NameCensus.

UK surname

Dorrell

A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "dor" meaning a thicket or wood and "hyll" meaning a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 549 people recorded with the Dorrell surname, ranking it #6,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 719, ranked #7,553, down from #6,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Missenden, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Malvern Hills and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dorrell is 814 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.0%.

1881 census count

549

Ranked #6,284

Modern count

719

2016, ranked #7,553

Peak year

1998

814 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dorrell had 549 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016, ranked #7,553.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 812 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dorrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dorrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dorrell 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 376 #6,343
1861 historical 342 #7,460
1881 historical 549 #6,284
1891 historical 603 #6,360
1901 historical 698 #6,305
1911 historical 812 #5,416
1997 modern 777 #6,691
1998 modern 814 #6,667
1999 modern 813 #6,709
2000 modern 814 #6,689
2001 modern 775 #6,815
2002 modern 759 #7,045
2003 modern 748 #7,036
2004 modern 718 #7,237
2005 modern 705 #7,297
2006 modern 720 #7,201
2007 modern 716 #7,302
2008 modern 700 #7,485
2009 modern 739 #7,331
2010 modern 742 #7,435
2011 modern 739 #7,396
2012 modern 745 #7,267
2013 modern 748 #7,361
2014 modern 747 #7,403
2015 modern 722 #7,543
2016 modern 719 #7,553

Geography

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Where Dorrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Missenden, Great and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Malvern Hills, Hackney, Worcester and Kingston upon Thames. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Missenden, Great Buckinghamshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
2 Malvern Hills 002 Malvern Hills
3 Hackney 002 Hackney
4 Worcester 004 Worcester
5 Kingston upon Thames 012 Kingston upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dorrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dorrell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dorrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dorrell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dorrell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Dorrell 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

Dorrell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dorrell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Dorrell

The surname Dorrell has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dor" meaning door and "hill," suggesting a possible connection to a location or settlement near a prominent hill or gateway.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Doryl." This early spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames in medieval times, often influenced by regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

The Dorrell surname is thought to have originated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, where it was particularly prevalent during the Middle Ages. In the early 14th century, a Thomas Dorel is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire, indicating the presence of the name in that region.

While the Dorrell name does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, it is possible that its origins can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The influx of French and Norman settlers during this period had a significant impact on the development of English surnames.

Notable individuals bearing the Dorrell surname include Sir John Dorrell (c. 1470-1538), a prominent English merchant and Sheriff of London in the early 16th century. Another distinguished figure was Henry Dorrell (1614-1680), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Buckingham.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Dorothy Dorrell (1914-1995), a British novelist and children's writer known for her works such as "The Squire's Daughter" and "The Merry Christmas Feast." Her contributions to children's literature have left a lasting impact.

The Dorrell name also has a connection to the military, with Major General James Dorrell (1823-1893) serving as a notable officer in the British Army during the 19th century. He participated in various campaigns, including the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Another individual of note is Sir William Dorrell (1745-1826), a British naval officer and Member of Parliament who played a role in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty.

Throughout its history, the Dorrell surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Dorrill, Dorill, Dorryll, and Dorryll, reflecting the evolving nature of language and regional influences over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dorrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dorrell 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. Middlesex leads with 155 Dorrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 155 2.90x
Worcestershire 79 11.32x
Kent 64 3.51x
Shropshire 40 8.66x
Buckinghamshire 35 10.83x
Surrey 33 1.27x
Staffordshire 29 1.61x
Lancashire 16 0.25x
Hertfordshire 15 4.07x
Warwickshire 12 0.89x
Oxfordshire 10 3.03x
Essex 9 0.85x
Glamorgan 9 0.97x
Devon 7 0.63x
Gloucestershire 6 0.57x
Berkshire 5 1.25x
Wiltshire 5 1.06x
Hampshire 3 0.27x
Herefordshire 3 1.37x
Northamptonshire 3 0.60x
Yorkshire 3 0.06x
Lincolnshire 2 0.23x
Bedfordshire 1 0.36x
Durham 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Radnorshire 1 2.32x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 25 Dorrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.79x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 25 10.79x
Kensington London 18 6.06x
Wendover 15 431.03x
Ditton Priors 14 1272.73x
Eastham 13 2096.77x
Sittingbourne 12 83.33x
Enville 11 774.65x
Hampton London 11 125.14x
Mile End Old Town London 11 9.67x
Stottesdon 11 523.81x
Broadway 10 333.33x
St George Hanover Square 10 10.62x
Folkestone 9 25.44x
Plumstead 9 14.80x
St Pancras London 9 2.09x
Swansea Town 9 11.79x
Abberley 8 720.72x
Buckland 8 506.33x
Camberwell 8 2.34x
Cleobury Mortimer 8 274.91x
Wardleworth 8 22.07x
Chelsea London 7 4.35x
Erith 7 38.95x
Hampstead London 7 8.41x
Harborne 7 12.10x
Holt 7 1590.91x
Islington London 7 1.35x
Kenilworth 7 92.11x
Limehouse London 7 11.93x
Mortlake 7 60.29x
Barking 6 19.44x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.58x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 6.08x
Kingswinford 6 9.16x
Lambeth 6 1.29x
North Crawley 6 468.75x
Paddington London 6 3.05x
Stanton Long 6 1250.00x
Stoke Newington London 6 14.41x
Totnes 6 92.17x
Watford 6 21.00x
Everton 5 2.47x
Minster In Sheppey 5 16.55x
Ratcliffe London 5 16.94x
Rickmansworth 5 49.31x
Saltwood 5 393.70x
Stockton 5 2173.91x
Wolverley 5 81.57x
Bermondsey 4 2.51x
Brabourne 4 291.97x
Hanworth 4 212.77x
Hornsey 4 5.92x
Newington 4 2.03x
Pinner 4 85.47x
Rock 4 143.37x
Tenbury 4 104.71x
Codicote 3 136.36x
Doddington 3 283.02x
Little Kyre 3 1304.35x
Oxford St Michael 3 218.98x
Pensax 3 344.83x
Ramsgate 3 10.08x
Salisbury St Edmund 3 39.53x
Wallingford St Mary Le 3 132.16x
West Ham 3 1.29x
West Hythe 3 1200.00x
Whilton 3 461.54x
Worcester St Peter 3 22.71x
Aston 2 0.54x
Aston Cantlow 2 99.01x
Barnes 2 18.15x
Hawridge 2 454.55x
Iffley 2 71.94x
Islip 2 181.82x
Kidlington 2 78.43x
Kings Norton 2 3.19x
Milford 2 79.05x
Orrell 2 25.35x
Shipston On Stour 2 62.89x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 2 16.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 19
Mary 16
Sarah 14
Jane 12
Emma 11
Eliza 10
Alice 9
Charlotte 8
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Hannah 6
Louisa 6
Lucy 6
Catherine 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Susannah 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Elizth. 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Martha 3
Olive 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Duina 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz.N. 2
Esther 2
Fannie 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Susan 2
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 36
James 30
Thomas 28
John 22
Henry 20
Edward 17
George 15
Joseph 11
Charles 8
Arthur 7
Richard 7
Albert 5
Stephen 5
Benjamin 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Samuel 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Peter 2
Reuben 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Catherine 1
Edw. 1
Edwd. 1
Ferdinand 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Geo.Richard 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
I. 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Lambert 1
Leo 1
Osborne 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Shardrick 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Dorrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dorrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 549 people were recorded with the Dorrell surname. That placed it at #6,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dorrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 719 in 2016. That gives Dorrell a modern rank of #7,553.

What does the Dorrell surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "dor" meaning a thicket or wood and "hyll" meaning a hill.

What does the Dorrell map show?

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