NameCensus.

UK surname

Lavelle

Derived from the French place name "La Val" or "La Valle," meaning "the valley."

In the 1881 census there were 233 people recorded with the Lavelle surname, ranking it #11,648 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,331, ranked #2,796, up from #11,648 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Rochdale and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Barnsley and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavelle is 2,374 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 900.4%.

1881 census count

233

Ranked #11,648

Modern count

2,331

2016, ranked #2,796

Peak year

2014

2,374 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lavelle had 233 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,648 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,331 in 2016, ranked #2,796.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 567 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lavelle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lavelle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lavelle 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 233 #11,648
1891 historical 359 #9,635
1901 historical 550 #7,533
1911 historical 567 #7,127
1997 modern 2,142 #2,884
1998 modern 2,211 #2,908
1999 modern 2,224 #2,912
2000 modern 2,195 #2,930
2001 modern 2,161 #2,914
2002 modern 2,212 #2,902
2003 modern 2,133 #2,942
2004 modern 2,136 #2,941
2005 modern 2,097 #2,948
2006 modern 2,125 #2,920
2007 modern 2,183 #2,872
2008 modern 2,211 #2,872
2009 modern 2,283 #2,856
2010 modern 2,349 #2,841
2011 modern 2,280 #2,877
2012 modern 2,258 #2,855
2013 modern 2,337 #2,819
2014 modern 2,374 #2,791
2015 modern 2,337 #2,801
2016 modern 2,331 #2,796

Geography

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Where Lavelles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Rochdale, Manchester, Liverpool and Ormskirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, Barnsley, Liverpool, Hartlepool and Bradford. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Ormskirk Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 004 Wyre Forest
2 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
3 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
4 Hartlepool 014 Hartlepool
5 Bradford 004 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lavelle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lavelle

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lavelle 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

Lavelle is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lavelle 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 Lavelle 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lavelle

The surname Lavelle is of French origin, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the Normandy region of northern France, where it was likely derived from a place name or a descriptive nickname.

One theory suggests that Lavelle is a locational surname, derived from a small village or hamlet in Normandy. However, the exact location is uncertain, as many minor settlements were left unrecorded in historical documents. Another possibility is that the name stems from a Old French word or phrase that described a particular physical feature or occupation.

The earliest known record of the Lavelle surname appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name had already been established in Normandy before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the Lavelle family likely spread across various regions of France and England, with some members possibly migrating to other parts of Europe as well. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Jean Lavelle, a French nobleman who fought in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), and Robert Lavelle, an English merchant and landowner born in 1462.

In the 16th century, the Lavelle name appears in records from Ireland, where it may have been adopted by Anglo-Norman settlers or adapted from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Laimhín. One notable Irish figure was Patrick Lavelle (1540-1612), a Catholic priest and scholar who was influential in the Counter-Reformation.

Another notable Lavelle was Claude Lavelle (1642-1711), a French botanist and author who published several works on plant species in the late 17th century. In the 18th century, Marie Lavelle (1715-1792) was a renowned French opera singer who performed at the Paris Opera.

The Lavelle surname continued to be found across various parts of Europe and beyond, with individuals like William Lavelle (1801-1876), an English explorer and surveyor who worked in Australia, and Miguel Lavelle (1860-1926), a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lavelle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavelle 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 86 Lavelles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 86 3.19x
Yorkshire 22 0.98x
Staffordshire 21 2.74x
Cheshire 19 3.79x
Durham 17 2.51x
Middlesex 13 0.57x
Northumberland 13 3.84x
Cumberland 10 5.11x
Derbyshire 10 2.81x
Lanarkshire 7 0.95x
Worcestershire 6 2.02x
Warwickshire 2 0.35x
Ayrshire 1 0.59x
Devon 1 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.64x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.33x
Perthshire 1 0.98x
Renfrewshire 1 0.57x
Westmorland 1 2.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ormskirk in Lancashire leads with 30 Lavelles recorded in 1881 and an index of 581.40x.

Place Total Index
Ormskirk 30 581.40x
Liverpool 29 17.70x
Cleator 10 122.85x
Willington 9 230.18x
Claylane 8 161.62x
Runcorn 8 69.14x
Hammerwich 7 642.20x
Manchester 7 5.77x
Sheffield 6 8.37x
Brinnington 5 106.61x
Heaton Norris 5 32.57x
Morpeth 5 125.63x
Westminster St James 5 21.40x
Widnes 5 25.71x
Avondale 4 93.02x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 29.46x
Tynemouth 4 22.09x
Wolverhampton 4 6.78x
York St Peter Le 4 930.23x
Bedlington 3 26.57x
Gateshead 3 5.93x
Keighley 3 12.49x
Kidderminster Borough 3 17.27x
Kings Norton 3 11.27x
Leeds 3 2.36x
Monks Coppenhall 3 15.85x
St Pancras London 3 1.64x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 3.69x
Stranton 3 13.18x
Birmingham 2 1.05x
Blackburn 2 2.79x
Litchurch 2 13.97x
St Marylebone London 2 1.65x
Walton On Hill 2 13.69x
Wolsingham 2 32.47x
Appleby St Michael 1 89.29x
Aughton 1 37.45x
Birkenhead 1 2.50x
Govan 1 0.55x
Grange 1 1250.00x
Great Little Marsden 1 8.10x
Hamilton 1 4.88x
Handsworth 1 5.29x
Holbeck 1 6.70x
Islington London 1 0.45x
Longbenton 1 6.98x
Middlewich 1 97.09x
Much Woolton 1 27.32x
Muirkirk 1 25.06x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.26x
Old Monkland 1 3.43x
Perth East Church 1 10.40x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.74x
Row 1 12.66x
Scarisbrick 1 31.95x
Skelmersdale 1 22.27x
Spitalfields London 1 5.85x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.70x
Toxteth Park 1 1.10x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.52x
West Bromwich 1 2.28x
West Greenock 1 3.16x
York Holy Trinity 1 51.28x
York St George 1 56.50x
York St Lawrence 1 42.55x
York St Mary 1 10.72x
York St Maurice 1 23.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Bridget 12
Ellen 11
Margaret 10
Ann 9
Annie 5
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Sarah 3
Jane 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Ames 1
Caroline 1
Celencia 1
Esther 1
Hanora 1
Helen 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Maggie 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
Michael 17
Thomas 14
James 12
Patrick 10
Martin 5
Edward 4
Peter 4
Owen 3
William 3
David 2
Hugh 2
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Felix 1
J.P. 1
Joseph 1
Marthin 1
Mary 1
Micheal 1
Mokeal 1
Molyneux 1
Patr. 1
Richard 1
S.P.J. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Lavelle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lavelle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 233 people were recorded with the Lavelle surname. That placed it at #11,648 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lavelle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,331 in 2016. That gives Lavelle a modern rank of #2,796.

What does the Lavelle surname mean?

Derived from the French place name "La Val" or "La Valle," meaning "the valley."

What does the Lavelle map show?

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