NameCensus.

UK surname

Culverwell

A locational surname referring to someone from a place near a well with pigeons or doves.

In the 1881 census there were 496 people recorded with the Culverwell surname, ranking it #6,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 445, ranked #10,890, down from #6,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Sedgemoor and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culverwell is 702 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.3%.

1881 census count

496

Ranked #6,816

Modern count

445

2016, ranked #10,890

Peak year

1911

702 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Culverwell had 496 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016, ranked #10,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 702 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Culverwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Culverwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Culverwell 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 322 #7,215
1861 historical 347 #7,357
1881 historical 496 #6,816
1891 historical 568 #6,687
1901 historical 616 #6,930
1911 historical 702 #6,071
1997 modern 447 #10,128
1998 modern 503 #9,547
1999 modern 498 #9,687
2000 modern 515 #9,408
2001 modern 515 #9,254
2002 modern 509 #9,509
2003 modern 482 #9,755
2004 modern 480 #9,793
2005 modern 452 #10,173
2006 modern 468 #9,952
2007 modern 467 #10,053
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 484 #10,101
2010 modern 489 #10,228
2011 modern 479 #10,280
2012 modern 451 #10,640
2013 modern 470 #10,478
2014 modern 460 #10,713
2015 modern 454 #10,751
2016 modern 445 #10,890

Geography

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Where Culverwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Sedgemoor and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 007 Taunton Deane
2 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
3 Sedgemoor 010 Sedgemoor
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 011 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Taunton Deane 002 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Culverwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Culverwell

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Culverwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Culverwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Culverwell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Culverwell 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

Culverwell falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Culverwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Culverwell

The surname Culverwell has its roots in England, originating in the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Culverwell, possibly in Somerset or Dorset, with the first part of the name originating from the Old English word "culfer," meaning a pigeon or dove, and the second part, "well," referring to a spring or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset in 1195, where a Richard de Culverwelle is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John de Culverwelle from Somerset. These early records suggest the name was initially associated with the southwestern regions of England.

The name Culverwell appears in several historical documents and records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Thomas Culverwell is listed. In the Hearth Tax Returns of 1662-1666, a George Culverwell is recorded in the parish of Naunton in Gloucestershire.

One notable bearer of the name was William Culverwell, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Stambridge in Essex from 1617 until his death in 1651. He wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise of Faith" and "A Discourse of the Light of Nature."

Another prominent figure was Sir Hugh Culverwell (1561-1623), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Liskeard in Cornwall in 1597 and for Gatton in Surrey in 1601. He held various legal positions, including Recorder of Exeter and Clerk of the Crown in the King's Bench.

In the 18th century, John Culverwell (1714-1796) was a notable English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, from 1776 until his death. He also held the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1785 to 1786.

Other historical figures bearing the Culverwell surname include Thomas Culverwell (1551-1600), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Middlesex in 1597, and Richard Culverwell (1622-1694), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works.

Throughout its history, the surname Culverwell has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the southwestern regions, and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, lawyers, politicians, and landowners.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Culverwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culverwell 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. Somerset leads with 142 Culverwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.27x.

County Total Index
Somerset 142 18.27x
Middlesex 55 1.14x
Surrey 52 2.21x
Hampshire 45 4.55x
Devon 40 3.98x
Gloucestershire 38 4.01x
Warwickshire 33 2.71x
Lancashire 15 0.26x
Leicestershire 14 2.62x
Yorkshire 8 0.17x
Dorset 7 2.21x
Wiltshire 7 1.64x
Worcestershire 7 1.11x
Glamorgan 6 0.71x
Kent 6 0.36x
Staffordshire 6 0.37x
Oxfordshire 4 1.34x
Monmouthshire 3 0.86x
Berkshire 2 0.55x
Derbyshire 2 0.26x
Bedfordshire 1 0.40x
Cumberland 1 0.24x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 29 Culverwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.89x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 29 6.89x
Birmingham 18 4.44x
North Petherton 18 287.08x
Taunton St Mary 16 112.12x
Lyncombe Widcombe 12 58.97x
St George Hanover Square 12 14.11x
Westbury On Trym 12 37.41x
Bridgewater 11 52.13x
Bristol St James St Paul 11 34.83x
Kensington London 11 4.10x
Taunton St James 11 97.09x
Walcot 11 26.58x
Southampton St Michael 10 306.75x
Chard 9 95.64x
Pendleton In Salford 9 13.18x
Sidmouth 9 156.52x
Wembdon 9 391.30x
Aston 8 2.39x
Clayhidon 8 816.33x
Swinford 8 1194.03x
Rotherhithe 7 11.73x
Brislington 6 413.79x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 16.50x
Dalwood 6 882.35x
East Meon 6 232.56x
Kimberworth 6 22.59x
Portland 6 35.21x
Reddish 6 76.05x
Shoreditch London 6 2.87x
White Lackington 6 1276.60x
Durleigh 5 1470.59x
Ealing 5 11.59x
Glastonbury 5 78.86x
Leicester St Margaret 5 3.83x
Westminster St James 5 10.07x
Wolstanton Chesterton 5 60.02x
Worcester St Clement 5 124.69x
Yarcombe 5 434.78x
Barnes 4 40.20x
Bishops Hull 4 159.36x
Bristol St George 4 9.13x
Cowbridge 4 197.04x
Lonbridge Deverill 4 266.67x
Newington 4 2.24x
Over Stowey 4 459.77x
Plumstead 4 7.28x
Plymouth Charles The 4 9.03x
Southampton St Mary 4 6.43x
Upper Clatford 4 327.87x
Axminster 3 63.69x
Bishops Lydeard 3 151.52x
Bristol St Paul In 3 11.89x
Camberwell 3 0.97x
Clifton 3 6.27x
Dunster 3 161.29x
Easton 3 375.00x
Headington 3 64.79x
Millbrook 3 12.03x
Southampton All Sts 3 17.67x
Southwark St John 3 20.31x
Cardiff St John 2 7.28x
Derby St Werburgh 2 4.58x
Exeter St David 2 23.28x
Henbury 2 43.29x
Michaelstone Y Vedw 2 606.06x
Redditch 2 15.65x
Sheffield 2 1.31x
Southampton Holy Rood 2 200.00x
St George Bloomsbury 2 7.22x
St Luke London 2 2.58x
St Marylebone London 2 0.78x
St Maurice Winchester 2 48.66x
St Pancras London 2 0.51x
Stroud 2 10.85x
All Hallows London Wall 1 188.68x
Bath St James 1 12.33x
Calne 1 11.38x
Durston 1 270.27x
Hastings St Mary 1 4.94x
Penrith 1 6.51x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 20
John 20
Henry 19
James 19
William 18
Thomas 16
Arthur 10
Edwin 9
Charles 8
Joseph 8
Albert 6
Frederick 6
Richard 6
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Robert 5
Alfred 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Chas. 2
Ebenezar 2
Ebenezer 2
Edward 2
Fred 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Benjn 1
Clifford 1
Edwd. 1
Eliza 1
Ep... 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Gane 1
Herbert 1
Hewlet 1
Jasper 1
Josiah 1
Luke 1
Major 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Otto 1
Paul 1
Saml.W. 1
Stanley 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Tom 1
Uriah 1
Valentine 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Culverwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Culverwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 496 people were recorded with the Culverwell surname. That placed it at #6,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Culverwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016. That gives Culverwell a modern rank of #10,890.

What does the Culverwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place near a well with pigeons or doves.

What does the Culverwell map show?

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