NameCensus.

UK surname

Hansell

An English surname derived from the Middle English personal name Hansel, a diminutive of Hans.

In the 1881 census there were 602 people recorded with the Hansell surname, ranking it #5,818 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 757, ranked #7,230, down from #5,818 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hansell is 880 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

602

Ranked #5,818

Modern count

757

2016, ranked #7,230

Peak year

1911

880 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hansell had 602 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,818 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 757 in 2016, ranked #7,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 880 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hansell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hansell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hansell 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 446 #5,521
1861 historical 477 #5,465
1881 historical 602 #5,818
1891 historical 691 #5,669
1901 historical 803 #5,624
1911 historical 880 #5,059
1997 modern 810 #6,472
1998 modern 826 #6,590
1999 modern 828 #6,620
2000 modern 804 #6,741
2001 modern 790 #6,707
2002 modern 803 #6,754
2003 modern 787 #6,739
2004 modern 803 #6,652
2005 modern 774 #6,783
2006 modern 765 #6,876
2007 modern 748 #7,071
2008 modern 747 #7,129
2009 modern 784 #6,995
2010 modern 812 #6,930
2011 modern 795 #6,992
2012 modern 774 #7,050
2013 modern 787 #7,058
2014 modern 789 #7,086
2015 modern 774 #7,125
2016 modern 757 #7,230

Geography

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Where Hansells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough and Norwich. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
3 Scarborough 004 Scarborough
4 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
5 Norwich 011 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hansell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hansell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hansell, 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 Hansell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hansell 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hansell 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

Hansell 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

Hansell falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hansell

The surname Hansell originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hana" meaning "cock" or "rooster" and "sele" meaning "hall" or "house". This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been associated with a dwelling or estate where roosters were kept.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Haneshill". This entry refers to a landowner or tenant in the county of Gloucestershire. The name's evolution over time saw various spellings such as Haneshull, Hanshull, and eventually, the modern form of Hansell.

In the 13th century, records show a John Hansell who was a landowner in the village of Stoke Gifford, near Bristol. This village likely had a connection to the name's origins, as it was once known as "Haneshull" in the Domesday Book.

During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir Ralph Hansell (1515-1587), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He was known for his charitable works and endowments, including the founding of a school in his hometown of Harwich, Essex.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Hansell (1631-1698), a Member of Parliament for the borough of Launceston in Cornwall during the reign of King Charles II. He was a respected figure in local politics and served as Sheriff of Cornwall in 1685.

In the 18th century, the Hansell family established themselves as successful businessmen and landowners in the county of Wiltshire. One notable member was William Hansell (1738-1812), a wealthy cloth merchant who owned several mills and estates in the region.

During the 19th century, the name gained recognition through the achievements of individuals like James Hansell (1825-1902), a British architect and surveyor who worked on numerous projects, including the restoration of several historic churches in London.

It's worth noting that while the surname Hansell has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the focus of this report is solely on the surname's origins and historical significance within the context of England and its early bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hansell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hansell 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. Norfolk leads with 139 Hansells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.39x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 139 15.39x
Yorkshire 120 2.06x
Durham 63 3.61x
Middlesex 60 1.02x
Hampshire 46 3.82x
Surrey 33 1.15x
Essex 29 2.50x
Hertfordshire 21 5.19x
Staffordshire 21 1.06x
Warwickshire 10 0.68x
Kent 9 0.45x
Lancashire 8 0.11x
Midlothian 7 0.89x
Northamptonshire 6 1.09x
Lanarkshire 5 0.26x
Berkshire 3 0.68x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Shropshire 3 0.59x
Somerset 3 0.32x
Sussex 3 0.30x
Lincolnshire 2 0.21x
Northumberland 2 0.23x
Channel Islands 1 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Ross-shire 1 0.62x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 37 Hansells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.68x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 37 15.68x
Lakenham 22 171.47x
St Albans St Peter 20 146.41x
Stockton On Tees 17 20.19x
Norwich St Clement 14 133.72x
Ormesby 14 89.51x
North Elmham 13 593.61x
Great Yarmouth 12 16.04x
Norwich St Saviour 12 378.55x
Stanghow 11 468.09x
Stranton 11 18.70x
Whitby 11 56.09x
Limehouse London 10 15.51x
Clerkenwell London 9 6.49x
Elvet 9 71.37x
Heigham 9 18.57x
Norwich St Stephen 9 108.56x
Tollerton 9 873.79x
Norwich St James 8 112.99x
Borrowby In Whitby 7 3888.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 2.21x
Hinderwell 7 140.85x
Kingston On Thames 7 10.18x
Lofthouse 7 80.55x
Norwich St Peter 7 118.04x
Stone 7 27.61x
Heybridge 6 178.04x
Islington London 6 1.05x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.80x
Newington 6 2.77x
Newington 6 37.45x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 6 594.06x
Rotherhithe 6 8.27x
West Ham 6 2.34x
Woodham Walter 6 571.43x
York St Saviour 6 107.91x
Aston 5 1.23x
Birmingham 5 1.01x
Godalming 5 27.76x
Govan 5 1.06x
Harrow 5 55.68x
Hartlepool 5 20.14x
North Walsham 5 76.80x
Norwich St John Timberhill 5 205.76x
Thorpe Next Norwich 5 52.25x
Westminster St James 5 8.28x
Camberwell 4 1.07x
Ingleby Greenhow 4 506.33x
Millbrook 4 13.20x
Paddington London 4 1.85x
Sowerby In Thirsk 4 114.29x
Tanfield 4 19.26x
Walthamstow 4 9.59x
West Bromwich 4 3.52x
Woolwich 4 5.40x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.18x
Chetwynd 3 182.93x
Darlington 3 4.45x
Easton 3 150.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.53x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 3 155.44x
Kingsdon 3 422.54x
Lanchester 3 93.46x
Levisham 3 1428.57x
Middlesbrough 3 3.96x
Norwich St Margaret 3 212.77x
Norwich St Michael At 3 57.25x
Redcar 3 64.94x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.43x
Sutton 3 14.49x
Thornaby 3 13.80x
Waterfall 3 357.14x
York St Mary 3 12.45x
Hulme 2 1.37x
Oundle 2 32.36x
Rayleigh 2 74.91x
Thirsk 2 29.81x
Walsall Foreign 2 1.95x
Westminster St Margaret 2 7.06x
Westoe 2 2.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 17
Alice 15
Hannah 12
Charlotte 10
Jane 10
Louisa 8
Ann 7
Emma 7
Margaret 7
Eliza 6
Ada 5
Clara 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Harriet 5
Rose 5
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Laura 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Adelaide 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Rachel 2
Sophia 2
Violet 2
Bella 1
Betsey 1
C. 1
Effey 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Ellenor 1
Helenor 1
Infant 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 26
Thomas 24
Henry 15
George 14
James 14
Frederick 12
Joseph 11
Arthur 10
Robert 10
Alfred 9
Charles 9
Walter 9
Edward 8
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Richard 6
David 4
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Fredk 2
Fredric 2
Horace 2
Martin 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Archd. 1
Chas. 1
Clare 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Edwd.Morgan 1
Emma 1
Ernest 1
F.M. 1
Frankland 1
Fredk.Cha. 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Jowsey 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Miall 1
Montague 1

FAQ

Hansell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hansell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 602 people were recorded with the Hansell surname. That placed it at #5,818 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hansell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 757 in 2016. That gives Hansell a modern rank of #7,230.

What does the Hansell surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English personal name Hansel, a diminutive of Hans.

What does the Hansell map show?

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