NameCensus.

UK surname

Martel

A French occupational surname referring to a hammer-wielding worker or smith.

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Martel surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 169, ranked #21,884, up from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Caerphilly and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Martel is 171 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 604.2%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

169

2016, ranked #21,884

Peak year

2014

171 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Martel had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016, ranked #21,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Martel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Martel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Martel 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1891 historical 42 #31,018
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 138 #22,227
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 163 #22,205
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 169 #21,884

Geography

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Where Martels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Caerphilly, North Somerset, Enfield and York. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 049 Cheshire East
2 Caerphilly 006 Caerphilly
3 North Somerset 022 North Somerset
4 Enfield 024 Enfield
5 York 019 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Martel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Martel

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Martel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Martel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Martel 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

Martel 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

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

Meaning and origin of Martel

The surname Martel originated in France, emerging during the medieval period. It derives from the French word "martel," meaning "hammer." This name was likely an occupational surname initially, referring to a person who worked as a hammerer or blacksmith.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Charles Martel, a Frankish military leader who lived from 686 to 741 AD. He earned the epithet "Martel" (the Hammer) for his decisive victory over the Moors at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, which halted the Muslim invasion of Western Europe.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any references to the surname Martel. However, the name is found in various historical records from France, such as the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, which dates back to the 12th century.

In the 13th century, Guillaume Martel was a prominent French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Seventh Crusade (1248-1254). Another notable figure was Jean Martel, a 14th-century French composer and poet who served at the court of King Charles V.

The name Martel has also been associated with several place names in France, such as Martel-le-Ville and Martel-Avoine, which may have influenced the surname's development in certain regions.

Other historical figures bearing the surname Martel include:

1. André Martel (1629-1673), a French painter and engraver known for his portraits and religious works. 2. François Martel (1761-1840), a French politician and writer who served as a deputy during the French Revolution. 3. Marie-Josèphe Martel (1782-1865), a French-Canadian businesswoman and entrepreneur who established a successful trading company in Quebec. 4. Frédéric Martel (born 1967), a French writer and sociologist known for his work on LGBT issues and cultural studies. 5. Andrew Martel (1909-1992), an American politician who served as the 57th Governor of Florida from 1965 to 1967.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Martel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Martel 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. Channel Islands leads with 276 Martels recorded in 1881 and an index of 316.19x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 276 316.19x
Hampshire 6 0.99x
Middlesex 6 0.20x
Pembrokeshire 6 6.41x
Berkshire 1 0.45x
Essex 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 2.85x
Suffolk 1 0.28x
Surrey 1 0.07x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Michaelinthe Vale in Channel Islands leads with 84 Martels recorded in 1881 and an index of 2692.31x.

Place Total Index
St Michaelinthe Vale 84 2692.31x
St Peter Port 41 253.87x
St Andrew 35 3043.48x
St Maryde Castro 35 1627.91x
St Sampson 32 814.25x
St Saviour 17 351.97x
Forest 11 1833.33x
St Helier 8 28.15x
St Lawrence 7 294.12x
Portsea 4 3.38x
St Martin 4 74.77x
Whitchurch 3 357.14x
Milford Haven 2 263.16x
St George Hanover 2 5.20x
Brockley 1 312.50x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.54x
Chelsea London 1 1.13x
East Ham 1 9.27x
Hackney London 1 0.61x
Hendon 1 9.43x
Holy Trinity 1 1.42x
Llanhowell 1 769.23x
Paddington London 1 0.92x
Portchester 1 128.21x
Reading St Mary 1 5.65x
Royal Navy 1 3.33x
Sark 1 172.41x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.63x
St Brelade 1 44.44x
St Margaret Lincoln 1 238.10x
Woking 1 11.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 14
Rachel 7
Emma 4
Judith 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Amy 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Sophia 3
Adele 2
Agnes 2
Betsey 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Evelin 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Marguerite 2
Priscilla 2
Angeline 1
Elise 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Ezelda 1
Ezilda 1
Hannah 1
Henriette 1
Judy 1
Leila 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Marie 1
Matilda 1
Minna 1
Nancy 1
Nellie 1
Nora 1
Olympe 1
Pheoby 1
Una 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 22
John 21
Peter 9
Nicolas 8
Bonamy 6
Daniel 6
George 6
Nicholas 6
Henry 5
James 5
Alfred 4
Stephen 4
William 4
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Paul 3
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Fred. 2
Philip 2
Adolphus 1
Adrain 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Edmund 1
Eruard 1
Harry 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Joseph 1
Levn 1
Mary 1
Nichs. 1
Percival 1
Philippe 1
Pierre 1
Stepen 1

FAQ

Martel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Martel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Martel surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Martel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 169 in 2016. That gives Martel a modern rank of #21,884.

What does the Martel surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a hammer-wielding worker or smith.

What does the Martel map show?

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