NameCensus.

UK surname

Kendal

A surname derived from the town of Kendal in Cumbria, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,173 people recorded with the Kendal surname, ranking it #3,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 750, ranked #7,292, down from #3,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Manchester and Dalton-in-Furness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, South Lakeland and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kendal is 1,199 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 36.1%.

1881 census count

1,173

Ranked #3,433

Modern count

750

2016, ranked #7,292

Peak year

1891

1,199 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kendal had 1,173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016, ranked #7,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,199 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kendal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kendal surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kendal 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 858 #3,173
1861 historical 858 #3,225
1881 historical 1,173 #3,433
1891 historical 1,199 #3,573
1901 historical 998 #4,771
1911 historical 732 #5,858
1997 modern 719 #7,096
1998 modern 734 #7,226
1999 modern 759 #7,078
2000 modern 726 #7,290
2001 modern 715 #7,242
2002 modern 734 #7,228
2003 modern 684 #7,529
2004 modern 692 #7,479
2005 modern 706 #7,283
2006 modern 717 #7,226
2007 modern 728 #7,230
2008 modern 719 #7,328
2009 modern 755 #7,213
2010 modern 786 #7,129
2011 modern 775 #7,123
2012 modern 758 #7,165
2013 modern 769 #7,199
2014 modern 773 #7,190
2015 modern 754 #7,276
2016 modern 750 #7,292

Geography

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Where Kendals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Manchester, Dalton-in-Furness, Preston and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, South Lakeland, East Northamptonshire and Salford. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 004 Gateshead
2 Gateshead 001 Gateshead
3 South Lakeland 009 South Lakeland
4 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
5 Salford 020 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kendal

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kendal

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kendal is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kendal 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

Kendal falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kendal

The surname Kendal has its origins in the Cumbrian town of Kendal in the northwest of England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old Norse words "kent" meaning a river valley and "haugr" meaning a hill, denoting the town's location in a valley surrounded by hills. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was Chendelle in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The Kendal surname first emerged in the 13th century, with records showing a William de Kendal living in Yorkshire in 1260. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name appeared in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire and the Feet of Fines for Lancashire, indicating the spread of the family across northern England.

One of the earliest notable figures with the Kendal surname was John Kendal, a 14th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1347 to 1349. Another prominent individual was Thomas Kendal (1515-1593), an English Protestant theologian and Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Andrew's Church in London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with John Kendall (1619-1708) being one of the earliest settlers in the New World. He was a prominent figure in the colony, serving as a constable, selectman, and deacon of the church in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Another notable figure was Henry Kendall (1839-1882), an Australian poet and author who is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of colonial Australia. His works, such as "The Bell-Birds" and "The Harp of the Wanderer," celebrated the Australian landscape and bush life.

In the 20th century, the Kendal surname was borne by several notable individuals, including Wilkie Kendall (1905-1977), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire and represented England in one Test match against the West Indies in 1933.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kendal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kendal 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 344 Kendals recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 344 2.54x
Yorkshire 197 1.74x
Cumberland 79 8.05x
Middlesex 67 0.59x
Westmorland 54 21.57x
Cheshire 50 1.99x
Northamptonshire 41 3.83x
Durham 34 1.00x
Northumberland 23 1.36x
Worcestershire 23 1.55x
Leicestershire 22 1.74x
Warwickshire 21 0.73x
Lincolnshire 20 1.10x
Lanarkshire 18 0.49x
Bedfordshire 16 2.71x
Gloucestershire 16 0.72x
Essex 15 0.67x
Staffordshire 15 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.85x
Surrey 12 0.22x
Norfolk 10 0.57x
Kent 9 0.23x
Midlothian 9 0.59x
Derbyshire 8 0.45x
Hampshire 8 0.34x
Pembrokeshire 8 2.21x
Angus 7 0.66x
Devon 6 0.25x
Sussex 6 0.31x
Anglesey 4 1.98x
Somerset 4 0.22x
Suffolk 4 0.29x
Cornwall 3 0.23x
Cardiganshire 1 0.36x
Dorset 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 47 Kendals recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.07x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 47 13.07x
Barrow In Furness 44 23.93x
Huddersfield 23 13.98x
Lancaster 23 28.59x
Preston 23 6.36x
Birkenhead 18 8.98x
Wilsden 18 155.31x
Barony 16 1.72x
Kendal 16 34.90x
Millom 16 53.23x
Barrowford Booth 14 93.58x
Hetton Le Hole 14 32.59x
Upper Holker 12 376.18x
Aston 11 1.39x
Dalton In Furness 11 21.08x
Dudley 11 6.08x
Lowick 11 728.48x
Rushton 11 569.95x
St Pancras London 11 1.20x
Cheadle 10 20.82x
Clee With Weelsby 10 25.08x
East Chevington 10 177.31x
Higham On The Hill 10 568.18x
Killington 10 1030.93x
Manchester 10 1.64x
West Ham 10 2.01x
Rothwell 9 83.64x
Skelmanthorpe 9 73.83x
Dewsbury 8 6.91x
Farnley In Bramley 8 56.78x
Horsforth 8 32.32x
Rawmarsh 8 20.06x
Sedburgh 8 170.21x
South Leith 8 4.66x
Stockton On Tees 8 4.90x
Ulverston 8 20.31x
Westbury On Severn East 8 15.84x
Worsley 8 9.60x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.41x
Binham 7 376.34x
Brampton Bierlow 7 48.41x
Burrow With Burrow 7 843.37x
Carlton 7 378.38x
Cleator 7 17.14x
Cummersdale 7 208.96x
Dundee 7 1.78x
Edgbaston 7 7.86x
Gomersal 7 13.28x
Great Little Marsden 7 11.30x
Higher Booths 7 28.72x
Hipperholme Cum 7 14.11x
Margate St John Baptist 7 9.83x
Oddingley 7 909.09x
Penrith 7 19.32x
Undermilbeck 7 84.75x
Barton In Clay 6 144.93x
Broughton In Salford 6 4.85x
Caldewgate 6 11.16x
Chadderton 6 9.08x
Ellenthorpe Humburton 6 1132.08x
Handsworth 6 6.33x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 6 127.39x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 8.26x
Hexham 6 22.87x
Humberstone 6 57.80x
Laceby 6 151.13x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.51x
Paddington London 6 1.43x
Preston Richard 6 260.87x
Spitalfields London 6 7.00x
St Cuthbert W O 6 12.55x
Stockport 6 4.64x
Stockport Etchells 6 111.94x
Weston By Welland 6 714.29x
Catterall 5 209.21x
Clitheroe 5 12.57x
Finchley 5 11.45x
Rotherham 5 7.86x
Wavertree 5 11.55x
Wiston 5 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 77
Elizabeth 53
Sarah 26
Ann 25
Jane 22
Hannah 21
Margaret 21
Agnes 18
Eliza 16
Annie 15
Ellen 15
Isabella 15
Alice 12
Martha 12
Emma 11
Eleanor 9
Emily 9
Louisa 9
Catherine 7
Kate 7
Maria 7
Charlotte 6
Lucy 6
Edith 5
Ethel 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Rachel 5
Rebecca 5
Clara 4
Esther 4
Ada 3
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Minnie 3
Rosanna 3
Sophia 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Deborah 2
Dorothy 2
Elizebth 2
Eva 2
Hanah 2
Harriett 2
Isabel 2
Lilly 2
Margret 2
Matilda 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 67
Thomas 64
William 64
George 49
Joseph 33
James 31
Robert 18
Charles 16
Henry 8
Richard 8
Tom 7
Wm. 7
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Benjamin 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Christopher 4
David 4
Francis 4
Isaac 4
Albert 3
Earnest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Joshua 3
Robt. 3
Adam 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Joe 2
Mark 2
Matthias 2
Michael 2
Miles 2
Percy 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Catherine 1
Charley 1
Drewry 1
Eyre 1
Jn. 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Joanas 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Kendal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kendal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,173 people were recorded with the Kendal surname. That placed it at #3,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kendal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016. That gives Kendal a modern rank of #7,292.

What does the Kendal surname mean?

A surname derived from the town of Kendal in Cumbria, England.

What does the Kendal map show?

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