NameCensus.

UK surname

Daniel

A biblical surname derived from the Hebrew name meaning "God is my judge."

In the 1881 census there were 6,608 people recorded with the Daniel surname, ranking it #643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,467, ranked #680, down from #643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daniel is 9,555 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

6,608

Ranked #643

Modern count

9,467

2016, ranked #680

Peak year

2014

9,555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Daniel had 6,608 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,467 in 2016, ranked #680.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,786 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Daniel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Daniel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Daniel 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 6,426 #427
1861 historical 6,801 #411
1881 historical 6,608 #643
1891 historical 7,254 #620
1901 historical 7,349 #736
1911 historical 7,786 #665
1997 modern 7,979 #805
1998 modern 8,303 #796
1999 modern 8,440 #792
2000 modern 8,377 #792
2001 modern 8,145 #800
2002 modern 8,444 #787
2003 modern 8,365 #775
2004 modern 8,445 #763
2005 modern 8,505 #748
2006 modern 8,704 #734
2007 modern 8,846 #725
2008 modern 8,942 #720
2009 modern 9,161 #718
2010 modern 9,362 #720
2011 modern 9,265 #718
2012 modern 9,273 #696
2013 modern 9,510 #690
2014 modern 9,555 #689
2015 modern 9,425 #692
2016 modern 9,467 #680

Geography

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Where Daniels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Aberdare Glamorganshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 008 Torridge
2 Torridge 009 Torridge
3 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
4 Torridge 004 Torridge
5 Swansea 012 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Daniel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Daniel

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Daniel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Daniel 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Daniel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Daniel 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

Daniel falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Daniel 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 Daniel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Daniel

The surname Daniel is of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical name Daniel, which means "God is my judge" in Hebrew. The name Daniel has been in use for thousands of years, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 6th century BC.

The surname Daniel is believed to have originated in ancient Israel, where it was initially borne by members of the Hebrew tribe of Judah. As the Jewish diaspora spread throughout the Mediterranean region and Europe in the centuries that followed, the name Daniel was carried along with them, eventually becoming a common surname in various parts of the world.

In medieval times, the surname Daniel was particularly prevalent in Germany, France, and England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several individuals with the surname Daniel or similar spellings, such as Daniiel and Danihel.

Throughout history, there have been many notable individuals who bore the surname Daniel. One of the earliest was Samuel Daniel, an English poet and historian who lived from 1562 to 1619. Another notable figure was John Daniel, a British naval officer and explorer who was born in 1646 and served as the governor of the British East India Company's settlement in Bombay (now Mumbai) from 1681 to 1689.

In the 19th century, John Frederick Daniel (1815-1884) was a prominent British geologist and mineralogist, while John Reginald Daniel (1888-1967) was a British archaeologist and historian who made significant contributions to the study of ancient civilizations in South Asia.

Moving into the 20th century, Arnaud Daniel (1913-1988) was a French novelist and essayist who won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1970 for his novel L'Été anglais. Another notable figure was Yusuf Daniel (1914-1994), an Indian playwright, actor, and director who was a pioneer of modern Urdu theatre.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Daniel, which has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture and has been carried across continents and centuries, becoming a prominent surname in various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Daniel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daniel 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. Yorkshire leads with 865 Daniels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.35x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 865 1.35x
Glamorgan 826 7.35x
Middlesex 571 0.88x
Carmarthenshire 397 14.60x
Cornwall 337 4.61x
Lancashire 321 0.42x
Devon 268 1.99x
Surrey 248 0.79x
Cardiganshire 237 15.05x
Monmouthshire 230 4.93x
Staffordshire 206 0.95x
Kent 196 0.89x
Aberdeenshire 181 3.03x
Worcestershire 135 1.60x
Warwickshire 134 0.82x
Cheshire 131 0.92x
Gloucestershire 122 0.96x
Pembrokeshire 82 4.00x
Somerset 80 0.77x
Denbighshire 75 3.08x
Durham 74 0.39x
Derbyshire 67 0.66x
Herefordshire 67 2.53x
Bedfordshire 63 1.89x
Caernarfonshire 62 2.38x
Lincolnshire 62 0.60x
Brecknockshire 50 3.87x
Norfolk 41 0.41x
Sussex 41 0.38x
Northamptonshire 40 0.66x
Lanarkshire 36 0.17x
Merionethshire 34 2.88x
Dorset 33 0.78x
Essex 31 0.24x
Midlothian 22 0.25x
Suffolk 22 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.24x
Oxfordshire 20 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.49x
Northumberland 18 0.19x
Hampshire 17 0.13x
Leicestershire 15 0.21x
Channel Islands 14 0.73x
Hertfordshire 12 0.27x
Anglesey 11 0.96x
Montgomeryshire 10 0.68x
Wiltshire 9 0.16x
Selkirkshire 8 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.17x
Banffshire 5 0.37x
Roxburghshire 5 0.43x
Ayrshire 4 0.08x
Berkshire 4 0.08x
Cumberland 4 0.07x
Flintshire 4 0.23x
Kincardineshire 4 0.51x
Angus 3 0.05x
Royal Navy 3 0.39x
Shropshire 3 0.05x
Morayshire 2 0.20x
Perthshire 2 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.14x
Argyllshire 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanelly in Carmarthenshire leads with 109 Daniels recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.79x.

Place Total Index
Llanelly 109 17.79x
Aberdare 98 12.70x
Ystradyfodwg 91 9.23x
Merthyr Tydfil 87 8.05x
Islington London 86 1.37x
Bedwellty 71 8.62x
Stoke Upon Trent 68 2.94x
Stone 64 22.97x
Swansea Town 61 6.62x
St Ives 58 40.57x
Leeds 54 1.50x
Aston 49 1.09x
Lambeth 48 0.85x
Rotherhithe 47 5.89x
Llanguick 45 22.35x
Trevethin 45 10.21x
Kensington London 42 1.17x
Madron Penzance 42 15.81x
Peterhead 42 13.29x
Neath 41 17.93x
Scarborough 41 7.06x
Battersea 40 1.68x
Carmarthen St Peter 40 17.21x
Clase 40 9.57x
St George Hanover Square 38 3.34x
Bethnal Green London 35 1.25x
Birmingham 34 0.63x
Ecclesall Bierlow 34 2.61x
Deptford St Paul 33 1.94x
Pembrey 33 26.38x
Llanbeblig 32 12.08x
Aberystwith 31 22.88x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 30 2.68x
Mobberley 30 92.25x
St Austell 30 12.01x
St Pancras London 30 0.58x
Llannon 28 75.09x
Cwmrheidol 27 107.48x
Whixley 27 233.77x
Hackney London 26 0.72x
St John Near Swansea 26 18.71x
Manchester 25 0.73x
Mile End Old Town London 25 1.82x
Poynton 25 52.19x
Cruden 24 31.18x
Kidwelly 24 43.21x
Sheffield 24 1.18x
St Just In Penwith 24 16.93x
St Marylebone London 24 0.70x
Stockton On Tees 24 2.59x
Toxteth Park 23 0.89x
Gillingham 22 4.85x
Margam 22 17.55x
Ramsgate 22 6.12x
Towyn 22 29.61x
Bradford 21 1.36x
Llanelly 21 13.60x
Llangendeirne 21 41.63x
Norbury 21 63.29x
Salford 21 0.93x
Aberdeen Old Machar 20 1.60x
Biggleswade 20 18.27x
Eyam 20 70.90x
Holsworthy 20 52.76x
Paignton 20 19.57x
Abergwilly 19 42.53x
Llangunnor 19 78.61x
St Cleer 19 29.99x
Brighton 18 0.82x
Holbeck 18 4.25x
Kings Norton 18 2.38x
Llanllawddog 18 136.05x
Michaelstone Super Avon 18 14.80x
Shoreditch London 18 0.64x
Snodland 18 28.83x
Wortley In Bramley 18 3.55x
Abergavenny 17 9.73x
Greenwich 17 1.65x
Llanwenarth Ultra 17 49.94x
Paddington London 17 0.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 486
Elizabeth 276
Sarah 204
Jane 163
Ann 152
Margaret 113
Ellen 78
Eliza 77
Hannah 73
Annie 72
Alice 70
Emma 68
Martha 57
Anne 56
Catherine 51
Emily 51
Maria 39
Edith 37
Rachel 36
Florence 34
Harriet 33
Louisa 31
Lucy 29
Ada 27
Charlotte 26
Fanny 23
Susan 23
Frances 22
Caroline 20
Kate 20
Elizth. 18
Clara 17
Margt. 17
Sophia 17
Agnes 16
Eleanor 16
Amelia 15
Minnie 15
Esther 14
Grace 13
Harriett 13
Beatrice 12
Julia 12
Margret 12
Isabella 10
Rose 10
Bessie 9
Ethel 9
Rosa 8
Susannah 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 415
William 394
Thomas 227
George 175
David 153
James 134
Henry 111
Charles 106
Joseph 77
Richard 71
Edward 64
Robert 64
Daniel 57
Samuel 57
Alfred 47
Arthur 46
Frederick 42
Evan 39
Benjamin 32
Walter 32
Harry 28
Albert 26
Ernest 20
Frank 20
Herbert 20
Wm. 20
Edwin 19
Francis 18
Rees 17
Thos. 17
Isaac 16
Lewis 16
Matthew 10
Edmund 9
Fred 9
Fredrick 9
Mathew 9
Geo. 8
Griffith 8
Owen 8
Andrew 7
Hugh 7
Nicholas 7
Levi 6
Morgan 6
Percy 6
Richd. 6
Willm. 6
Alexander 5
Joshua 5

FAQ

Daniel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Daniel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,608 people were recorded with the Daniel surname. That placed it at #643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Daniel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,467 in 2016. That gives Daniel a modern rank of #680.

What does the Daniel surname mean?

A biblical surname derived from the Hebrew name meaning "God is my judge."

What does the Daniel map show?

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