NameCensus.

UK surname

Jewels

A surname derived from the precious stones or jewels trade or occupation.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Jewels surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 94, ranked #31,871, down from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Northumberland and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jewels is 109 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.3%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

94

2016, ranked #31,871

Peak year

2010

109 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Jewels had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016, ranked #31,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 80 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Jewels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jewels surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jewels 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 77 #29,874
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 84 #29,700
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 92 #28,528
2002 modern 90 #29,314
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 94 #31,871

Geography

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Where Jewels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Northumberland, North Tyneside and Wyre Forest. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
2 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
3 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
4 Wyre Forest 003 Wyre Forest
5 Cornwall 027 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jewels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jewels

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Jewels 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

Jewels 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

Jewels falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jewels

The surname Jewels has its origins in the British Isles, particularly in England. The history of this surname dates back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name Jewels is derived from the Old French word "juel," which means "jewel" or "gem," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who worked with or handled jewels, such as a jeweler or gem dealer.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname Jewels appear in medieval England. Historical references suggest that the name was present in various forms, such as Juel, Jewell, and Jewels. One of the earliest instances is from the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Juel is noted. This document, which aimed to record landowners and their assets, provides a glimpse into the early usage and presence of the name.

In the 16th century, one of the most notable individuals bearing this surname was John Jewell (1522-1571), who served as the Bishop of Salisbury. John Jewell was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and is well-known for his writings in defense of the Anglican Church. His surname, often spelled as Jewell, likely influenced the consistency in the spelling of Jewels in subsequent generations.

Another historical bearers of the surname include Sir Matthew Jewels, an English merchant in the 1500s who was involved in trade between England and the Mediterranean. His activities are recorded in various commercial documents and ship manifests from the period. The Jewels name figure prominently in the records of Bristol, a historical port city, indicating their involvement in maritime trade.

In the 17th century, a Thomas Jewels appears in the parish records of Devon, a county in southwest England. These records detail his life as a local blacksmith, a trade that, while unrelated to jewelry, signifies the diverse occupations the bearers of the Jewels name undertook.

By the 18th century, the surname had spread beyond England to other parts of the British Isles and overseas colonies. One notable individual from this period is William Jewels, who emigrated to the American colonies in the early 1700s and settled in Virginia. Records from this time period document his contributions as a landowner and farmer, establishing the presence of the Jewels name in the New World.

The surname Jewels, rich in history, showcases the evolution from its occupational roots to a name borne by individuals across various walks of life. The legacy of the Jewels name illustrates a fascinating journey from medieval England to the global stage, with its bearers contributing to different facets of society through the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jewels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jewels 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. Northumberland leads with 21 Jewels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.52x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 21 24.52x
Cornwall 15 23.02x
Devon 6 5.01x
East Lothian 6 78.74x
Sussex 5 5.15x
Gloucestershire 2 1.77x
Kent 2 1.02x
Glamorgan 1 1.00x
Lancashire 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. Tynemouth in Northumberland leads with 11 Jewels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.65x.

Place Total Index
Tynemouth 11 239.65x
Chirton 10 515.46x
Dunbar 6 560.75x
Lanlivery 6 2222.22x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 65.01x
Hastings St Leonards 5 349.65x
St Germans 5 1111.11x
Cardynham 2 3333.33x
Lostwithel 2 1111.11x
Withington 2 1666.67x
Lydd 1 238.10x
Swansea Town 1 12.17x
Tonbridge 1 14.12x
Ulverston 1 50.25x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
Richard 3
William 3
Charles 2
Isaac 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Octavius 1
Preston 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
Thompson 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Jewels households.

FAQ

Jewels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jewels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Jewels surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jewels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016. That gives Jewels a modern rank of #31,871.

What does the Jewels surname mean?

A surname derived from the precious stones or jewels trade or occupation.

What does the Jewels map show?

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