UK surname
A surname potentially derived from a placename or indicating one who lived by a well.
In the 1881 census there were 157 people recorded with the Manwell surname, ranking it #15,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 46, ranked #35,126, down from #15,046 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Woking and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Manwell is 347 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 70.7%.
1881 census count
157
Ranked #15,046
Modern count
46
2016, ranked #35,126
Peak year
1861
347 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Manwell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Manwell surname density by area, 1881 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 | 139 | #13,659 |
| 1861 | historical | 347 | #7,357 |
| 1881 | historical | 157 | #15,046 |
| 1891 | historical | 288 | #11,450 |
| 1901 | historical | 163 | #17,205 |
| 1911 | historical | 125 | #19,932 |
| 1997 | modern | 49 | #32,776 |
| 1998 | modern | 48 | #33,111 |
| 1999 | modern | 51 | #32,940 |
| 2000 | modern | 44 | #33,602 |
| 2001 | modern | 45 | #33,401 |
| 2002 | modern | 44 | #33,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 46 | #33,710 |
| 2004 | modern | 47 | #33,819 |
| 2005 | modern | 41 | #34,478 |
| 2006 | modern | 37 | #35,074 |
| 2007 | modern | 37 | #35,215 |
| 2008 | modern | 35 | #35,441 |
| 2009 | modern | 39 | #35,321 |
| 2010 | modern | 40 | #35,403 |
| 2011 | modern | 40 | #35,395 |
| 2012 | modern | 41 | #35,328 |
| 2013 | modern | 45 | #35,167 |
| 2014 | modern | 47 | #35,097 |
| 2015 | modern | 47 | #35,056 |
| 2016 | modern | 46 | #35,126 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Woking, London parishes, St John Hackney and Swanage. 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 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 2 | Woking | Surrey |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Swanage | Dorset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Manwell 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 Manwell, 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 Manwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Manwell 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, Manwell 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 Manwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Manwell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Manwell is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "mann" meaning man and "well" meaning a spring or stream. It is believed to have originated in the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century, as a descriptive name for someone living near a well or stream.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Manwell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, which mention a person named Radulfus de Mannewell. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific location or manor called Mannewell.
In the 13th century, the Manwell surname appeared in several historical records, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of 1218, which mention a William de Mannewell, and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1249, which record a transaction involving a man named John de Mannewell.
The name Manwell has also been linked to various place names across England, including Manwell in Nottinghamshire, Manwell Hill in Somerset, and Manwell Sike in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots and may have influenced the development of the surname.
Notable individuals with the surname Manwell throughout history include:
1. John Manwell (c. 1520 - 1595), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
2. Thomas Manwell (c. 1570 - 1628), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northampton in the early 17th century.
3. Robert Manwell (1660 - 1723), a British military officer who fought in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession, rising to the rank of Colonel.
4. Elizabeth Manwell (1703 - 1785), an English writer and poet known for her works on religious and moral themes.
5. William Manwell (1819 - 1901), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
While the Manwell surname has evolved over time and may have taken on different spellings or variations, it remains a lasting testament to the rich linguistic heritage of England and the descriptive nature of many surnames derived from geographic features or occupations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Manwell 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. Renfrewshire leads with 24 Manwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Renfrewshire | 24 | 20.35x |
| Lanarkshire | 22 | 4.47x |
| Surrey | 22 | 2.97x |
| Dorset | 21 | 21.03x |
| Middlesex | 21 | 1.38x |
| Sussex | 12 | 4.68x |
| Kent | 8 | 1.54x |
| Essex | 6 | 2.00x |
| Wigtownshire | 5 | 24.74x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.22x |
| Ayrshire | 2 | 1.76x |
| Aberdeenshire | 1 | 0.71x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.88x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 0.58x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.32x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.38x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 1.60x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 0.76x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.19x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.07x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Manwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.79x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 18 | 14.79x |
| Abbey | 17 | 94.50x |
| Swanage | 14 | 1138.21x |
| Horsham | 10 | 200.80x |
| Bermondsey | 8 | 17.66x |
| Hammersmith London | 8 | 21.34x |
| Paisley High Church | 7 | 74.55x |
| Deptford St Paul | 6 | 14.98x |
| Iwerne Courtnay | 6 | 895.52x |
| West Ham | 6 | 9.05x |
| Whithorn | 5 | 324.68x |
| Woking | 5 | 111.86x |
| Barony | 4 | 3.21x |
| Edmonton | 4 | 32.63x |
| Camberwell | 3 | 3.09x |
| Croydon | 3 | 7.29x |
| West Derby | 3 | 5.68x |
| Brighton | 2 | 3.86x |
| Dunlop | 2 | 281.69x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 2.36x |
| St Anne Soho London | 2 | 23.02x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 2.46x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 1 | 3.79x |
| Ashbury | 1 | 277.78x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 1.51x |
| Burghill | 1 | 140.85x |
| Chertsey | 1 | 20.88x |
| Constantine | 1 | 100.00x |
| Corfe Castle | 1 | 107.53x |
| Drayton In Hales | 1 | 36.90x |
| Greenwich | 1 | 4.13x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 0.75x |
| Margate St John Baptist | 1 | 10.52x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 1 | 3.93x |
| Sampford Courtenay | 1 | 212.77x |
| Sculcoates | 1 | 4.18x |
| Send Ripley | 1 | 103.09x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 0.82x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 1.84x |
| Tottington Lower End | 1 | 11.66x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 5.40x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Manwell 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 Manwell 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 Manwell households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 18 |
| Stone Mason | 4 |
| Annuitant | 3 |
| Brickmaker | 2 |
| Builders Clerk | 2 |
| Cook | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Servant Domestic | 2 |
| Teacher Of Music | 2 |
| Agent Life Assurance | 1 |
| Billiard Marker | 1 |
| Board School Master | 1 |
| Bookseller | 1 |
| Brass Finisher | 1 |
| Clerk In Bank Of England | 1 |
| Coach Body Maker | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| Dom Serv (Groom) | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engine Cleaner | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| General Servt | 1 |
| House Painter | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Linen Factor | 1 |
| Messenger | 1 |
| Navvy | 1 |
| Night Attendant | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Nurse Domestic | 1 |
| Printer | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Rector Of Iwerne Courtney | 1 |
| School Master | 1 |
| Seaman | 1 |
| Stationer | 1 |
| Stone Miner Employing 2 Boys | 1 |
| Waistcoat Maker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 157 people were recorded with the Manwell surname. That placed it at #15,046 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 46 in 2016. That gives Manwell a modern rank of #35,126.
A surname potentially derived from a placename or indicating one who lived by a well.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Manwell 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.