NameCensus.

UK surname

Durell

An Anglo-Norman surname derived from the French place name "Orel", possibly referring to someone from that location.

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Durell surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 195, ranked #19,921, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Canterbury and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durell is 204 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

195

2016, ranked #19,921

Peak year

1999

204 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durell had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016, ranked #19,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Durell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Durell 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 204 #18,021
2000 modern 196 #18,431
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 196 #18,535
2003 modern 184 #19,075
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 178 #19,535
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 182 #20,201
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 196 #19,961
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 195 #19,921

Geography

Back to top

Where Durells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Fulbourn and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Canterbury and Fenland. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Fulbourn Cambridgeshire
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 003 Babergh
2 Canterbury 018 Canterbury
3 Babergh 002 Babergh
4 Canterbury 012 Canterbury
5 Fenland 011 Fenland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Durell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Durell

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Durell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Durell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Durell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Durell is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Durell falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Durell

The surname Durell originated in the Normandy region of northern France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "dure," meaning "hard" or "enduring," and may have initially referred to someone with a strong or resilient character.

The earliest known record of the Durell name dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname likely arrived in England with the Norman invasion of 1066.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the Durell surname was Sir John Durell, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the conquest of England. He was rewarded with land grants in the county of Hampshire for his loyal service.

In the 13th century, the name Durell appeared in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and tenants in England. One notable entry was that of Thomas Durell, who held lands in the county of Oxfordshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Durell family established itself as a prominent lineage in the English county of Shropshire. Sir John Durell (1597-1670), a renowned lawyer and Member of Parliament, was a significant figure during this period. He served as a Justice of the King's Bench and was knighted by King Charles I in 1641.

Another notable individual bearing the Durell surname was Philip Durell (1638-1682), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1677 until his death. He was a respected scholar and theologian, publishing several works on religious subjects.

In the 18th century, the Durell family had established branches in various parts of England, as well as in the American colonies. David Durell (1728-1775) was a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia, where he served as a justice of the peace and held various civic positions.

The Durell name has also been associated with several places throughout England, such as Durell's Wood in Oxfordshire and Durell's Farm in Hampshire, which likely derived their names from historical landowners bearing the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Durell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durell 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. Channel Islands leads with 55 Durells recorded in 1881 and an index of 110.00x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 55 110.00x
Middlesex 55 3.26x
Surrey 11 1.34x
Cambridgeshire 8 7.49x
Essex 8 2.40x
Kent 8 1.39x
Sussex 7 2.46x
Hampshire 6 1.73x
Wiltshire 6 4.02x
Devon 4 1.14x
Oxfordshire 4 3.84x
Suffolk 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 41 Durells recorded in 1881 and an index of 251.84x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 41 251.84x
Spitalfields London 13 102.44x
Fulbourn 8 784.31x
Shoreditch London 8 10.94x
West Ham 8 10.88x
Bethnal Green London 7 9.55x
Deptford St Paul 7 15.76x
Mile End Old Town London 7 19.49x
Clerkenwell London 6 15.06x
Grouville 6 431.65x
Clapham 5 23.70x
Godstone 5 340.14x
St Marylebone London 5 5.55x
Stratford Under Castle 5 2777.78x
East Stonehouse 4 57.80x
Hastings St Clement 4 149.25x
Oxford St Giles 4 80.48x
St Michaelinthe Vale 4 224.72x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 49.42x
St George In East London 3 18.90x
Charterhouse London 2 250.00x
Portsea 2 2.95x
St Faith Winchester 2 124.22x
St Lawrence 2 147.06x
Amesbury 1 153.85x
Hackney London 1 1.06x
Hammersmith London 1 2.41x
Inner Temple London 1 1111.11x
Islington London 1 0.61x
Lambeth 1 0.68x
Margate St John Baptist 1 9.49x
St Clement 1 131.58x
St Martin 1 32.68x
St Maurice Winchester 1 69.44x
St Thomas Winchester 1 40.98x
Woodbridge 1 38.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 9
John 9
Henry 6
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
David 3
James 3
William 3
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
George 2
H. 2
Albert 1
Amice 1
Arthur 1
Bertie 1
Clarence 1
Edmund 1
Esau 1
Harold 1
J.P.L.Durell 1
R. 1
R.D. 1
Robert 1
Samul 1
Sydney 1
W.Le 1

FAQ

Durell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Durell surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016. That gives Durell a modern rank of #19,921.

What does the Durell surname mean?

An Anglo-Norman surname derived from the French place name "Orel", possibly referring to someone from that location.

What does the Durell map show?

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