NameCensus.

UK surname

Daniels

From the Hebrew name Daniel, meaning "God is my judge," adopted as an English surname.

In the 1881 census there were 9,394 people recorded with the Daniels surname, ranking it #452 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,275, ranked #357, up from #452 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Carmarthenshire and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daniels is 17,351 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.9%.

1881 census count

9,394

Ranked #452

Modern count

17,275

2016, ranked #357

Peak year

2014

17,351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Daniels had 9,394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #452 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,275 in 2016, ranked #357.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,813 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Daniels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Daniels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Daniels 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 4,719 #587
1861 historical 4,881 #581
1881 historical 9,394 #452
1891 historical 10,070 #439
1901 historical 12,533 #418
1911 historical 13,813 #353
1997 modern 16,051 #376
1998 modern 16,844 #372
1999 modern 16,942 #373
2000 modern 16,744 #375
2001 modern 16,375 #375
2002 modern 16,905 #368
2003 modern 16,404 #371
2004 modern 16,390 #369
2005 modern 16,164 #366
2006 modern 16,177 #367
2007 modern 16,331 #369
2008 modern 16,408 #369
2009 modern 16,972 #366
2010 modern 17,256 #366
2011 modern 17,003 #367
2012 modern 16,727 #367
2013 modern 17,189 #366
2014 modern 17,351 #362
2015 modern 17,234 #362
2016 modern 17,275 #357

Geography

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Where Daniels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Manchester and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, Carmarthenshire, Stockport and Warrington. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 001 Broadland
2 Carmarthenshire 016 Carmarthenshire
3 Stockport 004 Stockport
4 Carmarthenshire 015 Carmarthenshire
5 Warrington 021 Warrington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Daniels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Daniels

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Daniels is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Daniels 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

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

Meaning and origin of Daniels

The surname Daniels is of English origin, deriving from the personal name Daniel, which itself is of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge." The name Daniel was brought to England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Daniels date back to the late 12th century, found in various tax rolls and legal documents from that era. These early spellings include Danieles, Danielis, and Danyelis, reflecting the transition from the Norman-French to the more modern English spelling.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Robert Daniels, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1208. Another early reference can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire from 1214, which record a William Daniels.

The surname Daniels is also found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings throughout England commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the Domesday Book doesn't contain surnames as we understand them today, it does list individuals with the personal name Daniel, some of whom may have been ancestors of later Daniels families.

As the surname grew in popularity, it became associated with various place names throughout England, leading to variations such as Danielston and Danyelston. These place names likely refer to settlements or estates owned or inhabited by early Daniels families.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Daniels include the English poet and playwright Samuel Daniels (1562-1619), whose works include the plays "The Tragedy of Cleopatra" and "The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses." Another prominent figure was the English Puritan minister and scholar William Daniels (1571-1628), who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

In the arts, one of the most famous Daniels was the English actor and comedian Jack Daniels (1884-1965), known for his work in music hall and vaudeville performances. The American journalist and author Jonathan Daniels (1939-1981) also achieved recognition for his coverage of the Civil Rights Movement and his book "The Siberian Curse."

Additionally, the surname Daniels has been carried by several notable military figures throughout history, such as the English naval officer Sir Charles Daniels (1661-1721), who served as a rear admiral in the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Daniels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daniels 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 1,448 Daniels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,448 1.33x
Middlesex 1,148 1.25x
Surrey 678 1.52x
Norfolk 610 4.32x
Kent 506 1.62x
Staffordshire 449 1.45x
Cheshire 421 2.08x
Gloucestershire 375 2.08x
Yorkshire 321 0.35x
Essex 273 1.51x
Wiltshire 267 3.29x
Warwickshire 259 1.12x
Bedfordshire 239 5.03x
Sussex 187 1.21x
Hampshire 174 0.93x
Carmarthenshire 169 4.37x
Glamorgan 152 0.95x
Worcestershire 152 1.27x
Suffolk 145 1.30x
Devon 111 0.58x
Hertfordshire 103 1.63x
Monmouthshire 101 1.52x
Somerset 98 0.66x
Buckinghamshire 88 1.59x
Derbyshire 85 0.59x
Northamptonshire 80 0.93x
Durham 72 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 68 1.17x
Lincolnshire 60 0.41x
Dorset 58 0.96x
Herefordshire 56 1.49x
Oxfordshire 45 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 44 0.36x
Denbighshire 39 1.13x
Leicestershire 33 0.32x
Midlothian 30 0.24x
Cornwall 26 0.25x
Lanarkshire 22 0.07x
Brecknockshire 20 1.09x
Cardiganshire 20 0.89x
Caernarfonshire 19 0.51x
Ayrshire 18 0.26x
Berkshire 17 0.25x
Cumberland 17 0.22x
Flintshire 14 0.57x
Pembrokeshire 14 0.48x
Shropshire 14 0.18x
Merionethshire 13 0.77x
Royal Navy 13 1.19x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.38x
Channel Islands 5 0.18x
Northumberland 5 0.04x
Anglesey 4 0.25x
Radnorshire 3 0.41x
Isle of Man 2 0.12x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.10x
Peeblesshire 2 0.46x
Wigtownshire 2 0.16x
Argyllshire 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.04x
Renfrewshire 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 142 Daniels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.84x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 142 1.84x
Manchester 125 2.55x
Islington London 111 1.25x
Mile End Old Town London 101 5.17x
Lambeth 94 1.17x
Warrington 76 5.89x
Bermondsey 73 2.67x
Battersea 70 2.07x
Burslem 66 7.44x
Stoke Upon Trent 65 1.98x
Liverpool 63 0.95x
St Pancras London 62 0.84x
Shoreditch London 60 1.51x
Salford 59 1.84x
West Derby 59 1.85x
St Marylebone London 58 1.18x
West Ham 58 1.45x
Lymm 56 38.03x
Pendleton In Salford 56 4.32x
Toxteth Park 55 1.49x
Barton Upon Irwell 54 6.59x
Camberwell 53 0.90x
Bethnal Green London 51 1.28x
Parr 50 12.84x
Rotherhithe 49 4.32x
Portsea 47 1.28x
Everton 46 1.33x
Bramhall 45 53.64x
Heigham 45 5.94x
Bromley London 43 2.13x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 42 2.48x
Chorlton On Medlock 42 2.43x
Dersingham 41 128.73x
Great Bolton 41 2.84x
Greenwich 41 2.81x
Sandy 41 48.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 41 2.22x
Bow London 40 3.42x
Wolstanton 40 4.25x
Balsham 39 122.68x
Rowley Regis 39 4.52x
Gillingham 38 5.89x
Hyde 38 6.36x
Spitalfields London 38 5.51x
Upton Scudamore 38 387.76x
Wigan 38 2.50x
Hackney London 37 0.72x
Kensington London 37 0.73x
Newington 36 1.06x
St George Hanover Square 36 2.23x
Pemberton 35 8.06x
Aston 34 0.53x
Audley 34 11.09x
Chatham 34 3.95x
Stroud 34 9.71x
Maulden 32 77.71x
Moss Side 30 5.24x
Norwich St Clement 30 18.34x
Bootle Cum Linacre 29 3.35x
Holy Trinity 29 1.33x
Swindon 29 4.61x
Godstone 28 34.96x
Deptford St Paul 27 1.12x
Rugby 27 8.62x
Tottenham 27 1.85x
Wroughton 27 38.41x
Clerkenwell London 26 1.20x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 26 2.20x
Little Bolton 26 1.86x
Minchinhampton 26 18.13x
Rodborough 26 29.91x
Wolstanton Knutton 26 13.75x
Chelsea London 25 0.90x
Croydon 25 1.01x
Paddington London 25 0.74x
St Luke London 25 1.70x
Ystradyfodwg 25 1.78x
Ashton Under Lyne 24 1.01x
Great Yarmouth 23 1.97x
Whitechapel London 23 2.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 629
Elizabeth 367
Sarah 364
Ann 197
Emma 169
Eliza 163
Jane 158
Ellen 157
Alice 142
Annie 109
Emily 107
Hannah 102
Martha 87
Margaret 82
Louisa 71
Harriet 63
Maria 63
Charlotte 62
Edith 62
Caroline 53
Florence 50
Ada 48
Fanny 48
Catherine 43
Lucy 41
Susan 39
Clara 34
Rose 33
Kate 32
Anne 31
Esther 29
Harriett 28
Amelia 26
Julia 26
Rachel 26
Agnes 25
Gertrude 25
Rebecca 23
Elizth. 22
Amy 21
Sophia 21
Anna 20
Frances 20
Laura 20
Lydia 19
Minnie 19
Susannah 18
Jessie 17
Lilly 14
Matilda 14

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 573
John 489
George 339
James 306
Thomas 287
Henry 202
Charles 192
Joseph 180
Alfred 125
Samuel 102
Robert 95
Edward 90
Frederick 85
Albert 83
Arthur 83
Walter 83
David 67
Richard 62
Daniel 55
Harry 45
Frank 42
Ernest 34
Edwin 31
Francis 29
Herbert 29
Peter 25
Benjamin 24
Thos. 24
Wm. 24
Isaac 20
Stephen 18
Josiah 15
Evan 12
Fredrick 12
Job 11
Sidney 11
Frederic 10
Geo. 10
Jacob 10
Percy 10
Christopher 9
Edmund 9
Michael 9
Philip 9
Saml. 9
Willie 9
Fredk. 8
Abraham 7
Jesse 7
Louis 7

Top occupations

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 Daniels households.

FAQ

Daniels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Daniels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9,394 people were recorded with the Daniels surname. That placed it at #452 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Daniels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,275 in 2016. That gives Daniels a modern rank of #357.

What does the Daniels surname mean?

From the Hebrew name Daniel, meaning "God is my judge," adopted as an English surname.

What does the Daniels map show?

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