UK surname
A locational surname referring to someone from a town or village named Kettel.
In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Kettel surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 77, ranked #33,236, down from #21,690 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Seal, Stonesby, Bescaby and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kettel is 132 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.3%.
1881 census count
84
Ranked #21,690
Modern count
77
2016, ranked #33,236
Peak year
1911
132 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kettel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kettel surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 54 | #23,577 |
| 1861 | historical | 21 | #31,242 |
| 1881 | historical | 84 | #21,690 |
| 1891 | historical | 71 | #27,934 |
| 1901 | historical | 104 | #22,310 |
| 1911 | historical | 132 | #19,313 |
| 1997 | modern | 79 | #29,672 |
| 1998 | modern | 78 | #30,192 |
| 1999 | modern | 74 | #30,759 |
| 2000 | modern | 72 | #30,977 |
| 2001 | modern | 75 | #30,481 |
| 2002 | modern | 64 | #32,007 |
| 2003 | modern | 66 | #31,879 |
| 2004 | modern | 67 | #31,976 |
| 2005 | modern | 70 | #31,912 |
| 2006 | modern | 66 | #32,629 |
| 2007 | modern | 64 | #33,145 |
| 2008 | modern | 68 | #33,047 |
| 2009 | modern | 72 | #33,021 |
| 2010 | modern | 74 | #33,167 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 73 | #33,431 |
| 2013 | modern | 77 | #33,275 |
| 2014 | modern | 79 | #33,205 |
| 2015 | modern | 79 | #33,127 |
| 2016 | modern | 77 | #33,236 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Seal, Stonesby, Bescaby, London parishes, Lambeth and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seal | Kent |
| 2 | Stonesby, Bescaby | Leicestershire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kettel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kettel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kettel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kettel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kettel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kettel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kettel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kettel originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English words "cytel" or "cytel," which referred to a type of cauldron or kettle used for cooking or heating liquids. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with or made kettles.
The earliest known record of the Kettel surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Chetel" in the Domesday Book, reflecting the spelling variations that were common during that time.
In the 13th century, the name was found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it was spelled "Ketill." This variation indicates the influence of Norse settlers in certain parts of England, as the name "Ketill" was a common Norse personal name.
One notable figure bearing the Kettel surname was Sir Ralph Kettel, a wealthy landowner and member of Parliament who lived in the 14th century. He was born around 1320 in Shropshire, England, and served as a knight of the shire for Shropshire in the Parliaments of 1362, 1368, and 1376.
In the 15th century, the surname was found in various locations across England, including the village of Kettle in Shropshire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in that region.
Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Kettel, who lived in the late 16th century and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1589. He was born around 1545 in Deptford, Kent, and was a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Salters.
During the 17th century, the Kettel surname appeared in various parish records and documents, including the marriage record of John Kettel and Elizabeth Browne in 1631 in Ringwood, Hampshire.
In the 18th century, a notable figure was William Kettel, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1735 in Taunton, Somerset, and played a role in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, which led to the surrender of British forces.
Throughout its history, the Kettel surname has been associated with various place names and locations across England, reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this name. While the name has evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era and the occupational origins of working with kettles or cauldrons.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kettel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 29 Kettels recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 29 | 7.35x |
| Kent | 17 | 6.16x |
| Leicestershire | 14 | 15.60x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.42x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 0.49x |
| Northamptonshire | 4 | 5.25x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 1.68x |
| Perthshire | 3 | 8.26x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 3.90x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.47x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.12x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 21 Kettels recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.61x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Camberwell | 21 | 40.61x |
| Stonesby | 13 | 21666.67x |
| Seal | 9 | 2000.00x |
| St Pauls Cray | 6 | 2857.14x |
| Edmonton | 4 | 61.35x |
| Gorton | 4 | 44.30x |
| Lambeth | 4 | 5.67x |
| Newborough | 4 | 2105.26x |
| Rotherhithe | 4 | 40.00x |
| Perth St Pauls | 3 | 357.14x |
| Ardingly | 2 | 465.12x |
| Monks Coppenhall | 2 | 29.67x |
| St Andrewthe Great | 2 | 303.03x |
| Bromley | 1 | 23.75x |
| Chester St John Baptist | 1 | 31.15x |
| Folkestone | 1 | 18.66x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 4.57x |
| Rawdon | 1 | 106.38x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kettel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kettel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Kettel households.
FAQ
In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Kettel surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 77 in 2016. That gives Kettel a modern rank of #33,236.
A locational surname referring to someone from a town or village named Kettel.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kettel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.