UK surname
A locational surname derived from places in England called Edsall or Edsal.
In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Edsall surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 60, ranked #34,340, down from #20,965 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Breamore, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edsall is 141 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 33.3%.
1881 census count
90
Ranked #20,965
Modern count
60
2016, ranked #34,340
Peak year
1911
141 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Edsall surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Edsall surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 78 | #19,840 |
| 1861 | historical | 72 | #24,643 |
| 1881 | historical | 90 | #20,965 |
| 1891 | historical | 109 | #22,701 |
| 1901 | historical | 134 | #19,288 |
| 1911 | historical | 141 | #18,571 |
| 1997 | modern | 68 | #30,810 |
| 1998 | modern | 69 | #31,076 |
| 1999 | modern | 66 | #31,509 |
| 2000 | modern | 75 | #30,668 |
| 2001 | modern | 67 | #31,297 |
| 2002 | modern | 61 | #32,286 |
| 2003 | modern | 63 | #32,152 |
| 2004 | modern | 58 | #32,880 |
| 2005 | modern | 56 | #33,264 |
| 2006 | modern | 58 | #33,433 |
| 2007 | modern | 61 | #33,440 |
| 2008 | modern | 59 | #33,827 |
| 2009 | modern | 59 | #34,072 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 59 | #34,265 |
| 2012 | modern | 52 | #34,709 |
| 2013 | modern | 59 | #34,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 60 | #34,400 |
| 2015 | modern | 61 | #34,284 |
| 2016 | modern | 60 | #34,340 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Breamore, London parishes, Lambeth, Portsmouth, Portsea and Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breamore | Hampshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| 5 | Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury | Dorset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Edsall surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Edsall, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Edsall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Edsall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Edsall is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Edsall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Edsall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Edsall has its origins in the Northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "edes" meaning prosperous or rich, and "halh" meaning a nook or corner of land, suggesting the earliest bearers of this name inhabited a prosperous corner of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Edsall surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, which mention a Richard de Edeshal. The name also appears in the Feet of Fines, a collection of legal records from the county of Yorkshire, in 1212 as Edeshal.
During the 13th century, the surname Edsall began to spread across the North of England, with various spellings such as Edishall, Edishale, and Edeshale appearing in historical records. One notable example is a William de Edishale, who is mentioned in the Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium, a collection of royal letters from 1226.
By the 14th century, the Edsall surname had become well-established in the region, and several individuals bearing this name can be found in historical records from that time. One such person was John de Edishale, who was recorded as a landowner in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327.
Throughout the following centuries, the Edsall surname continued to be prominent in Northern England, with various branches of the family settling in different areas. One notable individual was Sir Ralph Edsall (1565-1632), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1629.
Other notable individuals with the Edsall surname include Richard Edsall (1640-1718), an early settler in the American colonies who established a homestead in New Jersey, and Thomas Edsall (1718-1801), a prominent Quaker minister and abolitionist in Pennsylvania.
In the 19th century, the Edsall family produced several notable figures, including James Kirke Paulding Edsall (1812-1888), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 25th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and Thomas Edsall (1819-1904), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Courts of Justice.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edsall surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 35 Edsalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.43x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 14 Edsalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lambeth | 14 | 17.33x |
| Holdenhurst | 12 | 240.96x |
| Islington London | 7 | 7.79x |
| West Ham | 7 | 17.33x |
| Wimborne Minster | 7 | 714.29x |
| Breamore | 6 | 3333.33x |
| Portsea | 6 | 16.12x |
| Westminster St John | 6 | 53.14x |
| Woodgreen | 6 | 6666.67x |
| Grouville | 5 | 649.35x |
| St Pancras London | 4 | 5.36x |
| Fawley | 3 | 500.00x |
| Walthamstow | 3 | 45.59x |
| Cheriton | 2 | 155.04x |
| Battersea | 1 | 2.93x |
| Bisley | 1 | 476.19x |
| Cheddington | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Hursley | 1 | 227.27x |
| Otterbourne | 1 | 370.37x |
| Streatham | 1 | 14.53x |
| Woodbury | 1 | 175.44x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Edsall surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Edsall surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Edsall households.
FAQ
In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Edsall surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 60 in 2016. That gives Edsall a modern rank of #34,340.
A locational surname derived from places in England called Edsall or Edsal.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Edsall bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.