NameCensus.

UK surname

Joule

A habitational surname derived from a French place name meaning "little hill".

In the 1881 census there were 266 people recorded with the Joule surname, ranking it #10,589 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 121, ranked #27,399, down from #10,589 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Stone and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Bolton and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Joule is 266 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 54.5%.

1881 census count

266

Ranked #10,589

Modern count

121

2016, ranked #27,399

Peak year

1881

266 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Joule had 266 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,589 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016, ranked #27,399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Joule surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Joule surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Joule 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 186 #12,751
1881 historical 266 #10,589
1891 historical 203 #14,754
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 264 #12,449
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 121 #27,399

Geography

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Where Joules are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Stone, Glossop, Manchester and Hope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Bolton, Cheshire East, Mansfield and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Stone Staffordshire
3 Glossop Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Hope Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 013 High Peak
2 Bolton 006 Bolton
3 Cheshire East 051 Cheshire East
4 Mansfield 002 Mansfield
5 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Joule

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Joule

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Joule surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Joule 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Joule 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

Joule is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Joule 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 Joule is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Joule

The surname Joule originates from England and is believed to have been derived from the Old French word "joule," meaning "jowl" or "cheek." This surname likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, as a descriptive nickname for someone with prominent jowls or cheeks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Joule can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dating back to 1273, where a person named William Joule is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname Joule appeared in various spellings, such as Jowle, Joul, and Jowle, reflecting the phonetic variations common during that time period. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the scribes' interpretations of the name.

The surname Joule has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most renowned is James Prescott Joule (1818-1889), the English physicist and brewer who established the first law of thermodynamics and whose work led to the development of the concept of energy conservation. The unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI) is named after him, the "joule."

Another prominent figure with the surname Joule was Benjamin Joule (1808-1881), an English engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the iron and steel industries in the 19th century. He was also involved in the construction of several important railway lines in England.

John Joule (1801-1875) was an English mathematician and inventor who made contributions to the field of actuarial science and developed a mechanical calculator called the "Joule's calculating machine."

In the literary world, Martha Joule (1868-1957) was an English author and playwright known for her novels and plays set in the rural English countryside.

Lastly, Walter Joule (1892-1969) was a British architect and town planner who had a significant influence on the development of modern urban planning and housing in the mid-20th century.

While the surname Joule may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a distinguished name associated with notable achievements across various fields, particularly in science, engineering, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Joule families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Joule 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. Derbyshire leads with 93 Joules recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.89x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 93 22.89x
Lancashire 81 2.63x
Cheshire 48 8.38x
Staffordshire 15 1.71x
Middlesex 10 0.39x
Somerset 7 1.68x
Lincolnshire 6 1.45x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.20x
Surrey 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 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. Chapel En Le Frith in Derbyshire leads with 38 Joules recorded in 1881 and an index of 1024.26x.

Place Total Index
Chapel En Le Frith 38 1024.26x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 32.71x
Glossop Dale 13 68.35x
Rainow 13 1140.35x
Stone 13 116.07x
Stockport 11 37.31x
Halliwell 10 89.21x
Mellor 10 909.09x
North Wingfield 10 549.45x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 7 79.01x
Walcot 7 31.47x
Cheetham 6 26.12x
Dukinfield 6 22.67x
Fulwood 6 180.18x
Scawby 6 437.96x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 5 187.27x
Bollington In 5 98.04x
Hampstead London 5 12.37x
Beard 4 303.03x
Great Bolton 4 9.81x
Hartington Upper 4 206.19x
Heath 4 1250.00x
Litherland 4 62.11x
Macclesfield 4 15.71x
Pendleton In Salford 4 10.91x
Preston 4 4.86x
Toxteth Park 4 3.84x
Disley Stanley 3 101.69x
Hulme 3 4.67x
Little Bolton 3 7.58x
Sale 3 42.67x
Salford 3 3.31x
Sheffield 3 3.66x
Ashover 2 99.01x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 8.63x
North Meols 2 6.64x
Paddington London 2 2.10x
St Botolph Aldersgate 2 67.11x
Bramhall 1 42.19x
Buxton 1 29.07x
Cheltenham 1 2.55x
Elton 1 217.39x
Gnosall 1 47.39x
Gorton 1 3.46x
Heaton Norris 1 5.70x
Milverton 1 52.08x
Peak Forest 1 227.27x
Putney 1 8.45x
Sandon 1 217.39x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.19x
Stanthorne 1 588.24x
Tintwistle 1 32.68x
Withington 1 10.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Ann 9
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Hannah 8
Alice 7
Jane 6
Emma 5
Margaret 5
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Anne 3
Annie 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Martha 2
Nancy 2
Sophia 2
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.C.A. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Hortense 1
Jemima 1
Jenny 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Levina 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Matilda 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 15
James 10
Joseph 8
George 5
Stephen 5
Benjamin 4
Robert 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Elias 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Benj.Arthur 1
Bertram 1
David 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francies 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Jas. 1
Jessie 1
Miles 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Vincent 1
W.Henry 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Joule surname: questions and answers

How common was the Joule surname in 1881?

In 1881, 266 people were recorded with the Joule surname. That placed it at #10,589 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Joule surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016. That gives Joule a modern rank of #27,399.

What does the Joule surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a French place name meaning "little hill".

What does the Joule map show?

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