NameCensus.

UK surname

Edgell

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill edge" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 465 people recorded with the Edgell surname, ranking it #7,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 781, ranked #7,060, up from #7,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Radstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edgell is 851 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.0%.

1881 census count

465

Ranked #7,144

Modern count

781

2016, ranked #7,060

Peak year

1999

851 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edgell had 465 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016, ranked #7,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 696 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Edgell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edgell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edgell 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 249 #8,816
1861 historical 293 #8,589
1881 historical 465 #7,144
1891 historical 485 #7,607
1901 historical 603 #7,050
1911 historical 696 #6,106
1997 modern 818 #6,423
1998 modern 838 #6,510
1999 modern 851 #6,479
2000 modern 832 #6,572
2001 modern 794 #6,681
2002 modern 800 #6,773
2003 modern 791 #6,710
2004 modern 768 #6,898
2005 modern 756 #6,913
2006 modern 749 #6,989
2007 modern 745 #7,091
2008 modern 735 #7,219
2009 modern 763 #7,158
2010 modern 794 #7,070
2011 modern 789 #7,033
2012 modern 793 #6,888
2013 modern 789 #7,043
2014 modern 798 #7,015
2015 modern 777 #7,103
2016 modern 781 #7,060

Geography

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Where Edgells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Radstock, London parishes and Kilmersdon, Holcombe, Stratton-on-the-Fosse. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Mendip, Carmarthenshire and Wiltshire. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 Radstock Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Kilmersdon, Holcombe, Stratton-on-the-Fosse Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 024 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Mendip 002 Mendip
3 Carmarthenshire 011 Carmarthenshire
4 Wiltshire 018 Wiltshire
5 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edgell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edgell

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Edgell is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Edgell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Edgell

The surname Edgell has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ecg" meaning "edge" and "hyll" meaning "hill," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Eggel" and "Eggehelle." This suggests that the name had already been established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, where several places bearing similar names, such as Edghill and Edgehills, existed. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Edgell was John Edgell (c. 1535-1593), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Broughton in Northamptonshire during the latter part of the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the surname appeared in various records, including the marriage of William Edgell to Elizabeth Strickland in 1632 at St. Martin's Church in Birmingham.

During the 18th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like Richard Edgell (1693-1770), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Bristol, and John Edgell (1729-1803), a renowned engraver and printmaker from London.

In the 19th century, one of the most notable figures with the surname Edgell was Sir John Edgell (1808-1891), a British civil engineer and surveyor who played a crucial role in the construction of several major railway lines in England and Wales.

Another prominent individual was George Edgell (1826-1896), an English author and journalist who wrote extensively on social and political issues, including works such as "The Lay of the Purple Falcon" and "The Rhymed Couplets of Piers Plowman."

As the surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, including Edgill, Egill, Edghill, and Edgehill, reflecting regional dialects and the influence of scribes and record-keepers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edgell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edgell 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. Somerset leads with 187 Edgells recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.50x.

County Total Index
Somerset 187 25.50x
Hampshire 54 5.78x
Middlesex 40 0.88x
Gloucestershire 37 4.14x
Surrey 27 1.22x
Kent 14 0.90x
Northumberland 14 2.07x
Durham 13 0.96x
Glamorgan 13 1.64x
Lancashire 10 0.19x
Shropshire 8 2.03x
Wiltshire 8 1.99x
Essex 6 0.67x
Devon 5 0.53x
Worcestershire 5 0.84x
Yorkshire 5 0.11x
Berkshire 4 1.17x
Leicestershire 4 0.79x
Suffolk 4 0.72x
Sussex 4 0.52x
Dorset 2 0.67x
Royal Navy 2 3.68x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilmersdon in Somerset leads with 39 Edgells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1077.35x.

Place Total Index
Kilmersdon 39 1077.35x
Bedminster 17 24.67x
Chew Magna 17 661.48x
Camberwell 16 5.50x
Frome 16 91.22x
Portishead 14 256.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 15.45x
Christchurch 11 54.32x
Penarth 11 141.94x
Turton 10 112.99x
Alverstoke 9 26.63x
Stowey 9 4500.00x
Teddington London 9 87.21x
Brading 8 64.46x
Radstock 8 165.98x
Shrewsbury St Chad 8 57.93x
Burrington 7 985.92x
Kenton 7 721.65x
Lamesley 7 96.02x
Mile End Old Town London 7 7.22x
Yateley 7 395.48x
Belsay 6 983.61x
Binsted 6 168.54x
Chew Stoke 6 550.46x
Foxcote 6 6000.00x
Rodden 6 2222.22x
Shoreditch London 6 3.04x
Street 6 151.13x
West Ham 6 3.02x
Babington 5 1666.67x
Bromley London 5 4.99x
Dymock 5 234.74x
Pelton 5 77.52x
Poplar London 5 5.82x
Whitchurch 5 632.91x
Writhlington 5 781.25x
Beckenham 4 19.69x
Brampford Speke 4 526.32x
Dudley 4 5.53x
Lambourn 4 117.99x
Leicester St Mary 4 9.80x
Newington 4 2.38x
Send Ripley 4 138.41x
Southampton St Mary 4 6.81x
Tewkesbury 4 50.19x
Tonbridge 4 7.14x
Bristol St George 3 7.26x
Bromham 3 164.84x
Clifton 3 6.64x
Compton Martin 3 461.54x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 15.63x
Nether Hallam 3 4.91x
South Cerney 3 204.08x
Bath St Peter St Paul 2 61.73x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 19.21x
Cove 2 163.93x
Heyshott 2 285.71x
Horton Kirby 2 83.33x
Islington London 2 0.45x
Llandaff 2 7.58x
Midsomer Norton 2 28.94x
Nacton 2 250.00x
Northfleet 2 14.61x
Portsea 2 1.09x
Portsmouth 2 9.30x
Royal Navy 2 4.31x
Rumbolds Wyke 2 141.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.18x
St Anne Soho London 2 7.69x
St Pancras London 2 0.55x
Stapleton 2 11.80x
Trowbridge 2 11.23x
Walcot 2 5.12x
West Harptree 2 273.97x
Devonport 1 9.17x
Hanley Castle 1 28.09x
Laleham 1 116.28x
Reigate Foreign 1 4.16x
Sculcoates 1 1.40x
Weston Super Mare 1 5.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 16
Eliza 13
Sarah 11
Emily 10
Alice 9
Margaret 8
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Ada 6
Anna 5
Emma 5
Jane 5
Maria 5
Kate 4
Martha 4
Mercy 4
Beatrice 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Isabella 3
Matilda 3
Rose 3
Truth 3
Caroline 2
Clara 2
E. 2
Edith 2
Elizth 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Hester 2
Louisa 2
Phillis 2
Violet 2
Anne 1
Annette 1
Betsy 1
Bettie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz. 1
Ethel 1
F.E. 1
Henrietta 1
Hesther 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 21
Henry 17
George 16
Edward 12
Charles 10
Harry 10
James 10
Richard 10
Walter 8
Albert 6
Robert 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Frank 5
Francis 4
Joseph 4
Edwin 3
Geo. 3
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Aurthur 1
Benson 1
David 1
Dobert 1
Edmund 1
Evan 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
G.H. 1
Gilbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Llewellyn 1
Mark 1
Merrit 1
Oswold 1
Richd. 1
Sam 1
Seward 1
Sidman 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Wm.Masterman 1

FAQ

Edgell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edgell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 465 people were recorded with the Edgell surname. That placed it at #7,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edgell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016. That gives Edgell a modern rank of #7,060.

What does the Edgell surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill edge" in Old English.

What does the Edgell map show?

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