NameCensus.

UK surname

Kinnersley

A locational surname derived from the village of Kinnersley in Herefordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 218 people recorded with the Kinnersley surname, ranking it #12,158 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 445, ranked #10,890, up from #12,158 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Eccleshall and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Wychavon and North Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kinnersley is 470 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.1%.

1881 census count

218

Ranked #12,158

Modern count

445

2016, ranked #10,890

Peak year

2000

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kinnersley had 218 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,158 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016, ranked #10,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Kinnersley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kinnersley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kinnersley 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 156 #14,813
1881 historical 218 #12,158
1891 historical 257 #12,476
1901 historical 312 #11,339
1911 historical 346 #10,341
1997 modern 396 #11,086
1998 modern 466 #10,140
1999 modern 468 #10,160
2000 modern 470 #10,089
2001 modern 454 #10,162
2002 modern 444 #10,553
2003 modern 445 #10,376
2004 modern 430 #10,697
2005 modern 421 #10,762
2006 modern 433 #10,564
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 448 #10,458
2009 modern 452 #10,629
2010 modern 454 #10,833
2011 modern 448 #10,829
2012 modern 453 #10,598
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 455 #10,804
2015 modern 456 #10,715
2016 modern 445 #10,890

Geography

Back to top

Where Kinnersleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Eccleshall, London parishes, Burford, Greet and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Wychavon and North Kesteven. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Eccleshall Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burford, Greet Worcestershire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
2 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
3 Wychavon 014 Wychavon
4 North Kesteven 011 North Kesteven
5 Hartlepool 007 Hartlepool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kinnersley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kinnersley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Kinnersley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kinnersley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kinnersley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kinnersley 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

Kinnersley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kinnersley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kinnersley

The surname Kinnersley has its origins in England, where it first emerged as a locational surname in the medieval period. It is derived from the place name Kinnersley, a small village located in Herefordshire, near the Welsh border. The name Kinnersley is thought to be derived from the Old English words "cyning" meaning king and "leah" meaning meadow or woodland clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kinnersley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Chinardeslei". This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show a Sir Roger de Kinnersley, who was a prominent landowner in Herefordshire. Sir Roger's descendants continued to hold land and influence in the area for several generations.

During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Kinnersley was Sir Clement Kinnersley (c. 1500 - 1575), who served as a member of Parliament for Herefordshire and played a role in the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII.

Another notable individual with the surname Kinnersley was Sir Thomas Kinnersley (1561 - 1625), who was a member of the English gentry and served as a Justice of the Peace in Herefordshire.

In the 17th century, a prominent member of the Kinnersley family was Sir Francis Kinnersley (1617 - 1687), who was a royalist during the English Civil War and later served as a member of Parliament under King Charles II.

As the surname spread beyond its original geographical roots, it acquired various alternative spellings, such as Kynnersley, Kynnardsley, and Kinnardsley, which can be found in historical records from different regions of England.

While the Kinnersley surname has its deepest roots in Herefordshire, it has since become more widely distributed throughout England and beyond, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kinnersley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kinnersley 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. Herefordshire leads with 45 Kinnersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.09x.

County Total Index
Herefordshire 45 52.09x
Staffordshire 28 3.94x
Glamorgan 21 5.72x
Worcestershire 20 7.27x
Shropshire 17 9.34x
Monmouthshire 11 7.22x
Middlesex 10 0.47x
Somerset 9 2.65x
Gloucestershire 8 1.94x
Lincolnshire 8 2.37x
Kent 7 0.97x
Yorkshire 7 0.34x
Durham 6 0.96x
Lancashire 6 0.24x
Derbyshire 5 1.52x
Devon 2 0.46x
Surrey 2 0.19x
Warwickshire 2 0.38x
Denbighshire 1 1.26x
Leicestershire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hereford All Sts in Herefordshire leads with 13 Kinnersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.28x.

Place Total Index
Hereford All Sts 13 328.28x
Trevethin 11 76.50x
Whitchurch 10 505.05x
Shrewsbury St Julian 9 200.00x
Bedminster 8 25.10x
Hereford St Peter 7 303.03x
Horfield 7 168.27x
Plumstead 7 29.22x
St Martin Lincoln 7 223.64x
St Pancras London 7 4.13x
Cardiff St John 6 50.08x
Great Bolton 6 18.12x
Hartlebury 6 365.85x
Monnington On Wye 6 10000.00x
Rowley Regis 6 30.27x
Wolverhampton 6 10.97x
Burford 5 1612.90x
Cadoxton 5 2272.73x
Hereford St Owen 5 175.44x
Much Birch 5 1315.79x
Eccleshall 4 148.15x
Holmer 4 256.41x
Leominster Out 4 493.83x
Litchurch 4 30.14x
Ribbesford 4 174.67x
Stranton 4 18.96x
Trentham 4 66.12x
Islington London 3 1.47x
Leigh 3 89.82x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 23.85x
Birmingham 2 1.13x
Camberwell 2 1.49x
Great Malvern 2 34.84x
Kingswinford 2 7.75x
Quatt 2 800.00x
Stockton On Tees 2 6.62x
Tenbury 2 132.45x
Whitby 2 28.41x
Wollaston 2 114.29x
Billesdon 1 163.93x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.44x
Bromsgrove 1 10.80x
Burton Extra 1 24.51x
Castle Church 1 23.42x
Cheadle 1 29.24x
Cleobury Mortimer 1 86.96x
Eardisland 1 178.57x
Exeter St Stephen 1 434.78x
Halifax 1 3.26x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 59.88x
Lidford 1 50.76x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 11.26x
Ruabon 1 9.14x
Ruswarp 1 43.10x
Sneaton 1 588.24x
St Mark Lincoln 1 138.89x
Stapenhill 1 20.37x
Westbury On Trym 1 7.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 18
Thomas 15
John 14
George 10
James 9
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Henry 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Aubrey 1
Bernard 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1
Oliver 1
Orial 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Willm.A. 1

FAQ

Kinnersley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kinnersley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 218 people were recorded with the Kinnersley surname. That placed it at #12,158 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kinnersley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 445 in 2016. That gives Kinnersley a modern rank of #10,890.

What does the Kinnersley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the village of Kinnersley in Herefordshire, England.

What does the Kinnersley map show?

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