UK surname
From the Old English "æwell," referring to a river source or spring.
In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Ewell surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 64, ranked #34,098, down from #14,496 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes and Dover St James, Dover St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ewell is 191 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 61.4%.
1881 census count
166
Ranked #14,496
Modern count
64
2016, ranked #34,098
Peak year
1861
191 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ewell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ewell surname density by area, 1881 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 | 122 | #14,966 |
| 1861 | historical | 191 | #12,467 |
| 1881 | historical | 166 | #14,496 |
| 1891 | historical | 183 | #15,918 |
| 1901 | historical | 125 | #20,061 |
| 1911 | historical | 130 | #19,504 |
| 1997 | modern | 62 | #31,412 |
| 1998 | modern | 59 | #32,027 |
| 1999 | modern | 59 | #32,174 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 56 | #32,379 |
| 2002 | modern | 55 | #32,831 |
| 2003 | modern | 49 | #33,456 |
| 2004 | modern | 44 | #34,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 46 | #34,081 |
| 2006 | modern | 49 | #34,152 |
| 2007 | modern | 45 | #34,699 |
| 2008 | modern | 50 | #34,521 |
| 2009 | modern | 51 | #34,612 |
| 2010 | modern | 58 | #34,346 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 52 | #34,709 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 64 | #34,098 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital and St Cosmus and Damian-in-the-Blean. 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 | Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) | Kent |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Dover St James, Dover St Mary | Kent |
| 4 | St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital | Kent |
| 5 | St Cosmus and Damian-in-the-Blean | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ewell 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 Ewell, 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 Ewell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ewell 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, Ewell 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 Ewell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ewell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ewell traces its origins to England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ēa," meaning "river," and "well," meaning "spring" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person living near a river or stream.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Ewell can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a person named Richard de Ewell. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, documenting landowners and their holdings throughout England.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the form "Ewelle" in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Surrey from 1346, which mentions a John de Ewelle. The Feet of Fines were legal documents recording the transfer of land ownership.
The Ewell surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Ewell in Surrey and Ewell in Kent. These place names may have influenced the formation and spread of the surname in those areas.
Notable individuals with the surname Ewell throughout history include:
1. John Ewell (c. 1549 - 1614), an English composer and organist during the Renaissance period. 2. Richard Ewell (1817 - 1872), a Confederate lieutenant general during the American Civil War, known for his role in the Battle of Gettysburg. 3. Benjamin Stoddert Ewell (1810 - 1894), an American lawyer, politician, and president of the College of William & Mary from 1854 to 1888. 4. James Ewell Brown Stuart (1833 - 1864), a Confederate cavalry general during the American Civil War, known for his daring exploits and leadership. 5. Walter Ewell (1898 - 1981), an American basketball coach and athletic director at the University of Virginia, who led the team to several Southern Conference championships in the 1940s and 1950s.
While the Ewell surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through migration and family relocation.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ewell 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. Kent leads with 107 Ewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.37x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 107 | 19.37x |
| Middlesex | 21 | 1.30x |
| Surrey | 16 | 2.03x |
| Lanarkshire | 7 | 1.34x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.37x |
| Suffolk | 3 | 1.52x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.10x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.10x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 0.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Herne in Kent leads with 16 Ewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 653.06x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ewell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 14 |
| Jane | 8 |
| Sarah | 8 |
| Alice | 7 |
| Elizabeth | 6 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Clara | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| Louisa | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Celia | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Harriet | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Dorcas | 1 |
| E. | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Edy | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Johanna | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Livenia | 1 |
| Liza | 1 |
| Lousia | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
| William | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ewell 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 Ewell households.
FAQ
In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Ewell surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 64 in 2016. That gives Ewell a modern rank of #34,098.
From the Old English "æwell," referring to a river source or spring.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ewell 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.