NameCensus.

UK surname

Gell

A toponymic name likely derived from a place name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 643 people recorded with the Gell surname, ranking it #5,543 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,050, ranked #5,548, down from #5,543 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Risley, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Bolsover and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gell is 1,158 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.3%.

1881 census count

643

Ranked #5,543

Modern count

1,050

2016, ranked #5,548

Peak year

1911

1,158 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gell had 643 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,543 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016, ranked #5,548.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,158 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gell 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 634 #4,094
1861 historical 830 #3,320
1881 historical 643 #5,543
1891 historical 891 #4,624
1901 historical 991 #4,802
1911 historical 1,158 #4,034
1997 modern 1,103 #5,051
1998 modern 1,152 #5,047
1999 modern 1,154 #5,096
2000 modern 1,140 #5,120
2001 modern 1,100 #5,174
2002 modern 1,150 #5,091
2003 modern 1,106 #5,158
2004 modern 1,108 #5,158
2005 modern 1,074 #5,238
2006 modern 1,086 #5,187
2007 modern 1,078 #5,269
2008 modern 1,058 #5,392
2009 modern 1,082 #5,393
2010 modern 1,107 #5,404
2011 modern 1,091 #5,416
2012 modern 1,062 #5,444
2013 modern 1,084 #5,441
2014 modern 1,096 #5,411
2015 modern 1,067 #5,497
2016 modern 1,050 #5,548

Geography

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Where Gells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Risley, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Wirksworth and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Bolsover, Nottingham and York. 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 Risley Bedfordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Wirksworth Derbyshire
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 012 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
3 Nottingham 019 Nottingham
4 York 015 York
5 York 010 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gell

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

Gell 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

Gell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gell

The surname GELL originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "gelle" or "gille," meaning a deep rocky dell or ravine. This suggests that the name was likely first adopted by someone who lived near such a geographical feature or came from a place name containing that element.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 12th century, with references found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the Middle Ages, indicating that individuals bearing the GELL surname were present in northern England at that time.

In the 13th century, the GELL name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273 by the English government to determine landholdings and taxation. This suggests that the surname had spread to other parts of the country by that point.

One notable early bearer of the GELL surname was Sir John Gell (1593-1671), an English politician and military leader who fought for the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. He served as a colonel in the army and was later made a baronet by Oliver Cromwell in recognition of his service.

Another historically significant individual with the GELL surname was Thomas Gell (c. 1590-1670), an English barrister and judge who served as a Justice of the Common Pleas during the Commonwealth period under Cromwell's government.

In the 18th century, Sir Philip Gell (1775-1842) was a prominent English lawyer and antiquarian who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries, and authored several works on archaeology and local history.

The GELL surname can also be traced to various place names in England, such as Gellfield in Cumbria, Gelligron in Denbighshire, and Gelliswick in Pembrokeshire, among others. These locations likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions.

Throughout history, several variations in the spelling of the GELL surname have been recorded, including Gelle, Gille, Gyll, and Gill, reflecting the linguistic evolution and regional dialects of the English language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gell 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. Yorkshire leads with 158 Gells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.08x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 158 2.08x
Isle of Man 150 105.21x
Nottinghamshire 80 7.73x
Bedfordshire 62 15.60x
Lancashire 55 0.60x
Lincolnshire 47 3.83x
Middlesex 36 0.47x
Derbyshire 31 2.58x
Kent 21 0.80x
Sussex 19 1.47x
Warwickshire 15 0.77x
Gloucestershire 14 0.93x
Staffordshire 13 0.50x
Norfolk 10 0.85x
Northumberland 10 0.88x
Hampshire 9 0.57x
Huntingdonshire 7 4.59x
Surrey 7 0.19x
Durham 6 0.26x
Montgomeryshire 6 3.41x
Shropshire 6 0.90x
Cheshire 5 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.82x
Devon 3 0.19x
Essex 3 0.20x
Leicestershire 3 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.17x
Cumberland 1 0.15x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Suffolk 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 54 Gells recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.18x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 54 20.18x
Onchan 34 82.79x
German Peel 26 316.69x
Patrick 21 302.16x
Riseley 21 833.33x
Stretford 21 41.90x
Malew 20 160.64x
Brightside Bierlow 19 12.73x
German 18 231.36x
Goole 16 125.49x
Belton 15 300.60x
Middlesbrough 14 14.13x
Bedford St Peter 12 116.17x
Wirksworth 12 109.79x
Bedford St Paul 11 40.35x
Tilbrook 11 1067.96x
Bromley London 10 5.92x
Westgate 10 14.14x
Islington London 9 1.21x
Radford 9 17.12x
Barrow In Furness 8 6.46x
Holy Trinity 8 4.37x
Lonan 8 92.59x
Norwich St John Timberhill 8 252.37x
Rushen 8 82.99x
Braddan 7 89.86x
Burton By Lincoln 7 945.95x
Clifton In York 7 44.00x
Lewisham 7 5.01x
Baumber 6 659.34x
Bowling 6 7.96x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 4.23x
Doncaster 6 10.80x
Gateshead 6 3.51x
Aston 5 0.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 7.29x
Beverley St Martin 5 39.37x
Birmingham 5 0.77x
Burnage 5 224.22x
Buxted 5 98.62x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 19.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 3.23x
Edgbaston 5 8.33x
Hunmanby 5 140.85x
Lenton 5 20.52x
Market Weighton Arras 5 101.21x
Normanton 5 49.26x
North Meols 5 5.61x
Pool 5 37.68x
Shrewsbury St Julian 5 30.47x
St Lawrence 5 769.23x
York St Mary 5 15.87x
Barnsley 4 5.10x
Barton St Mary St Peter 4 175.44x
Brighton 4 1.53x
Carlton 4 320.00x
Clifton 4 5.25x
Derby All Sts 4 39.84x
Derby St Werburgh 4 5.76x
Eastbourne 4 6.72x
Fareham 4 21.15x
Gillingham 4 7.41x
Hemingby 4 377.36x
Laxton 4 314.96x
Limehouse London 4 4.75x
Ripon 4 22.66x
Scarborough 4 5.79x
Sculcoates 4 3.32x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.46x
Swineshead 4 625.00x
Tinsley 4 150.38x
Wigginton 4 377.36x
Bradford 3 1.63x
Chelsea London 3 1.30x
Hemingford Grey 3 128.76x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.45x
Nottingham St Peter 3 26.00x
Pevensey 3 312.50x
West Ham 3 0.90x
York St Giles In 3 41.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 44
Thomas 31
George 25
James 23
Robert 14
Joseph 13
Henry 12
Walter 10
Charles 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Francis 8
Richard 8
Samuel 8
Albert 7
Wm. 6
Evan 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 3
Frederic 3
Fredrick 3
Philip 3
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo.Henry 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Jno. 2
Luke 2
Arnold 1
Artha 1
Bela 1
Bengmin 1
Charley 1
Ffinlo 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.Jas. 1
Inigo 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Gell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 643 people were recorded with the Gell surname. That placed it at #5,543 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016. That gives Gell a modern rank of #5,548.

What does the Gell surname mean?

A toponymic name likely derived from a place name of unknown meaning.

What does the Gell map show?

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