NameCensus.

UK surname

Durnell

A locational surname referring to someone from Durnall, a place in Sussex, England.

In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Durnell surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #15,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Kings Norton and Whitchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Mid Devon and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durnell is 300 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.3%.

1881 census count

151

Ranked #15,419

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

1911

300 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durnell had 151 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 300 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Durnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Durnell 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 151 #15,419
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 255 #12,965
1911 historical 300 #11,441
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 234 #16,343
2004 modern 234 #16,416
2005 modern 223 #16,938
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 226 #17,103
2008 modern 227 #17,196
2009 modern 246 #16,597
2010 modern 242 #17,138
2011 modern 241 #17,057
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 243 #17,114
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 240 #17,279
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Durnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Kings Norton, Whitchurch, Littleton-on-Severn and Marshfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Mid Devon and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Kings Norton Worcestershire
3 Whitchurch Glamorganshire
4 Littleton-on-Severn Gloucestershire
5 Marshfield Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 013 Neath Port Talbot
2 Neath Port Talbot 016 Neath Port Talbot
3 Mid Devon 001 Mid Devon
4 South Gloucestershire 024 South Gloucestershire
5 South Gloucestershire 025 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Durnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Durnell

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Durnell 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

Durnell 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

Durnell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Durnell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Durnell

The surname Durnell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in the 8th or 9th century in England. It is derived from the Old English words "derne" meaning hidden or secret, and "ell" meaning a meadow or pasture. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a secluded or hidden meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Durnell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dernehulle." This was likely a reference to a place name, possibly a settlement or village, located in a hidden or secluded meadow.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various records as "Dernell," "Durnhill," and "Durnhull," further indicating its connection to a place name and the concept of a hidden or secluded location.

Notable individuals with the surname Durnell include John Durnell (1625-1701), an English clergyman and author, and Thomas Durnell (1781-1859), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 16th century, William Durnell (1510-1570) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire, England. His family's coat of arms featured a red lion on a silver field, suggesting their status and wealth.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Durnell (1620-1685), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as a judge during the reign of King Charles II.

In the late 17th century, Elizabeth Durnell (1670-1745) was a influential Quaker minister and writer who traveled extensively throughout England and the American colonies, preaching and advocating for religious tolerance.

Throughout its history, the surname Durnell has maintained its connection to its Anglo-Saxon roots and the concept of a hidden or secluded meadow or pasture. While variations in spelling have occurred over time, the name has remained relatively consistent and continues to be used in various parts of the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Durnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durnell 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. Gloucestershire leads with 44 Durnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.23x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 44 15.23x
Shropshire 29 22.79x
Glamorgan 17 6.63x
Middlesex 17 1.15x
Staffordshire 14 2.82x
Warwickshire 12 3.23x
Somerset 7 2.95x
Berkshire 2 1.81x
Wiltshire 2 1.54x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.68x
Kent 1 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 4.69x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 1.10x
Surrey 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 13 Durnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.79x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 47.79x
Marshfield 12 1558.44x
West Bromwich 10 35.14x
Cardiff St Bride Super 9 30000.00x
Frodesley 9 7500.00x
Cirencester 8 204.60x
Birmingham 7 5.65x
Madeley 7 149.89x
Acton Burnell 6 3750.00x
Littleton On Severn 6 6000.00x
Aston 5 4.89x
Islington London 4 2.80x
St Marylebone London 4 5.09x
Whitchurch 4 287.77x
Ystradyfodwg 4 17.78x
Bedminster 3 13.47x
Chelsea London 3 6.76x
Clerkenwell London 3 8.63x
Walcot 3 23.75x
Cannock 2 23.04x
Cardington 2 689.66x
Church Stretton 2 235.29x
Darlaston 2 29.11x
Reading St Giles 2 18.43x
Stapleton 2 36.50x
Bristol St Augustine 1 21.46x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 10.38x
Buildwas 1 769.23x
Cameley 1 370.37x
Castleton 1 5.73x
Crossmichael 1 149.25x
East Peckham 1 96.15x
Hammersmith London 1 2.76x
Hampton Wick London 1 92.59x
Kemble 1 416.67x
Kensington London 1 1.22x
Kew 1 238.10x
Llandwrog 1 47.85x
Longnor 1 1000.00x
Much Wenlock 1 85.47x
Ribbesford 1 62.50x
Standlake 1 277.78x
Swindon 1 9.90x
West Dean 1 21.32x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Durnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Durnell surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Durnell a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Durnell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Durnall, a place in Sussex, England.

What does the Durnell map show?

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