NameCensus.

UK surname

Dunnell

A topographic surname likely originating from a place name meaning "hill meadow."

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Dunnell surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 255, ranked #16,576, down from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Chartham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, Wakefield and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dunnell is 267 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.5%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

255

2016, ranked #16,576

Peak year

1999

267 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dunnell had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016, ranked #16,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dunnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dunnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dunnell 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 209 #14,459
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 264 #15,119
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 258 #15,427
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 245 #15,857
2006 modern 250 #15,749
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 247 #16,205
2009 modern 259 #16,013
2010 modern 256 #16,523
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 251 #16,467
2013 modern 263 #16,232
2014 modern 262 #16,380
2015 modern 259 #16,409
2016 modern 255 #16,576

Geography

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Where Dunnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Chartham, St Marylebone and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, Wakefield, Carmarthenshire and Broadland. 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 Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Chartham Kent
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 002 Norwich
2 Wakefield 016 Wakefield
3 Norwich 001 Norwich
4 Carmarthenshire 003 Carmarthenshire
5 Broadland 007 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dunnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dunnell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dunnell, 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 Dunnell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dunnell 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Dunnell is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dunnell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dunnell

The surname Dunnell originated in England in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill and "hyll" meaning hill or ridge, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name lived near a prominent hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Dunnell can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a Richard de Dunhull. This spelling variation demonstrates how the name evolved over time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Dunhull, Dunhill, and Dunnell in records from counties like Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was prevalent in the southwestern and central regions of England during that period.

The Dunnell surname is often associated with the village of Dunhill in Somerset, which may have been the original place of origin for some bearers of this name. The village's name itself is derived from the Old English words "dun" and "hyll," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographical roots.

Notable individuals with the surname Dunnell throughout history include:

1. Sir John Dunnell (1585-1659), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Charles I. 2. William Dunnell (1642-1701), an English nonconformist minister and author known for his work "A Treatise on the Lord's Supper." 3. Mary Dunnell (1750-1830), an English poet and writer who published several collections of poetry and essays in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 4. Thomas Dunnell (1785-1861), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a renowned maritime artist. 5. Edward Dunnell (1819-1892), an English architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings and structures in London and other parts of England during the Victorian era.

The Dunnell surname has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins firmly rooted in the English landscape and its earliest bearers hailing from regions known for their hills and ridges.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dunnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dunnell 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. Norfolk leads with 53 Dunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.80x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 53 22.80x
Middlesex 31 2.05x
Yorkshire 23 1.54x
Northamptonshire 12 8.44x
Surrey 8 1.09x
Lancashire 7 0.39x
Suffolk 7 3.80x
Cheshire 6 1.80x
Shropshire 3 2.30x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.34x
Kent 1 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.49x
Sussex 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heigham in Norfolk leads with 21 Dunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.27x.

Place Total Index
Heigham 21 168.27x
Colton 16 12307.69x
St Pancras London 10 8.22x
Northampton Priory St 7 82.06x
Bawburgh 6 2727.27x
Ratcliffe London 6 71.86x
Bowling 5 33.69x
Honingham 5 2777.78x
Hulme 5 13.35x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 69.16x
Tholthorpe 5 5000.00x
Woodbridge 5 212.77x
Hornsey 4 20.92x
Kippax 4 303.03x
Runcorn 4 52.02x
Wakefield 4 34.78x
Westminster St John 4 21.73x
Broseley 3 129.31x
Camberwell 3 3.11x
Idle 2 28.78x
Islington London 2 1.36x
Liscard 2 33.28x
Newington 2 3.58x
North Stainley Cum 2 952.38x
Norwich St Michael At 2 148.15x
Shoreditch London 2 3.05x
Barnham Broom 1 434.78x
Battersea 1 1.80x
Brighton 1 1.94x
Chelsea London 1 2.19x
Cheltenham 1 4.37x
Farnham Royal 1 185.19x
Great Yarmouth 1 5.19x
Hampstead London 1 4.25x
Kirkley 1 64.94x
Leeds 1 1.18x
Leiston 1 79.37x
Lewisham 1 3.64x
Lower Darwen 1 42.55x
North Meols 1 5.69x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.90x
Seale 1 212.77x
Southwark St Thomas 1 250.00x
St Marylebone London 1 1.24x
Weston Longville 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Eliza 6
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Hannah 4
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Daisy 1
Edia 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Hanah 1
Isabella 1
Jeanie 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Pollie 1
Richanda 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
George 8
John 7
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Harry 4
James 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Abbott 1
Barnabas 1
Barnaby 1
Christopher 1
Douglas 1
Esau 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Jeremiah 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Dunnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dunnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Dunnell surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dunnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016. That gives Dunnell a modern rank of #16,576.

What does the Dunnell surname mean?

A topographic surname likely originating from a place name meaning "hill meadow."

What does the Dunnell map show?

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