NameCensus.

UK surname

Israel

A Biblical place name adopted as a surname by Jews and some Christians, referring to the ancient kingdom.

In the 1881 census there were 394 people recorded with the Israel surname, ranking it #8,055 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 601, ranked #8,708, down from #8,055 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Botolph Aldgate and Christ Church Spitalfields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Barnet and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Israel is 661 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.5%.

1881 census count

394

Ranked #8,055

Modern count

601

2016, ranked #8,708

Peak year

1911

661 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Israel had 394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,055 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 601 in 2016, ranked #8,708.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 661 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Israel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Israel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Israel 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 247 #8,868
1861 historical 179 #13,127
1881 historical 394 #8,055
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 537 #7,652
1911 historical 661 #6,353
1997 modern 506 #9,218
1998 modern 516 #9,368
1999 modern 526 #9,295
2000 modern 510 #9,485
2001 modern 508 #9,344
2002 modern 509 #9,509
2003 modern 500 #9,481
2004 modern 503 #9,480
2005 modern 508 #9,340
2006 modern 515 #9,277
2007 modern 519 #9,300
2008 modern 524 #9,299
2009 modern 550 #9,169
2010 modern 557 #9,270
2011 modern 562 #9,111
2012 modern 561 #9,045
2013 modern 584 #8,911
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 609 #8,643
2016 modern 601 #8,708

Geography

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Where Israels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Botolph Aldgate, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Barnet and Torfaen. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
3 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
4 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 027 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 023 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 020 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Barnet 032 Barnet
5 Torfaen 001 Torfaen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Israel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Israel

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Israel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Israel 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Israel is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Israel 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

Israel 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 Israel 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Israel

The surname Israel has its origins in the ancient Hebrew name Yisrael, meaning "one who struggles with God" or "one who has prevailed with God." It is derived from the biblical figure Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel after he wrestled with an angel of God (Genesis 32:28).

The name Israel first appeared as a surname among Jewish communities in the Middle Ages. It was likely adopted as a way to identify individuals or families with a connection to the land of Israel or as a reflection of their religious and cultural heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Israel can be found in the Aramaic documents of the Cairo Geniza, a collection of medieval Jewish manuscripts discovered in the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo, Egypt. These documents date back to the 11th and 12th centuries.

In the 13th century, the surname Israel is mentioned in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica, a record of ecclesiastical taxes in England. This suggests that individuals bearing the surname had settled in England by that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Israel throughout history include:

1. Benjamin Israel (1616-1669), a Dutch philosopher and writer who was one of the first to argue for the separation of church and state. 2. Menasseh ben Israel (1604-1657), a Portuguese-Dutch rabbi and scholar who played a significant role in the readmission of Jews to England in the 17th century. 3. Manasseh Israel (1772-1847), an American soldier and politician who served as the first Jewish governor of South Carolina from 1799 to 1802. 4. Isaac Israel (1629-1707), a Dutch merchant and philanthropist who was influential in the Jewish community of Amsterdam. 5. Jonathan Israel (born 1946), a British historian and academic who has written extensively on the Enlightenment and the Dutch Golden Age.

The surname Israel has also been associated with various place names, such as Israel's Field in Gloucestershire, England, and Israel's Town in Jamaica, which was named after the Jewish settler families who established the town in the 17th century.

While the surname Israel has its roots in the ancient Hebrew name and the biblical figure, it has become a widespread surname across various cultures and regions, reflecting the global dispersion of Jewish communities and the adoption of the name by individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Israel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Israel 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 205 Israels recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.33x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 205 5.33x
Glamorgan 84 12.55x
Lancashire 42 0.92x
Yorkshire 19 0.50x
Somerset 12 1.94x
Surrey 10 0.53x
Monmouthshire 8 2.88x
Devon 3 0.38x
Leicestershire 3 0.70x
Carmarthenshire 2 1.23x
Cornwall 1 0.23x
Essex 1 0.13x
Kent 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.17x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 52 Israels recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.57x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 52 63.57x
Spitalfields London 49 169.49x
Whitechapel London 26 68.64x
Llantwit Vairdre 21 279.26x
Merthyr Tydfil 18 27.99x
St George In East London 18 49.79x
Broughton In Salford 15 35.97x
Bedminster 12 20.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 16.56x
Pentyrch 12 434.78x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 12 220.59x
Leeds 11 5.11x
Eglwysilan 10 86.13x
Liverpool 10 3.61x
Ystradyfodwg 10 17.04x
Llanfabon 9 257.14x
Bethnal Green London 8 4.79x
Islington London 8 2.15x
St Botolph Aldgate London 8 101.14x
Camberwell 7 2.85x
Huddersfield 7 12.61x
Mile End New Town London 7 92.23x
Llanover 4 42.15x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 4 75.47x
St Anne Soho London 4 18.22x
Clerkenwell London 3 3.31x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.89x
Manchester 3 1.46x
Paddington London 3 2.12x
Plymouth Charles The 3 8.51x
Llangathen 2 175.44x
Llangynwyd Middle 2 232.56x
Newington 2 1.41x
St James Dukes Place 2 243.90x
St Marylebone London 2 0.97x
Birmingham 1 0.31x
Dudley 1 1.64x
Gelligaer 1 6.54x
Llanishen 1 161.29x
Madron Penzance 1 6.32x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 1 13.30x
Old Artillery Ground 1 30.21x
Shoreditch London 1 0.60x
Southcoates 1 4.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.29x
St George Bloomsbury 1 4.54x
Toxteth Park 1 0.65x
West Derby 1 0.75x
West Thurrock 1 39.68x
Woolwich 1 2.06x

FAQ

Israel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Israel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 394 people were recorded with the Israel surname. That placed it at #8,055 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Israel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 601 in 2016. That gives Israel a modern rank of #8,708.

What does the Israel surname mean?

A Biblical place name adopted as a surname by Jews and some Christians, referring to the ancient kingdom.

What does the Israel map show?

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