NameCensus.

UK surname

Fennell

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Fionnghail," meaning "descendant of Fionnghal," a personal name composed of "fionn" (fair) and "gal" (valor).

In the 1881 census there were 1,392 people recorded with the Fennell surname, ranking it #2,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,853, ranked #2,356, up from #2,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Aylesbury Vale and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fennell is 2,971 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.0%.

1881 census count

1,392

Ranked #2,970

Modern count

2,853

2016, ranked #2,356

Peak year

2010

2,971 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fennell had 1,392 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,853 in 2016, ranked #2,356.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,252 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fennell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fennell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fennell 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 954 #2,911
1861 historical 799 #3,436
1881 historical 1,392 #2,970
1891 historical 1,574 #2,821
1901 historical 2,142 #2,514
1911 historical 2,252 #2,246
1997 modern 2,821 #2,287
1998 modern 2,955 #2,280
1999 modern 2,943 #2,300
2000 modern 2,925 #2,301
2001 modern 2,901 #2,270
2002 modern 2,933 #2,301
2003 modern 2,827 #2,325
2004 modern 2,804 #2,346
2005 modern 2,730 #2,370
2006 modern 2,726 #2,375
2007 modern 2,762 #2,373
2008 modern 2,793 #2,361
2009 modern 2,873 #2,347
2010 modern 2,971 #2,321
2011 modern 2,908 #2,340
2012 modern 2,897 #2,308
2013 modern 2,928 #2,323
2014 modern 2,930 #2,330
2015 modern 2,866 #2,356
2016 modern 2,853 #2,356

Geography

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Where Fennells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning) and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Aylesbury Vale, Daventry and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Bromham, Chittoe (Bishops Canning) Wiltshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
2 Aylesbury Vale 010 Aylesbury Vale
3 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
4 Daventry 010 Daventry
5 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fennell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fennell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fennell, 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 Fennell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fennell 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fennell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Fennell is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fennell 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 Fennell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fennell

The surname Fennell has its origins in England and Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is an Anglo-Norman surname derived from the Old French word "fenel," which means "fennel" or "fennel plant." This plant was a common ingredient in medieval cuisine and was also used for medicinal purposes.

In England, the surname Fennell is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone who grew, sold, or was associated with fennel. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where a Robert Fenel is mentioned.

In Ireland, the surname Fennell is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Fionnghail, which means "descendant of Fionnghal." Fionnghal is derived from the Gaelic words "fionn," meaning "fair" or "white," and "ghal," meaning "valor" or "bravery." The earliest known bearer of this name in Ireland was Fionnghal Mac Carthaigh, a chieftain of the Baronies of Muskerry in County Cork in the 12th century.

One of the most notable early references to the surname Fennell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named William Fenel is recorded as holding lands in Buckinghamshire, England.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Fennell. In the 16th century, Rodrigo Fernandez de Fennell was a Spanish explorer who accompanied Francisco Pizarro on his expeditions to Peru. In the 17th century, Richard Fennell was an English author and poet who wrote the work "Descriptions; or A Compleat Body of Philosophy."

In the 18th century, John Fennell was an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons, representing the constituency of Charleville from 1776 to 1790. In the 19th century, James Fennell was an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style.

In the 20th century, one of the most famous bearers of the surname was James Fennell (1912-1977), an American violinist and conductor who served as the music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fennell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fennell 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. Middlesex leads with 261 Fennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.91x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 261 1.91x
Surrey 119 1.79x
Warwickshire 113 3.28x
Lancashire 111 0.68x
Wiltshire 105 8.68x
Kent 95 2.04x
Northamptonshire 71 5.52x
Gloucestershire 69 2.57x
Yorkshire 61 0.45x
Essex 56 2.07x
Hampshire 56 2.00x
Berkshire 37 3.60x
Derbyshire 29 1.35x
Staffordshire 29 0.63x
Sussex 24 1.04x
Somerset 19 0.86x
Bedfordshire 16 2.26x
Monmouthshire 13 1.31x
Buckinghamshire 12 1.45x
Glamorgan 11 0.46x
Norfolk 10 0.48x
Suffolk 10 0.60x
Channel Islands 9 2.22x
Shropshire 8 0.68x
Worcestershire 6 0.34x
Angus 5 0.39x
Devon 5 0.18x
Durham 5 0.12x
Herefordshire 5 0.89x
Oxfordshire 5 0.59x
Cheshire 4 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 4 1.32x
Northumberland 4 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.22x
Royal Navy 4 2.45x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Roxburghshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromham in Wiltshire leads with 32 Fennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 587.16x.

Place Total Index
Bromham 32 587.16x
Badby 30 1176.47x
Manchester 29 3.97x
West Ham 27 4.53x
Laycock 24 437.96x
St Pancras London 23 2.09x
Battersea 22 4.37x
Islington London 22 1.66x
St Marylebone London 22 3.01x
Camberwell 19 2.17x
Portsea 19 3.46x
Birmingham 18 1.57x
Chelsea London 17 4.13x
Melksham 17 80.95x
Kensington London 14 1.84x
West Dean 14 32.13x
York St Mary 14 24.94x
Leamington Priors 13 15.32x
Rotherhithe 13 7.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 2.66x
Walcot 13 11.09x
Butlers Marston 12 967.74x
Coventry St Michael 12 10.83x
Shoreditch London 12 2.02x
Wakefield 12 11.53x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.85x
Cheltenham 11 5.32x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 10.68x
Hampstead London 11 5.16x
Lambeth 11 0.92x
Oldham 11 2.10x
Ramsgate 11 14.44x
Reading St Mary 11 13.38x
St George Bloomsbury 11 14.02x
West Wickham 11 243.90x
Westminster St James 11 7.82x
Bermondsey 10 2.46x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 3.96x
Fenny Stratford 10 127.88x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 4.37x
Wirksworth 10 51.36x
Ackworth 9 86.46x
Hackney London 9 1.17x
Liverpool 9 0.91x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.09x
Odell 9 454.55x
Richmond 9 9.64x
Shorncote 9 5294.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 3.27x
Tottenham 9 4.13x
Wateringbury 9 147.54x
West Derby 9 1.90x
Worsley 9 9.00x
Aston 8 0.84x
Greenwich 8 3.67x
Hammersmith London 8 2.37x
Newport 8 16.96x
Paddington London 8 1.59x
Pillerton Priors 8 1230.77x
Reading St Giles 8 7.94x
Reading St Lawrence 8 36.43x
Staverton 8 444.44x
Abbotts Ann 7 221.52x
Acton 7 8.73x
Basingstoke 7 21.71x
Charwelton 7 823.53x
Farnborough 7 23.78x
Hasland 7 32.11x
Leyton Low 7 12.76x
Newchurch 7 5.27x
Southam 7 83.53x
Stroud 7 13.41x
Woolwich 7 4.06x
Clerkenwell London 6 1.86x
Halford 6 504.20x
Hawkesbury 6 65.72x
Lewisham 6 2.41x
Plumstead 6 3.86x
Spitalfields London 6 5.83x
Wellingborough 6 9.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 96
John 66
Thomas 60
George 54
Henry 42
James 40
Charles 31
Joseph 25
Alfred 18
Edward 12
Harry 12
Richard 12
Samuel 12
Frederick 11
Walter 11
Albert 10
Arthur 10
Edwin 7
Ernest 6
Fred 6
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
David 5
Fredrick 5
Robert 5
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Stephen 4
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Mark 3
Michael 3
Sidney 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Enoch 2
Frederic 2
Gilbert 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Joshua 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Raymond 2
Wm.Jas. 2
Benjn.H. 1
Bernard 1
Ebenezer 1
Eli 1

FAQ

Fennell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fennell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,392 people were recorded with the Fennell surname. That placed it at #2,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fennell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,853 in 2016. That gives Fennell a modern rank of #2,356.

What does the Fennell surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Fionnghail," meaning "descendant of Fionnghal," a personal name composed of "fionn" (fair) and "gal" (valor).

What does the Fennell map show?

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