NameCensus.

UK surname

Kelsall

A surname derived from a place name in England possibly meaning "cool" or "cold spring/well".

In the 1881 census there were 1,512 people recorded with the Kelsall surname, ranking it #2,777 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,381, ranked #2,758, up from #2,777 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Burslem and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent, Ribble Valley and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kelsall is 2,493 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.5%.

1881 census count

1,512

Ranked #2,777

Modern count

2,381

2016, ranked #2,758

Peak year

2010

2,493 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kelsall had 1,512 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,777 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,381 in 2016, ranked #2,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,109 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kelsall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kelsall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kelsall 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 896 #3,070
1861 historical 791 #3,485
1881 historical 1,512 #2,777
1891 historical 1,541 #2,864
1901 historical 1,830 #2,875
1911 historical 2,109 #2,370
1997 modern 1,977 #3,084
1998 modern 2,433 #2,671
1999 modern 2,461 #2,669
2000 modern 2,464 #2,649
2001 modern 2,399 #2,662
2002 modern 2,474 #2,643
2003 modern 2,370 #2,692
2004 modern 2,369 #2,691
2005 modern 2,342 #2,684
2006 modern 2,333 #2,697
2007 modern 2,352 #2,704
2008 modern 2,360 #2,714
2009 modern 2,440 #2,697
2010 modern 2,493 #2,705
2011 modern 2,482 #2,688
2012 modern 2,398 #2,711
2013 modern 2,422 #2,735
2014 modern 2,442 #2,733
2015 modern 2,407 #2,744
2016 modern 2,381 #2,758

Geography

Back to top

Where Kelsalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Burslem, Manchester, Ashton-upon-Mersey and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent, Ribble Valley, Rotherham and Wyre. 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 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Ashton-upon-Mersey Cheshire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 013 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Ribble Valley 004 Ribble Valley
3 Rotherham 013 Rotherham
4 Rotherham 014 Rotherham
5 Wyre 006 Wyre

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kelsall

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kelsall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kelsall, 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 Kelsall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kelsall 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, Kelsall 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

Kelsall is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kelsall falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kelsall

The surname Kelsall originates from the village of Kelsall in Cheshire, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "caelfes" meaning "calf" and "halh" meaning "a haugh or flat meadow", referring to a meadow where calves were kept.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is written as "Calveshale". Other early spellings include Calveshale in 1119, Caulueshale in 1212, and Kelushal in 1260.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Kelsall holding lands in Kelsall, indicating that the surname was being used by local landowners. By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with entries such as John de Kelsale in 1354 and Richard de Kelshale in 1370.

Notable individuals with the surname Kelsall throughout history include John Kelsall (c. 1545-1594), an English Roman Catholic priest who was executed for his faith during the Elizabethan period. Thomas Kelsall (1700-1748) was an English Unitarian minister and author, known for his controversial writings on religion.

In the 19th century, John Kelsall (1820-1892) was a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Lancashire and Cheshire. Edward Kelsall (1801-1857) was an English civil engineer who worked on the construction of railways and canals.

Henry Kelsall (1824-1904) was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate of Maitland from 1874 to 1880.

While the surname Kelsall is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in the landscape and local landowners of the village it originated from in Cheshire, England. Its evolution from early spellings like Calveshale to its modern form reflects the linguistic changes over centuries in the English language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kelsall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kelsall 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. Lancashire leads with 590 Kelsalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.38x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 590 3.38x
Staffordshire 411 8.28x
Cheshire 273 8.41x
Yorkshire 37 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 32 1.61x
Warwickshire 25 0.67x
Shropshire 23 1.81x
Derbyshire 19 0.83x
Devon 18 0.59x
Flintshire 17 4.30x
Surrey 8 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.64x
Hampshire 6 0.20x
Durham 5 0.11x
Middlesex 5 0.03x
Denbighshire 4 0.72x
Midlothian 4 0.20x
Northumberland 4 0.18x
Worcestershire 4 0.21x
Cumberland 3 0.24x
Kent 2 0.04x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Oxfordshire 2 0.22x
Somerset 2 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Essex 1 0.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 221 Kelsalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.00x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 221 42.00x
Burslem 83 58.39x
Hulme 77 21.14x
Stretford 73 76.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 40 10.49x
Pendleton In Salford 35 16.84x
Ashton On Mersey 33 196.66x
Burtonwood 31 484.38x
Sale 27 67.82x
Widnes 26 20.66x
Smallthorne 25 135.72x
Timperley 24 212.77x
Manchester 23 2.93x
Nottingham St Mary 23 4.49x
Chorlton On Medlock 21 7.58x
Prestwich 21 48.25x
Stockport 21 12.57x
Cheadle 20 32.27x
Newcastle Under Lyme 20 22.78x
Marple 17 76.30x
Aston 15 1.47x
Barnacre With Bonds 15 325.38x
Dukinfield 15 10.00x
Oldham 15 2.66x
Over Wyresdale 14 542.64x
Barton Upon Irwell 13 9.90x
Northam 13 58.30x
Pickton 12 2142.86x
Ardwick 11 6.99x
Castle Church 11 36.88x
Garstang 11 279.19x
Altrincham 10 17.64x
Brightside Bierlow 10 3.50x
Gorton 10 6.10x
Bollin Fee 9 62.54x
Catterall 9 292.21x
Salford 9 1.75x
Scotforth 9 79.37x
Walton On Hill 9 9.52x
Burton Upon Trent 8 6.89x
Dunham Massey 8 80.48x
Snenton 8 10.28x
Wolstanton Chesterton 8 31.55x
Bradford 7 1.99x
Middle 7 201.73x
Preston 7 1.50x
Sandbach 7 25.29x
Wincham 7 117.06x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.53x
Beard 6 80.11x
Bilston 6 6.24x
Birmingham 6 0.49x
Chester St Oswald 6 10.21x
Ferry Fryston 6 105.63x
Levenshulme 6 33.43x
Lostock Gralam 6 153.45x
Oswestry Town 6 14.75x
Quernmore 6 204.08x
Rusholme 6 12.89x
Tonge With Haulgh 6 17.67x
Walmersley Cum 6 21.53x
Bermondsey 5 1.14x
Bilsborrow 5 485.44x
Bramhall 5 37.20x
Brinnington 5 16.50x
Chester St Martin 5 96.90x
Hawarden 5 16.11x
Kearsley 5 13.62x
Lancaster 5 4.82x
Little Bolton 5 2.23x
Rugeley 5 14.04x
Wisbech St Mary 5 46.77x
Wolstanton Knutton 5 16.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.50x
Exeter St Thomas The 4 12.82x
Leek Lowe 4 6.06x
Mold 4 11.16x
Rufford 4 87.72x
Stafford St Mary 4 5.69x
Windle 4 4.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 101
William 98
Thomas 71
James 63
Joseph 38
George 36
Henry 30
Charles 27
Samuel 24
Alfred 21
Richard 14
Robert 14
Edward 12
Harry 11
Frederick 10
Daniel 8
Josiah 8
Arthur 7
Herbert 7
David 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Andrew 5
Edwin 5
Isaac 5
Wm. 5
Jas. 4
Joshua 4
Leonard 4
Christopher 3
Frank 3
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Amos 2
Clement 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Jonathan 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Clyde 1
Conrad 1
Elijah 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Francis 1

FAQ

Kelsall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kelsall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,512 people were recorded with the Kelsall surname. That placed it at #2,777 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kelsall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,381 in 2016. That gives Kelsall a modern rank of #2,758.

What does the Kelsall surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name in England possibly meaning "cool" or "cold spring/well".

What does the Kelsall map show?

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