NameCensus.

UK surname

Gurnell

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Gurnell surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Clarborough, Newchurch and Torrington, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gurnell is 119 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.8%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1891

119 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 1998

Key insights

  • Gurnell had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 119 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gurnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gurnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gurnell 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 102 #22,596
1911 historical 109 #21,611
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 89 #31,235
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 88 #31,801
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

Back to top

Where Gurnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Clarborough, Newchurch, Torrington, West, Leeds and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Clarborough Nottinghamshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Torrington, West Lincolnshire
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 010 East Lindsey
2 Kingston upon Hull 016 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 011 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 020 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gurnell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gurnell

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Gurnell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gurnell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gurnell 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

Gurnell is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gurnell falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gurnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gurnell 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. Lincolnshire leads with 30 Gurnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.02x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 30 17.02x
Yorkshire 20 1.83x
Nottinghamshire 15 10.10x
Lancashire 9 0.69x
Surrey 9 1.68x
Gloucestershire 8 3.70x
Middlesex 7 0.64x
Hampshire 6 2.66x
Derbyshire 3 1.74x
Hertfordshire 3 3.95x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.98x
Cheshire 1 0.41x
Kent 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Torrington in Lincolnshire leads with 11 Gurnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18333.33x.

Place Total Index
West Torrington 11 18333.33x
Great Grimsby 9 80.43x
West Burton 9 45000.00x
Iron Acton 8 1818.18x
Camberwell 7 9.94x
Ryde 6 123.71x
Whiston 6 1132.08x
Bentham 4 481.93x
Everton 4 9.59x
Leeds 4 6.49x
Sheffield 4 11.50x
Bromby 3 3750.00x
Cheshunt 3 112.78x
Eckington 3 71.60x
Newark Upon Trent 3 56.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 7.00x
Chelsea London 2 6.02x
Hackney London 2 3.24x
Kirton In Lindsey 2 285.71x
Liverpool 2 2.52x
Louth 2 49.51x
Mansfield 2 38.91x
Scunthorpe 2 253.16x
Birkenhead 1 5.15x
Chatham 1 9.66x
Conisbrough 1 98.04x
Huntly 1 60.24x
Islington London 1 0.94x
Lambeth 1 1.04x
Mile End Old Town London 1 4.26x
Penge 1 14.20x
Radford 1 13.25x
Rotherham 1 16.23x
St Marylebone London 1 1.70x
Washingborough 1 357.14x
West Derby 1 2.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Jane 5
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Annie 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizah 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Elsia 1
Emily 1
Emly 1
F. 1
Florence 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mrs. 1
Sophia 1
Sophy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 6
Charles 3
Fredrick 3
George 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arbert 1
Aurther 1
C. 1
Edmund 1
Geo. 1
Isaiah 1
James 1
Samuel 1
Sutton 1
Thomas 1
Thompson 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Gurnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gurnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Gurnell surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gurnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Gurnell a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Gurnell map show?

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