NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunnell

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a fast runner, from the verb "goneil," meaning "to go quickly."

In the 1881 census there were 488 people recorded with the Gunnell surname, ranking it #6,898 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, down from #6,898 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Milton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Worcester, Stroud and Gosport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunnell is 698 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.5%.

1881 census count

488

Ranked #6,898

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

1998

698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunnell had 488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,898 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 675 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Gunnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunnell 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 394 #6,105
1861 historical 306 #8,296
1881 historical 488 #6,898
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 651 #6,636
1911 historical 675 #6,256
1997 modern 657 #7,612
1998 modern 698 #7,490
1999 modern 697 #7,542
2000 modern 674 #7,717
2001 modern 667 #7,644
2002 modern 668 #7,785
2003 modern 629 #8,020
2004 modern 636 #7,965
2005 modern 625 #8,018
2006 modern 618 #8,102
2007 modern 616 #8,193
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 636 #8,208
2010 modern 647 #8,273
2011 modern 644 #8,215
2012 modern 601 #8,595
2013 modern 627 #8,440
2014 modern 616 #8,616
2015 modern 611 #8,619
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Gunnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Milton, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Worcester, Stroud, Gosport and Lochaber West. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 Milton Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Worcester 010 Worcester
2 Worcester 009 Worcester
3 Stroud 005 Stroud
4 Gosport 004 Gosport
5 Lochaber West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunnell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Gunnell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Gunnell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gunnell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gunnell 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

Gunnell 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 Gunnell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gunnell

The surname Gunnell is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "gunnan" meaning "to fight" and "hyll" meaning "hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a hill associated with battles or military activity.

Gunnell is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the 11th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property rights in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a person named Gunhilda, whose name likely shares a similar root as Gunnell.

During the medieval period, the name Gunnell was most commonly found in the counties of Warwickshire and Staffordshire in the English Midlands. It is possible that the name originated in these areas, as several places in these counties bear names derived from similar Old English words, such as Gunhill and Gunnills.

Notable individuals with the surname Gunnell throughout history include Sir Roger Gunnell (c. 1535-1618), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another important figure was John Gunnell (1784-1856), a British architect who designed several prominent buildings in London, including the Royal Mint.

In the 19th century, William Gunnell (1811-1894) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Gloucestershire, known for his contributions to the local community. His son, Henry Gunnell (1843-1922), followed in his footsteps and became a respected industrialist and civic leader in the same region.

More recently, Derek Gunnell (1933-2016) was a renowned English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and the England national team in the 1950s and 1960s. He was widely regarded as one of the finest all-rounders of his era.

Throughout its long history, the surname Gunnell has been subject to various spelling variations, including Gunnill, Gunnells, and Gunnel. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained largely unchanged, reflecting its deep roots in the English language and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gunnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunnell 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 121 Gunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 121 2.54x
Worcestershire 41 6.60x
Surrey 36 1.55x
Hampshire 30 3.07x
Lancashire 25 0.44x
Essex 20 2.13x
Herefordshire 19 9.73x
Yorkshire 19 0.40x
Cheshire 17 1.62x
Lincolnshire 17 2.23x
Gloucestershire 14 1.50x
Hertfordshire 13 3.96x
Sussex 13 1.62x
Rutland 12 34.33x
Cambridgeshire 11 3.65x
Buckinghamshire 9 3.13x
Huntingdonshire 9 9.52x
Devon 8 0.81x
Kent 8 0.49x
Warwickshire 8 0.67x
Somerset 7 0.91x
Durham 6 0.42x
Berkshire 5 1.40x
Norfolk 5 0.68x
Wiltshire 5 1.19x
Cornwall 3 0.56x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.19x
Monmouthshire 1 0.29x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.34x
Suffolk 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 33 Gunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.15x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 33 7.15x
Lambeth 15 3.61x
Redbourn 13 363.13x
Worcester St Martin 13 154.95x
Colwall 12 495.87x
Twickenham 12 58.79x
Hammersmith London 11 9.38x
Silchester 11 1428.57x
Barton Upon Irwell 9 21.17x
Milton 9 1000.00x
Preston 9 64.19x
West Ham 9 4.34x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.87x
Castleton 8 14.18x
Millbrook 8 32.56x
Portsea 8 4.18x
Alne 7 875.00x
Cheltenham 7 9.72x
Heston 7 44.28x
Hornsey 7 11.63x
Newton In Ashton Under 7 67.50x
Ratcliffe London 7 26.63x
St Pancras London 7 1.83x
Worcester St Clement 7 177.22x
Bedminster 6 8.33x
Caldecott 6 1250.00x
Chesham 6 56.55x
Hyde 6 19.35x
Leominster 6 74.26x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 7.86x
Walthamstow 6 17.74x
Castlemorton 5 409.84x
Gainsborough 5 27.87x
Great Yarmouth 5 8.25x
Kimbolton 5 251.26x
Mile End Old Town London 5 4.93x
Seaton 5 961.54x
Swindon 5 15.31x
Worcester St John 5 67.39x
Birmingham 4 1.00x
Bishop Auckland 4 21.05x
Camberwell 4 1.32x
Charlton Kings 4 61.92x
Croydon 4 3.11x
Hemingford Abbots 4 634.92x
Manchester 4 1.57x
Newton 4 245.40x
Oldbury 4 13.08x
Sculcoates 4 5.35x
Shipley 4 16.34x
Wandsworth 4 8.73x
Battersea 3 1.71x
Clewer 3 20.49x
Ealing 3 7.05x
Kensington London 3 1.13x
Kidderminster Borough 3 8.25x
New Brentford 3 119.52x
St Botolph Lincoln 3 54.84x
Tonbridge 3 5.12x
Aston 2 0.61x
Berkeley 2 38.54x
Bingley 2 6.66x
Black Notley 2 183.49x
Brighton 2 1.24x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.78x
East Budleigh 2 42.83x
Margate St John Baptist 2 6.72x
Market Rasen 2 47.06x
Moss Side 2 6.73x
Plumstead 2 3.69x
Shoreditch London 2 0.97x
St Ann Blackfriars London 2 227.27x
St Austell 2 10.86x
St George Martyr London 2 20.75x
Sutton Coldfield 2 15.85x
Sutton St Mary 2 27.78x
Westoe 2 2.49x
Worcester St Helen 2 100.50x
Barnetby Le Wold 1 72.46x
Hampstead London 1 1.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 25
Charles 20
John 20
James 16
George 14
Henry 13
Thomas 13
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Albert 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Joseph 5
Walter 5
David 4
Geo. 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Allen 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Louis 2
Ralph 2
Willie 2
Chas.E. 1
Edm.H. 1
Edmond 1
Emma 1
Ernest 1
Gerard 1
Hy. 1
Infant 1
Jessie 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Michael 1
Mortimer 1
Oswald 1
Patrick 1
Richd. 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Gunnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 488 people were recorded with the Gunnell surname. That placed it at #6,898 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Gunnell a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Gunnell surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a fast runner, from the verb "goneil," meaning "to go quickly."

What does the Gunnell map show?

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