NameCensus.

UK surname

Devall

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Devall surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 461, ranked #10,625, up from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Bromley and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devall is 474 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.4%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

461

2016, ranked #10,625

Peak year

2010

474 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devall had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016, ranked #10,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 321 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Devall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devall 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 296 #11,215
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 375 #11,555
1998 modern 420 #10,973
1999 modern 434 #10,784
2000 modern 440 #10,629
2001 modern 423 #10,757
2002 modern 443 #10,577
2003 modern 435 #10,571
2004 modern 442 #10,459
2005 modern 424 #10,691
2006 modern 424 #10,748
2007 modern 441 #10,513
2008 modern 447 #10,481
2009 modern 462 #10,444
2010 modern 474 #10,461
2011 modern 470 #10,432
2012 modern 467 #10,384
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 456 #10,781
2015 modern 458 #10,678
2016 modern 461 #10,625

Geography

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Where Devalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, London parishes, St Pancras and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Bromley, Cannock Chase, Bedford and Ross and Cromarty South West. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 019 Wealden
2 Bromley 019 Bromley
3 Cannock Chase 003 Cannock Chase
4 Bedford 015 Bedford
5 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devall

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Devall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Devall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Devall is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Devall is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Devall falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Devall

The surname DEVALL has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "dæl" meaning "dell" or "valley," and "fealu" meaning "fallow" or "pale brown." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a fallow valley or a valley with brown soil.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1230, where it was spelled "de la Vale." This spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the geographic feature of a valley. Over time, the name evolved into its modern form, DEVALL.

In the 13th century, the name DEVALL was found in various records from counties such as Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire. One notable individual was William Devall, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Another early record is that of John Devall, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279.

During the 16th century, the DEVALL surname appeared in several parish records, including those of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. One individual, Robert Devall, was christened there in 1578. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Devall, a merchant from London who was born around 1550.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Richard Devall, a landowner from Essex who was born in 1620. Another notable figure was John Devall, a scholar and clergyman from Cambridgeshire, who was born in 1673 and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Woodditton.

As the centuries progressed, the DEVALL surname continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable individual was William Devall, a writer and journalist from London who was born in 1784 and published several works on history and politics.

Throughout its history, the DEVALL surname has been associated with various occupations and backgrounds, reflecting the diverse nature of English society. From landowners and merchants to scholars and writers, the name has left its mark on the annals of English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devall 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. Staffordshire leads with 57 Devalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.59x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 57 7.59x
Surrey 44 4.06x
Warwickshire 28 4.99x
Kent 26 3.43x
Middlesex 23 1.03x
Worcestershire 16 5.51x
Cheshire 8 1.63x
Shropshire 5 2.60x
Essex 4 0.91x
Herefordshire 4 4.39x
Norfolk 4 1.17x
Hampshire 2 0.44x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Berwickshire 1 3.71x
Durham 1 0.15x
Glamorgan 1 0.26x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.73x

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 23 Devalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.30x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 23 12.30x
Stone 17 177.08x
Bermondsey 15 22.66x
Dudley 15 42.48x
Kingswood 13 4333.33x
Rugeley 10 185.53x
Burntwood Edial 9 187.50x
Bollington In 8 183.07x
Bow London 8 28.26x
Walmer 8 242.42x
Littlebourne 7 1206.90x
Stafford St Mary 7 65.85x
Streatham 7 42.42x
Newington 6 7.30x
Woolwich 6 21.41x
Aston 5 3.24x
Berkswich 5 1086.96x
Bethnal Green London 5 5.17x
Chislehurst 4 98.28x
Great Yarmouth 4 14.12x
Leominster 4 106.10x
Shrewsbury St Julian 4 84.21x
Tipton 4 17.40x
Burton Upon Trent 3 17.08x
St George Hanover Square 3 7.66x
Camberwell 2 1.41x
Colchester St Leonard 2 141.84x
Leeds 2 1.61x
Paddington London 2 2.45x
Southampton St Mary 2 6.98x
Westminster St Margaret 2 18.64x
Cardiff St John 1 7.91x
Clapham 1 3.60x
Colchester St Botolph 1 26.81x
Colchester St Mary At 1 64.10x
Eyemouth 1 44.44x
Great Bolton 1 2.86x
Hammersmith London 1 1.83x
Hart 1 62.11x
Newport 1 43.10x
Oxford St Thomas 1 15.60x
Plumstead 1 3.95x
Sedgley 1 3.59x
Tardebigg 1 227.27x
Tottenham 1 2.82x
Twickenham 1 10.48x
Wolverhampton 1 1.73x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Devall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Devall surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016. That gives Devall a modern rank of #10,625.

What does the Devall surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Devall map show?

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