NameCensus.

UK surname

Hammell

A surname derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning homestead and "heal" meaning nook or secluded spot.

In the 1881 census there were 140 people recorded with the Hammell surname, ranking it #16,151 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 215, ranked #18,670, down from #16,151 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Kincardine and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hammell is 215 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

140

Ranked #16,151

Modern count

215

2016, ranked #18,670

Peak year

2016

215 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hammell had 140 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,151 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016, ranked #18,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hammell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hammell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hammell 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 140 #16,151
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 98 #22,959
1997 modern 173 #19,295
1998 modern 182 #19,162
1999 modern 189 #18,862
2000 modern 185 #19,118
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 190 #18,889
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 194 #18,566
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 181 #19,466
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 201 #18,965
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 199 #19,280
2013 modern 208 #19,041
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 215 #18,670

Geography

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Where Hammells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), St Marylebone, Brancepeth and Aysgarth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Kincardine, Medway and Melrose and Tweedbank Area. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 Aysgarth Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 003 Copeland
2 Kincardine Fife
3 Medway 022 Medway
4 Medway 027 Medway
5 Melrose and Tweedbank Area Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hammell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hammell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hammell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hammell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hammell 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

Hammell is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hammell 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 Hammell 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 Hammell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hammell

The surname Hammell is believed to have originated in England, possibly in the Middle English period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hamol," which means "mutilated" or "maimed." This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname to someone who had a physical disability or injury.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hammell can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record from 1273. Here, a person named Roger Hamoled is mentioned. This spelling variation, Hamoled, is likely an early form of the modern Hammell surname.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various court records and tax rolls. For example, a John Hamell is listed in the Yorkshire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1379, and a William Hammell is recorded in the Calverley Charters of 1447, which were legal documents from the Calverley family in Yorkshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name spread throughout England, with several notable bearers emerging. One such individual was William Hammell (1532-1591), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal under Queen Elizabeth I. Another was John Hammell (1610-1689), a Puritan clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the name Hammell can be found in various parish records and documents across England. For instance, a Thomas Hammell was baptized in St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney, in 1742. Additionally, a Robert Hammell (1720-1790) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

As the British Empire expanded, the name Hammell also spread to other parts of the world. One notable bearer was Henry Hammell (1814-1892), a British colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of the British Virgin Islands from 1867 to 1872.

Throughout its history, the surname Hammell has had various spelling variations, including Hamel, Hamell, Hammil, and Hammill. While the name is not among the most common surnames, it has persisted throughout the centuries and can be found in various countries with connections to British history and immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hammell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hammell 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 44 Hammells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 44 3.30x
Durham 28 6.99x
Cornwall 8 5.25x
Middlesex 8 0.59x
Ayrshire 7 6.95x
Hertfordshire 7 7.54x
Renfrewshire 6 5.75x
Lanarkshire 4 0.92x
Midlothian 4 2.22x
Glamorgan 3 1.28x
Northamptonshire 3 2.37x
Cheshire 2 0.67x
Devon 2 0.71x
Gloucestershire 2 0.76x
Kent 2 0.44x
Sussex 2 0.88x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.80x
Dorset 1 1.13x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.50x
Royal Navy 1 6.23x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crook Billy Row in Durham leads with 12 Hammells recorded in 1881 and an index of 233.92x.

Place Total Index
Crook Billy Row 12 233.92x
Methley 10 531.91x
Bainbridge 9 2903.23x
Kimberworth 8 108.11x
Kings Walden 7 1346.15x
Burton Cum Walden 6 3000.00x
Cathcart 6 106.38x
Kilmarnock 6 50.04x
Tanfield 6 126.05x
St Marylebone London 5 6.96x
Dawdon 4 81.14x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 93.68x
Middlesbrough 4 23.03x
Redruth 4 92.81x
Upper Stonebeck 3 2307.69x
West Witton 3 1304.35x
Brighton 2 4.37x
Glasgow 2 2.59x
Great Neston 2 204.08x
Great Torrington 2 125.79x
Kenwyn 2 50.13x
Llandaff 2 25.64x
Newbottle 2 91.32x
Tunstall 2 100.50x
Wellingborough 2 31.40x
Barony 1 0.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 4.02x
Chatham 1 7.91x
Cheltenham 1 4.91x
Conside Knitsley 1 32.15x
Darenth 1 140.85x
Dorchester St Peter 1 156.25x
Falmouth 1 18.55x
Gateshead 1 3.33x
Girvan 1 39.53x
Govan 1 0.93x
Gwennap 1 34.84x
Hulme 1 3.00x
King Edward 1 69.44x
Leeds 1 1.33x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 9.63x
Northampton Priory St 1 13.16x
Royal Navy 1 7.29x
Shoreditch London 1 1.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.69x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 17.15x
St Bride London 1 128.21x
Swansea St Thomas 1 42.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Agnes 4
Catherine 4
Eliza 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Dorothy 2
Ellen 2
Margaret 2
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Carah 1
Cicely 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
L. 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
M.E. 1
M.L. 1
Martha 1
Matilder 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Rose 1
Rosena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 6
Thomas 5
William 5
George 4
Christopher 2
Abraham 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Willie 1
Wm.W. 1

FAQ

Hammell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hammell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 140 people were recorded with the Hammell surname. That placed it at #16,151 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hammell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016. That gives Hammell a modern rank of #18,670.

What does the Hammell surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning homestead and "heal" meaning nook or secluded spot.

What does the Hammell map show?

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