NameCensus.

UK surname

Flavell

Name derived from a common medieval nickname for someone with a yellow or golden complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 897 people recorded with the Flavell surname, ranking it #4,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,225, ranked #2,916, up from #4,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Dudley and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, South Staffordshire and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flavell is 2,319 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.0%.

1881 census count

897

Ranked #4,245

Modern count

2,225

2016, ranked #2,916

Peak year

1998

2,319 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flavell had 897 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,225 in 2016, ranked #2,916.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,827 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Flavell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flavell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flavell 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 397 #6,070
1861 historical 354 #7,224
1881 historical 897 #4,245
1891 historical 962 #4,297
1901 historical 1,540 #3,345
1911 historical 1,827 #2,699
1997 modern 2,276 #2,726
1998 modern 2,319 #2,782
1999 modern 2,301 #2,825
2000 modern 2,280 #2,832
2001 modern 2,256 #2,798
2002 modern 2,312 #2,792
2003 modern 2,266 #2,785
2004 modern 2,258 #2,791
2005 modern 2,219 #2,813
2006 modern 2,189 #2,855
2007 modern 2,207 #2,856
2008 modern 2,215 #2,868
2009 modern 2,259 #2,882
2010 modern 2,255 #2,948
2011 modern 2,294 #2,862
2012 modern 2,253 #2,858
2013 modern 2,282 #2,875
2014 modern 2,285 #2,885
2015 modern 2,265 #2,874
2016 modern 2,225 #2,916

Geography

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Where Flavells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Dudley, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, South Staffordshire and Wakefield. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 008 Dudley
2 Dudley 007 Dudley
3 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
4 Wakefield 045 Wakefield
5 Dudley 004 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flavell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flavell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Flavell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Flavell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Flavell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Flavell is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Flavell falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Flavell 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 Flavell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Flavell

The surname Flavell originated in England during the medieval era, likely derived from the Old French "flavelle" or the Latin "flavellus," both meaning "yellow" or "blonde." This suggests the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with fair hair or complexion.

The earliest known record of the Flavell name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Flavel" in the county of Oxfordshire. Other early spellings include Flavill, Flavyll, and Flauuill, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the Flavell surname was John Flavell, born around 1300 in Bampton, Oxfordshire. Records indicate he was a landowner and served as a local official in the region.

In the 16th century, the name Flavell is found in various parish records across southern England, particularly in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. This suggests the name may have originated in the southwest region of the country.

A notable bearer of the Flavell name was John Flavell, a Puritan minister and author born in 1627 in Bunhill Fields, Worcestershire. He wrote several influential works on practical divinity and is considered one of the most famous Puritan writers of the 17th century.

During the 18th century, the Flavell surname appears in several historical documents, including the Oxford University registers, where Thomas Flavell was listed as a student in 1705.

Another prominent individual with the Flavell name was Sir John Flavell, born in 1782 in Bristol, England. He was a successful merchant and served as the Lord Mayor of Bristol from 1837 to 1838.

In the 19th century, the Flavell name was associated with several place names in England, such as Flavell's Farm in Oxfordshire and Flavell's Hill in Gloucestershire, further indicating the surname's longstanding presence in these regions.

One of the most well-known Flavells in modern times was Michael Flavell, born in 1939 in Birmingham, England. He was a renowned actor and director, best known for his roles in television series such as "Yes, Minister" and "The Jewel in the Crown."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flavell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flavell 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. Staffordshire leads with 326 Flavells recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.06x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 326 11.06x
Warwickshire 193 8.77x
Worcestershire 74 6.49x
Leicestershire 51 5.27x
Lancashire 38 0.37x
Middlesex 32 0.37x
Northamptonshire 32 3.90x
Yorkshire 30 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 24 4.34x
Surrey 21 0.49x
Gloucestershire 16 0.93x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.85x
Norfolk 7 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.14x
Lanarkshire 6 0.21x
Durham 5 0.19x
Essex 5 0.29x
Bedfordshire 4 0.88x
Kent 4 0.13x
Derbyshire 3 0.22x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Wiltshire 2 0.26x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 249 Flavells recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.48x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 249 227.48x
Birmingham 71 9.68x
Aston 34 5.61x
Dudley 33 23.81x
Rugby 22 73.85x
Foleshill 21 90.67x
West Bromwich 19 11.26x
Northfield 17 78.59x
Stourbridge 15 51.12x
Bilston 14 24.51x
Lambeth 13 1.71x
Leicester St Mary 13 16.62x
Harborne 11 11.65x
Leicester St Margaret 11 4.66x
Great Claybrooke 9 703.13x
Landbeach 9 592.11x
Hampstead London 8 5.88x
Kingswinford 8 7.48x
March 8 43.20x
Amblecote 7 83.33x
Coventry St Michael 7 9.90x
Hillmorton 7 178.12x
Manningham 7 6.57x
Swinton In Rotherham 7 30.59x
Wellingborough 7 16.95x
Bilton 6 118.34x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 19.15x
Govan 6 0.86x
Haddenham 6 115.38x
Hinckley 6 26.13x
Linslade 6 116.05x
Salford 6 1.97x
Sutton 6 17.27x
Wath On Dearne 6 34.76x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.55x
Bradford 5 10.31x
Bromsgrove 5 13.03x
Cheltenham 5 3.79x
Chilvers Coton 5 55.19x
Clifton On Dunsmore 5 280.90x
Kingsthorpe 5 54.76x
Newton 5 6.26x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 11.97x
Queniborough 5 303.03x
Tipton 5 5.54x
Wolstanton Chesterton 5 33.20x
Dagenham 4 38.99x
Gotham 4 130.29x
Kettering 4 12.04x
Newington 4 1.24x
Ormesby 4 17.20x
Paddington London 4 1.25x
Ridlington 4 677.97x
Bourton On Dunsmore 3 340.91x
Brinklow 3 128.21x
Cannock 3 5.83x
Chesterfield 3 5.85x
Edmonton 3 4.27x
Knowle 3 66.37x
Little Bolton 3 2.25x
Nottingham St Mary 3 0.99x
Pemberton 3 7.26x
Peterborough 3 5.05x
Pytchley 3 178.57x
Rotherby 3 625.00x
Rotherham 3 6.15x
Shoreditch London 3 0.79x
St Gabriel Fenchurch 3 882.35x
St Giles In Fields London 3 7.00x
Westoe 3 2.04x
Wilford 3 90.63x
Blackburn 2 0.73x
Chelsea London 2 0.76x
Edgbaston 2 2.93x
Gravesend 2 7.93x
Loughborough 2 4.55x
Luton 2 2.56x
Sedgefield 2 21.60x
Walsoken 2 24.78x
Wollaston 2 27.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 58
William 58
Joseph 39
Thomas 34
Henry 20
George 17
James 15
Samuel 14
Benjamin 13
Charles 12
Job 11
Albert 9
Frederick 8
David 7
Edward 7
Edwin 7
Harry 7
Arthur 6
Isaac 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Richard 5
Herbert 4
Cornelius 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Major 3
Peter 3
Daniel 2
Elisha 2
Fred 2
Jabez 2
Leonard 2
Ruben 2
Wm. 2
Arnold 1
Arther 1
Edgar 1
Frances 1
Fredrick 1
Henery 1
Joel 1
Jonah 1
Leo 1
Lewis 1
Mathias 1
Michael 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Flavell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flavell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 897 people were recorded with the Flavell surname. That placed it at #4,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flavell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,225 in 2016. That gives Flavell a modern rank of #2,916.

What does the Flavell surname mean?

Name derived from a common medieval nickname for someone with a yellow or golden complexion.

What does the Flavell map show?

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