NameCensus.

UK surname

Gladwell

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "bright, pleasant valley".

In the 1881 census there were 821 people recorded with the Gladwell surname, ranking it #4,571 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 940, ranked #6,094, down from #4,571 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rattlesden, London parishes and Haughley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire, Babergh and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gladwell is 1,230 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.5%.

1881 census count

821

Ranked #4,571

Modern count

940

2016, ranked #6,094

Peak year

1911

1,230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gladwell had 821 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,571 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 940 in 2016, ranked #6,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,230 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gladwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gladwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gladwell 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 511 #4,895
1861 historical 565 #4,654
1881 historical 821 #4,571
1891 historical 996 #4,166
1901 historical 1,126 #4,308
1911 historical 1,230 #3,842
1997 modern 993 #5,539
1998 modern 1,032 #5,536
1999 modern 1,043 #5,521
2000 modern 1,017 #5,604
2001 modern 1,011 #5,534
2002 modern 1,048 #5,473
2003 modern 1,005 #5,567
2004 modern 990 #5,643
2005 modern 967 #5,685
2006 modern 949 #5,799
2007 modern 954 #5,835
2008 modern 951 #5,873
2009 modern 980 #5,857
2010 modern 973 #6,001
2011 modern 940 #6,113
2012 modern 959 #5,932
2013 modern 958 #6,031
2014 modern 964 #6,052
2015 modern 948 #6,081
2016 modern 940 #6,094

Geography

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Where Gladwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rattlesden, London parishes, Haughley and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Lincolnshire, Babergh, Suffolk Coastal, Mid Suffolk and Daventry. 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 Rattlesden Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Haughley Suffolk
5 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Lincolnshire 021 North East Lincolnshire
2 Babergh 011 Babergh
3 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
4 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk
5 Daventry 010 Daventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gladwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gladwell

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gladwell is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gladwell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gladwell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gladwell

The surname Gladwell has its origins in England, first appearing in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "glæd," meaning bright or shining, and "well," a spring or stream of water. The name likely referred to a bright or sparkling stream, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name lived near such a geographical feature.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England, there are several references to places with names similar to Gladwell, such as Gledewelle and Gladewelle, which may have been the ancestral homes of the earliest Gladwells.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where a Thomas de Gladewelle is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was John Gladwell, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Horsham in 1361.

During the 16th century, the Gladwell family was prominent in the county of Hertfordshire. In 1549, a Richard Gladwell is recorded as having been born in the village of Stanstead Abbots in that county.

In the 17th century, a notable Gladwell was Robert Gladwell (1597-1688), a clergyman and author who served as the rector of Babworth in Nottinghamshire. He published several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Gladwell (1648-1726), a London merchant and landowner who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1704.

In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the name was George Gladwell (1839-1923), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

The surname Gladwell has had a presence across various parts of England, with concentrations in counties such as Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Nottinghamshire, reflecting the early origins and spread of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gladwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gladwell 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. Suffolk leads with 255 Gladwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.11x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 255 26.11x
Middlesex 158 1.97x
Essex 157 9.92x
Kent 61 2.23x
Surrey 50 1.28x
Lancashire 34 0.36x
Cheshire 13 0.73x
Durham 12 0.50x
Bedfordshire 11 2.65x
Warwickshire 11 0.54x
Yorkshire 10 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.77x
Berkshire 8 1.33x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.65x
Sussex 6 0.44x
Worcestershire 4 0.38x
Hertfordshire 3 0.54x
Somerset 3 0.23x
Norfolk 2 0.16x
Northamptonshire 2 0.27x
Channel Islands 1 0.42x
Devon 1 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rattlesden in Suffolk leads with 30 Gladwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1048.95x.

Place Total Index
Rattlesden 30 1048.95x
Ashbocking 28 3218.39x
Halstead 24 130.01x
Haughley 22 905.35x
Horndon On Hill 21 1296.30x
St Marylebone London 21 4.91x
Lambeth 20 2.86x
St Pancras London 17 2.63x
Gravesend 14 60.45x
Great Clacton 14 259.74x
Islington London 14 1.80x
Bromley London 13 7.37x
Chelmsford 13 47.86x
Mile End Old Town London 13 7.62x
Combs 12 368.10x
Newchurch 12 15.42x
Castleton 11 11.58x
Luton 11 15.31x
Dengie 10 1136.36x
Hackney London 10 2.22x
Milton In Gravesend 10 24.37x
Newington 10 3.38x
Walton Le Soken 10 265.96x
Bow London 9 8.82x
Bury St Edmunds St James 9 34.50x
Buxhall 9 687.02x
Cotton 9 647.48x
Gillingham 9 15.96x
Peldon 9 714.29x
St Andrewthe Less 9 15.51x
Stutton 9 608.11x
West Bergholt 9 304.05x
Birmingham 8 1.19x
Colchester St Peter 8 126.38x
Fornham St Martin 8 941.18x
Gateshead 8 4.48x
Harkstead 8 776.70x
Sheffield 8 3.16x
Shire Hall Yard 8 952.38x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 41.41x
Battersea 7 2.37x
Bricett 7 1014.49x
Chelmondiston 7 295.36x
Ipswich St Clement 7 28.19x
Ipswich St Margaret 7 21.12x
Plumstead 7 7.68x
Shotley 7 406.98x
Trimley St Martin 7 416.67x
Westminster St James 7 8.49x
Willesden 7 9.26x
Boxford 6 331.49x
Brighton 6 2.20x
Chiswick 6 13.70x
Reading St Giles 6 10.16x
Shoreditch London 6 1.73x
St George Martyr London 6 36.95x
Stowmarket 6 53.14x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 6.98x
Chester St Bridget 5 165.02x
Lee 5 12.59x
Macclesfield 5 6.36x
Paddington London 5 1.70x
Snodland 5 64.43x
Westminster St Margaret 5 12.93x
Alderton 4 273.97x
Auckland St Andrew 4 63.49x
Danbury 4 149.25x
Doddinghurst 4 353.98x
Felsham 4 439.56x
Framsden 4 184.33x
Groton 4 312.50x
Heybridge 4 86.96x
Kensington London 4 0.90x
Redditch 4 18.84x
Barking 3 59.29x
Bradwell 3 110.70x
Dovercourt 3 53.86x
Farnborough 3 75.19x
Gosbeck 3 344.83x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 38
William 38
John 36
Thomas 26
Arthur 21
Charles 20
James 20
Frederick 17
Henry 16
Alfred 15
Robert 15
Joseph 14
Walter 9
Ernest 8
Albert 5
Harry 5
Frank 4
Alexander 3
Benjamin 3
Chenery 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Edward 3
Eldred 3
Frederic 3
Herbert 3
Josiah 3
Richard 3
Bertie 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Heber 2
Horace 2
Hy. 2
Leonard 2
Morris 2
Samuel 2
Allen 1
Author 1
Basil 1
Burton 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Eernest 1
Elijah 1
Ellen 1
Geroge 1
Harrison 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gladwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gladwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 821 people were recorded with the Gladwell surname. That placed it at #4,571 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gladwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 940 in 2016. That gives Gladwell a modern rank of #6,094.

What does the Gladwell surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "bright, pleasant valley".

What does the Gladwell map show?

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