UK surname
An occupational surname referring to one who worked with cherry or cornel trees.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Cornel surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cornel is 119 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.3%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1861
119 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cornel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cornel surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 66 | #21,617 |
| 1861 | historical | 119 | #18,393 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 32 | #31,754 |
| 1901 | historical | 10 | #33,026 |
| 1911 | historical | 13 | #32,172 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 4 | #38,082 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 7 | #37,379 |
| 2003 | modern | 7 | #37,397 |
| 2004 | modern | 7 | #37,496 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 24 | #36,306 |
| 2012 | modern | 32 | #35,820 |
| 2013 | modern | 24 | #36,344 |
| 2014 | modern | 26 | #36,244 |
| 2015 | modern | 24 | #36,364 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Leonard Shoreditch, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford, Ilkeston and Corringham, Little Warley, Dunton, Fobbing, Lee Chapel. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Ilkeston | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Corringham, Little Warley, Dunton, Fobbing, Lee Chapel | Essex |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cornel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cornel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cornel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cornel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cornel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cornel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cornel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cornel is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cornel," which referred to the cornel tree or dogwood tree, a species of woody plant native to Europe and parts of Asia.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Cornel can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this historical document, the name appears in various forms, including Cornhill, Cornehill, and Cornelle, indicating its association with areas where cornel trees were abundant.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Cornel began to appear more frequently in various records and manuscripts, especially in regions such as Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable individual bearing this name was John Cornel, a landowner and freeman recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230.
In the 15th century, the surname Cornel was also associated with certain place names, such as Cornhill in London, which may have contributed to its adoption by families residing in or near those areas. William Cornel, a merchant and alderman of London, was recorded in 1456 and is considered one of the earliest known individuals with this surname in the city.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Cornel. One prominent figure was Ezra Cornell (1807-1874), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Another was Peter Arno Cornel (1891-1968), a celebrated American cartoonist and illustrator known for his contributions to The New Yorker magazine.
Other notable individuals with the surname Cornel include Robert Cornel (c. 1588-1665), an English Puritan minister and theologian; John Cornel (c. 1628-1701), an English philosopher and writer; and Sir Walter Cornel (1859-1937), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the Second Boer War.
While the surname Cornel has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cornel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 6 Cornels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.66x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 6 | 3.66x |
| Huntingdonshire | 3 | 91.19x |
| Kent | 3 | 5.31x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 9.53x |
| Essex | 1 | 3.06x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 3.47x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.60x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 2.39x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stansfield in Yorkshire leads with 6 Cornels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stansfield | 6 | 1000.00x |
| Deptford St Paul | 3 | 68.81x |
| Offord D Arcy | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Aberdare | 1 | 50.51x |
| Harston | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 10.86x |
| Rettendon | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Warwick St Nicholas | 1 | 322.58x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cornel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cornel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cornel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Cab Driver | 1 |
| Char Woman | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Cotton Rover | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| House Keeper | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Mule Spinner (Cotton) | 1 |
| Printers Manager | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Cornel surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Cornel a modern rank of #36,457.
An occupational surname referring to one who worked with cherry or cornel trees.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cornel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.