NameCensus.

UK surname

Lyell

A surname denoting someone living by a sheltered stream or pool.

In the 1881 census there were 203 people recorded with the Lyell surname, ranking it #12,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 266, ranked #16,094, down from #12,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Kirkden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Comely Bank, Bridge of Earn and Abernethy and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lyell is 273 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.0%.

1881 census count

203

Ranked #12,717

Modern count

266

2016, ranked #16,094

Peak year

1851

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lyell had 203 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016, ranked #16,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lyell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lyell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lyell 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 273 #8,212
1861 historical 221 #11,031
1881 historical 203 #12,717
1891 historical 261 #12,337
1901 historical 232 #13,769
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 232 #16,314
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 228 #16,683
2006 modern 239 #16,224
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 240 #16,535
2009 modern 238 #17,002
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 259 #16,237
2012 modern 252 #16,424
2013 modern 254 #16,603
2014 modern 264 #16,288
2015 modern 267 #16,050
2016 modern 266 #16,094

Geography

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Where Lyells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Kirkden and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Comely Bank, Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, Kingston upon Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Kirkden Forfar
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Comely Bank City of Edinburgh
2 Bridge of Earn and Abernethy Perth and Kinross
3 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 006 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 023 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lyell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lyell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lyell, 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 Lyell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lyell 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Lyell is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lyell 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

Lyell 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 Lyell 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 Lyell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lyell

The surname LYELL is believed to have originated in Scotland during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. The name was likely adopted by someone who lived near such a clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LYELL name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Lyle" in these rolls, which suggests that this was an early spelling variation.

The LYELL name has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as Lyle in Renfrewshire and Lyles Hill in Lanarkshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

In the 15th century, a prominent member of the LYELL family was Sir Robert Lyle, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King James II at the Battle of Arkinholm in 1455. Sir Robert was captured during the battle and later ransomed.

Another notable figure with the LYELL surname was Charles Lyell (1797-1875), a Scottish geologist and author. He is best known for his influential work "Principles of Geology," which played a significant role in the acceptance of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

In the 19th century, Sir Charles Lyell (1809-1880), a British lawyer and Member of Parliament, also carried the LYELL name. He served as the Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1834 to 1835.

Other historical figures with the LYELL surname include William Lyell (1776-1857), a Scottish historian and writer, and Thomas Lyell (1797-1869), a Scottish painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

While the LYELL name has Scottish roots, it has spread to various parts of the world, including England, Ireland, and North America, due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lyell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lyell 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. Angus leads with 39 Lyells recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.26x.

County Total Index
Angus 39 21.26x
Fife 35 29.86x
Surrey 31 3.21x
Middlesex 28 1.41x
Kent 23 3.40x
Perthshire 11 12.38x
Midlothian 10 3.77x
Lancashire 5 0.21x
Lanarkshire 4 0.62x
Lincolnshire 3 0.95x
Yorkshire 3 0.15x
Berkshire 2 1.35x
Buteshire 2 16.67x
Essex 2 0.51x
Ayrshire 1 0.67x
Devon 1 0.24x
East Lothian 1 3.81x
Northamptonshire 1 0.54x
Worcestershire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newburgh in Fife leads with 16 Lyells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1073.83x.

Place Total Index
Newburgh 16 1073.83x
Lambeth 11 6.37x
Monifieth 9 138.89x
Streatham 9 61.27x
Plumstead 8 35.52x
St Pancras London 8 5.02x
Auchtermuchty 7 445.86x
Hampstead London 7 22.70x
Liff Benvie 7 25.13x
Abroath St Vigeans 6 800.00x
Barnes 5 122.55x
Deptford St Paul 5 9.60x
Logie 5 156.74x
Lydd 5 344.83x
Putney 5 55.43x
Scoonie 5 196.85x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 77.52x
Glasgow 4 3.52x
Islington London 4 2.08x
Perth East Church 4 47.73x
St Andrews 4 75.05x
St Marylebone London 4 3.78x
St Vigeans 4 40.40x
Bromley 3 29.13x
Dundee 3 4.38x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.81x
Kensington London 3 2.73x
Kirkden 3 260.87x
Liverpool 3 2.10x
Abdie 2 298.51x
Barmbrough 2 277.78x
Kirriemuir 2 44.15x
Lochee 2 121.95x
Montrose 2 17.99x
Reading St Giles 2 13.72x
Rothesay 2 34.42x
South Rauceby 2 769.23x
West Ham 2 2.32x
Arbroath 1 16.45x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.95x
Berwick North 1 54.35x
Blairgowrie 1 28.41x
Caterham 1 23.47x
Chatham 1 5.38x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.68x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 18.15x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 19.16x
Fowlis Wester 1 131.58x
Haydor 1 400.00x
Kidderminster Borough 1 6.61x
Lewisham 1 2.78x
Mauchline 1 58.82x
Pittenweem 1 68.97x
Poplar London 1 2.68x
Sheffield 1 1.60x
South Leith 1 3.35x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 100.00x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.47x
Westminster St James 1 4.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Alice 3
Emma 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Jane 2
Rachael 2
Agnes 1
Bessie 1
Christian 1
Clara 1
Edwin 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Janet 1
Jessica 1
Katharine 1
Laura 1
Liley 1
Lilian 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Olive 1
Rosamond 1
Rosetta 1
Sarah 1
Shopie 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Tobin 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
Frederick 4
James 4
John 4
Thomas 4
Robert 3
William 3
Richard 2
Alexr. 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Gavin 1
Herbert 1
Jose. 1
Joseph 1
Perceval 1
S.E. 1
St 1

FAQ

Lyell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lyell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 203 people were recorded with the Lyell surname. That placed it at #12,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lyell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016. That gives Lyell a modern rank of #16,094.

What does the Lyell surname mean?

A surname denoting someone living by a sheltered stream or pool.

What does the Lyell map show?

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