NameCensus.

UK surname

Jellings

A surname originating from a place name likely derived from the Old English term "gylling" meaning "the stream."

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Jellings surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Roath and North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Stroud and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jellings is 148 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.7%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

1901

148 bearers

Map years

3

1901 to 1998

Key insights

  • Jellings had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Jellings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jellings surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jellings 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 93 #24,965
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 92 #28,832
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 93 #29,777
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 86 #32,006
2012 modern 87 #32,180
2013 modern 89 #32,248
2014 modern 91 #32,219
2015 modern 91 #32,153
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

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Where Jellings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Roath, North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brighton and Hove, Stroud, Wealden, The Vale of Glamorgan and Walsall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Roath Glamorganshire
3 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brighton and Hove 031 Brighton and Hove
2 Stroud 015 Stroud
3 Wealden 018 Wealden
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 003 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Walsall 003 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jellings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jellings

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Jellings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Jellings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Jellings 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

Jellings is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jellings falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jellings

The surname Jellings is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "giellingas," which means "the descendants or followers of Gilla." Gilla was a personal name that was common among the Anglo-Saxons.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Jellings can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a place called "Gellinges" in Lincolnshire, which is likely the origin of the surname.

In the 13th century, there are references to a William de Gellinges, who was a landowner in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by this time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Gellyng, Jellyng, and Jellyn, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common in that era.

One notable bearer of the surname Jellings was Sir Thomas Jellings (1570-1636), who was a member of the English gentry and served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the early 17th century.

Another significant figure was John Jellings (1632-1701), an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the development of calculus and the study of comets.

In the 18th century, the name was found in various parts of England, with records showing Jellings families residing in counties such as Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire.

One famous bearer of the surname was Robert Jellings (1770-1842), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and was commended for his bravery in several battles.

In the 19th century, the name spread further across the United Kingdom, and some Jellings families immigrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.

One notable figure from this period was Mary Jellings (1836-1912), an English suffragette and women's rights activist who campaigned for the right to vote and equal opportunities for women.

Throughout its history, the surname Jellings has been associated with various occupations, including farming, military service, and various professions. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the migration patterns of English families over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jellings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jellings 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. Gloucestershire leads with 20 Jellings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.94x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 20 13.94x
Glamorgan 13 10.21x
Cambridgeshire 8 17.27x
Middlesex 7 0.96x
Nottinghamshire 6 6.09x
Warwickshire 6 3.25x
Durham 3 1.38x
Essex 3 2.08x
Lancashire 2 0.23x
Northamptonshire 2 2.91x
Kent 1 0.40x
Leicestershire 1 1.23x
Norfolk 1 0.89x
Suffolk 1 1.12x
Surrey 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Roath in Glamorgan leads with 11 Jellings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 189.98x.

Place Total Index
Roath 11 189.98x
Wotton Under Edge 9 1058.82x
Bourton On The Water 6 2068.97x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 108.89x
Shoreditch London 6 18.92x
Southwell 6 833.33x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 29.61x
Doddington 4 1176.47x
Broomfield 3 1304.35x
Gateshead 3 18.42x
Soham 3 300.00x
Cardiff St John 2 48.08x
Moss Side 2 43.76x
Peterborough 2 40.16x
Alderton 1 769.23x
Canterbury St Mary 1 59.88x
Croydon 1 5.05x
Drayton 1 1000.00x
Elm 1 222.22x
Hampstead London 1 8.78x
Loughborough 1 27.17x
North Nibley 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Clara 3
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Lucy 2
Rebecca 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Elizabeth 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
May 1
Phillis 1
Prudence 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Jellings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jellings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Jellings surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jellings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Jellings a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Jellings surname mean?

A surname originating from a place name likely derived from the Old English term "gylling" meaning "the stream."

What does the Jellings map show?

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