NameCensus.

UK surname

Manuel

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "God is with us," or of Spanish origin meaning "God's gift."

In the 1881 census there were 895 people recorded with the Manuel surname, ranking it #4,253 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,706, ranked #3,658, up from #4,253 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Almer and Mapperton and Wrexham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Manuel is 1,738 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 90.6%.

1881 census count

895

Ranked #4,253

Modern count

1,706

2016, ranked #3,658

Peak year

2014

1,738 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Manuel had 895 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,253 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,706 in 2016, ranked #3,658.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 989 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Manuel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Manuel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Manuel 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 582 #4,383
1861 historical 511 #5,121
1881 historical 895 #4,253
1891 historical 751 #5,305
1901 historical 989 #4,808
1911 historical 981 #4,611
1997 modern 1,293 #4,411
1998 modern 1,358 #4,387
1999 modern 1,418 #4,260
2000 modern 1,418 #4,246
2001 modern 1,405 #4,206
2002 modern 1,443 #4,195
2003 modern 1,450 #4,108
2004 modern 1,490 #4,028
2005 modern 1,483 #4,000
2006 modern 1,484 #4,002
2007 modern 1,540 #3,899
2008 modern 1,577 #3,836
2009 modern 1,626 #3,830
2010 modern 1,729 #3,691
2011 modern 1,684 #3,742
2012 modern 1,635 #3,764
2013 modern 1,720 #3,665
2014 modern 1,738 #3,649
2015 modern 1,710 #3,661
2016 modern 1,706 #3,658

Geography

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Where Manuels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Almer and Mapperton, Wrexham, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil, Powys and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Almer and Mapperton Dorset
3 Wrexham Denbighshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 005 Wrexham
2 Merthyr Tydfil 006 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Powys 007 Powys
4 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
5 Powys 003 Powys

Forenames

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First names often paired with Manuel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Manuel

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Manuel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Manuel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Manuel 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

Manuel 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

Manuel falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Manuel

The surname MANUEL is of Spanish origin, derived from the given name Manuel, which ultimately traces its roots back to the Hebrew name Emmanu'el, meaning "God is with us." The name first emerged in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MANUEL surname can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript from Santiago de Compostela, which mentions a certain "Petrus Manuel" among the pilgrims who visited the city. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the MANUEL surname gained prominence in various parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Castile, Andalusia, and Aragon. It was often associated with noble families and prominent figures in the Spanish court.

One notable bearer of the MANUEL surname was Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena (1282-1349), a renowned Spanish nobleman, writer, and military leader. His literary work, "El Conde Lucanor," is considered a masterpiece of Spanish prose and a significant contribution to medieval literature.

Another prominent figure with the MANUEL surname was Gaspar Manuel (1629-1679), a Portuguese poet and playwright who played a crucial role in the development of Portuguese baroque literature. His works, such as "Viriato Trágico" and "Desenganado," were highly influential in their time.

In the 16th century, the MANUEL surname also spread to the Americas through Spanish colonization. One example is Tomás Manuel de Anchorena (1783-1847), an Argentine landowner and politician who played a significant role in the country's independence movement.

The MANUEL surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. For instance, Juan Manuel Blanes (1830-1901) was a renowned Uruguayan painter known for his depictions of historical events and landscapes, while Juan Manuel Cajigal (1803-1856) was a distinguished Cuban poet and playwright.

Throughout its history, the MANUEL surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Manoel, Manuell, and Manouel, reflecting regional differences and linguistic influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to its Hebrew roots and the notion of "God being with us."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Manuel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Manuel 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. Dorset leads with 112 Manuels recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.39x.

County Total Index
Dorset 112 19.39x
Kent 100 3.33x
Montgomeryshire 79 39.18x
Glamorgan 65 4.24x
Middlesex 59 0.67x
Yorkshire 53 0.61x
Cornwall 38 3.81x
Denbighshire 34 10.23x
Lanarkshire 33 1.16x
Lancashire 33 0.32x
Durham 31 1.18x
Midlothian 31 2.63x
Nottinghamshire 31 2.61x
Staffordshire 31 1.04x
Northumberland 22 1.68x
Surrey 19 0.44x
West Lothian 13 9.81x
Roxburghshire 12 7.53x
Perthshire 10 2.53x
Carmarthenshire 9 2.43x
Shropshire 9 1.18x
Flintshire 8 3.38x
Hampshire 7 0.39x
Channel Islands 6 2.30x
Leicestershire 6 0.62x
Monmouthshire 6 0.94x
Oxfordshire 6 1.10x
Devon 5 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 5 1.79x
Sussex 4 0.27x
Cardiganshire 3 1.40x
Cheshire 3 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.33x
Merionethshire 2 1.24x
Renfrewshire 2 0.29x
Somerset 2 0.14x
Berwickshire 1 0.94x
Brecknockshire 1 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Fife 1 0.19x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Isle of Man 1 0.61x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x
Stirlingshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanidloes in Montgomeryshire leads with 29 Manuels recorded in 1881 and an index of 193.98x.

Place Total Index
Llanidloes 29 193.98x
Broughton 24 183.63x
Throwley 23 1229.95x
Neath 22 70.58x
Llantrisant 19 49.20x
Almer 18 4186.05x
Ystradyfodwg 18 13.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 17 3.58x
Brightside Bierlow 15 8.77x
Kenwyn 15 57.58x
Berwick Upon Tweed 14 50.47x
Church Knowle 13 769.23x
Linlithgow 13 76.52x
Puncknowle 13 915.49x
Sheffield 13 4.68x
Llanllwchaiarn 12 137.46x
Hammersmith London 11 5.08x
Monk Hesleden 11 150.89x
Bersham 10 70.52x
Blantyre 10 33.75x
Dunblane 10 105.82x
Hamilton 10 12.60x
Helmington Row 10 82.03x
Llanwnog 10 237.53x
Poole St James 10 46.08x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 5.65x
Wool 10 653.59x
Armley 9 23.40x
Leeds 9 1.83x
Chartham 8 106.95x
Clerkenwell London 8 3.85x
Feock 8 128.41x
Hope 8 67.97x
St George In East 8 13.37x
Symondsbury 8 217.39x
Castle Church 7 39.22x
Leek Lowe 7 17.71x
Melrose 7 50.80x
Newtown 7 54.31x
Preston Next Faversham 7 99.15x
Stranton 7 7.94x
Wareham Lady St Mary 7 156.95x
Winfrith Newburgh 7 242.21x
Wolverhampton 7 3.07x
Bow London 6 5.36x
Brook 6 1666.67x
Islington London 6 0.70x
Leicester St Margaret 6 2.52x
Llanelly 6 7.18x
Newark Upon Trent 6 14.07x
Oxford St Clement 6 43.76x
Sheldwich 6 312.50x
South Leith 6 4.52x
Stanton Lacy 6 91.32x
Tynemouth 6 8.56x
West Derby 6 1.96x
Wolstanton Knutton 6 33.09x
Abergavenny 5 20.99x
Canterbury St Mary 5 24.81x
East Stoke 5 284.09x
Eastchurch 5 168.92x
Gorton 5 5.09x
Hawick 5 14.02x
Kensington London 5 1.02x
Llandinam 5 107.30x
Morden 5 204.08x
Badlesmere 4 851.06x
Berriew 4 71.94x
Bridge 4 155.04x
Carno 4 151.52x
East Retford 4 38.87x
Edwinstowe 4 141.84x
Illogan 4 15.16x
Ladock 4 141.84x
Nether Hallam 4 3.39x
Penstrowed 4 1025.64x
Shotts 4 11.75x
Southwark Christchurch 4 9.70x
Weston 4 380.95x
Winthorpe 4 519.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 69
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 30
Ann 22
Jane 15
Ellen 13
Eliza 12
Margaret 11
Charlotte 8
Harriet 8
Emily 7
Hannah 6
Martha 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Emma 4
Frances 4
Julia 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Anne 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Helen 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Betsey 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Grace 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Marie 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Donna 1
Dorothy 1
Hanna 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
Thomas 39
William 38
George 29
James 20
David 16
Henry 16
Joseph 13
Robert 13
Edward 12
Charles 9
Frederick 9
Richard 8
Arthur 7
Alfred 6
Edwin 6
Albert 4
Alexander 4
Evan 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Ambrose 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Morgan 3
Peter 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Augustus 2
Edwd. 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Jesse 2
Lloyd 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Caroline 1
Constantine 1
Daniel 1
Elisha 1
Elizah 1
Francis 1
Jessie 1
Joella 1
Leopold 1

FAQ

Manuel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Manuel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 895 people were recorded with the Manuel surname. That placed it at #4,253 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Manuel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,706 in 2016. That gives Manuel a modern rank of #3,658.

What does the Manuel surname mean?

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "God is with us," or of Spanish origin meaning "God's gift."

What does the Manuel map show?

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