x
Dunbartonshire 6 23.12x
Middlesex 4 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 4 3.07x
Surrey 4 0.85x
Norfolk 3 2.02x
Northumberland 3 2.09x
Durham 2 0.70x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.64x
Cheshire 1 0.47x
Denbighshire 1 2.74x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.69x
Flintshire 1 3.85x
Glamorgan 1 0.59x
Lanarkshire 1 0.32x
Lincolnshire 1 0.65x
Monmouthshire 1 1.43x
Royal Navy 1 8.69x
Staffordshire 1 0.31x
Sussex 1 0.61x
Warwickshire 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 23 Conwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.31x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 23 99.31x
Manchester 12 23.29x
Bonhill 6 144.23x
Broughton In Salford 6 57.25x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 58.00x
Wavertree 5 136.24x
Hornsey 4 32.76x
Lambeth 4 4.75x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 225.99x
West Derby 3 8.95x
Longbenton 2 32.89x
Stoke Ferry 2 869.57x
Annan 1 54.64x
Bedwellty 1 8.12x
Bersham 1 64.10x
Birmingham 1 1.23x
Darlaston 1 22.22x
Framfield 1 200.00x
Glasgow 1 1.80x
Great Grimsby 1 10.20x
Horton In Bradford 1 6.69x
Hunstanton 1 200.00x
Leeds 1 1.85x
Llanguick 1 33.22x
Potter Newton 1 59.17x
Royal Navy 1 10.16x
Skipton 1 33.22x
St Giles Cambridge 1 126.58x
Standish With Langtree 1 70.92x
Tong 1 54.05x
Tranmere 1 12.77x
Tynemouth 1 13.00x
Westoe 1 6.14x
Whitford 1 74.07x
Whitton 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Margaret 4
Annie 2
Jane 2
A. 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Katherine 1
M. 1
M.H. 1
Margt. 1
Rebecca 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
James 4
William 4
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
George 2
Martin 2
Michael 2
Alonzo 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ennthe 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Rhys 1
Robert 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Conwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Conwell surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016. That gives Conwell a modern rank of #20,262.

What does the Conwell surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "holy spring" or "holy well" in Old English.

What does the Conwell map show?

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