NameCensus.

UK surname

Daybell

An English surname originally referring to someone residing near a bell tower or associated with church bells.

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Daybell surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lowdham, Coddington and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Cornwall and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daybell is 136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.1%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

73

2016, ranked #33,502

Peak year

1911

136 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 1998

Key insights

  • Daybell had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016, ranked #33,502.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Daybell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Daybell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Daybell 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 81 #31,044
2007 modern 83 #31,183
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 84 #31,842
2010 modern 77 #32,927
2011 modern 77 #32,909
2012 modern 71 #33,573
2013 modern 77 #33,275
2014 modern 81 #33,061
2015 modern 72 #33,595
2016 modern 73 #33,502

Geography

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Where Daybells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lowdham, Coddington, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Ilkeston and Balderton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Cornwall, Derbyshire Dales, Warrington and West Berkshire. 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 Lowdham Nottinghamshire
2 Coddington Nottinghamshire
3 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
4 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire
5 Balderton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 004 Newark and Sherwood
2 Cornwall 072 Cornwall
3 Derbyshire Dales 002 Derbyshire Dales
4 Warrington 002 Warrington
5 West Berkshire 004 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Daybell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Daybell

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Daybell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Daybell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Daybell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Daybell

The surname DAYBELL originates from England, specifically the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dæg" (day) and "bell" (bell), suggesting a connection to someone who rang the bell to mark the start or end of the day's work.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled "Daibell." This early form of the name indicates that it was initially a nickname or occupational descriptor before becoming a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DAYBELL surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a "Johannes Daybell" residing in the village of Beverley. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century.

The DAYBELL name has also been linked to certain place names, such as Daybell Farm in the village of Cowling, Yorkshire. This farm was mentioned in the Cowling Manor Court Rolls of 1567, indicating a potential connection between the surname and a specific location or landholding.

Notable individuals with the DAYBELL surname throughout history include:

1. John Daybell (c. 1495-1572), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Stow from 1551 until his death. 2. William Daybell (c. 1560-1638), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York during the Elizabethan era. 3. Elizabeth Daybell (1628-1703), a Quaker writer and activist from Lancashire, known for her pamphlets advocating for religious tolerance. 4. James Daybell (1796-1878), a renowned English landscape painter who specialized in depicting rural scenes and pastoral landscapes. 5. Sir Henry Daybell (1857-1932), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Leeds West from 1900 to 1918.

While the DAYBELL surname has its roots in the northern counties of England, it has since spread to various parts of the country and beyond, with families bearing this name making contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Daybell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daybell 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 48 Daybells recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.98x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 48 28.98x
Leicestershire 24 17.61x
Derbyshire 13 6.76x
Yorkshire 13 1.07x
Lancashire 9 0.62x
Middlesex 5 0.41x
Surrey 5 0.83x
Warwickshire 3 0.97x
Essex 2 0.82x
Kent 2 0.48x
Lincolnshire 2 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bottesford in Leicestershire leads with 24 Daybells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4285.71x.

Place Total Index
Bottesford 24 4285.71x
Lowdham 17 5483.87x
Coddington 12 5454.55x
Ashford 7 2500.00x
Balderton 6 1333.33x
Brassington 6 2068.97x
Southwell 6 495.87x
West Derby 6 14.06x
Newington 5 11.01x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 16.15x
St Pancras London 4 4.04x
Birmingham 3 2.90x
Great Bolton 3 15.53x
Brightside Bierlow 2 8.37x
Epperstone 2 1111.11x
Holy Trinity 2 6.83x
Kimberworth 2 29.59x
Lenton 2 51.28x
West Ham 2 3.73x
Woolwich 2 12.91x
Bentley Cum Arksey 1 156.25x
Beverley St Nicholas 1 100.00x
Car Colston 1 833.33x
Farnsfield 1 227.27x
Great Gonerby 1 196.08x
Newark Upon Trent 1 16.81x
Old Malton 1 129.87x
Paddington London 1 2.21x
Welbourn 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 11
Ann 8
Elizabeth 5
Florence 4
Annie 3
Alice 2
Agnes 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth.Mary 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Maria 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 12
Thomas 5
George 4
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Daniel 2
Eli 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Heber 1
Henry 1
Robt. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Daybell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Daybell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Daybell surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Daybell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Daybell a modern rank of #33,502.

What does the Daybell surname mean?

An English surname originally referring to someone residing near a bell tower or associated with church bells.

What does the Daybell map show?

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