NameCensus.

UK surname

Nagel

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to someone who makes or sells nails.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Nagel surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 250, ranked #16,792, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Haringey and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nagel is 250 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 400.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

250

2016, ranked #16,792

Peak year

2016

250 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nagel had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016, ranked #16,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Nagel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nagel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nagel 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 186 #18,448
1998 modern 184 #19,037
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 196 #18,535
2003 modern 203 #17,967
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 204 #18,051
2007 modern 213 #17,744
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 217 #18,443
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 232 #17,401
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 247 #17,035
2015 modern 246 #16,994
2016 modern 250 #16,792

Geography

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Where Nagels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead, Enfield and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Haringey, East Lindsey, Warrington and Mole Valley. 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 3
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 001 Westminster
2 Haringey 017 Haringey
3 East Lindsey 017 East Lindsey
4 Warrington 009 Warrington
5 Mole Valley 002 Mole Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nagel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nagel

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Nagel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Nagel 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nagel 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

Nagel 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

Nagel falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nagel 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nagel

The surname Nagel originates from Germany, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle Low German word "nagel," which means "nail." This word likely referred to a person's occupation as a nail maker or someone who worked with nails.

The name Nagel was initially concentrated in the regions of northern and central Germany, particularly in areas such as Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Brandenburg. Early records show variations in spelling, including Naghel, Naegel, and Negele.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nagel can be found in a manuscript from the city of Lübeck, dated 1292, which mentions a person named Henricus Nagel. Another early reference is from the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, where a Conradus Nagel is mentioned in an entry from 1375.

In the 15th century, the name Nagel appeared in the town records of Halle, a city in the modern-day state of Saxony-Anhalt. These records include entries for individuals such as Hans Nagel (born around 1420) and Nickel Nagel (born around 1450).

Notable historical figures with the surname Nagel include Johann Andreas Nagel (1710-1788), a German philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Halle. Another prominent figure was Moritz Nagel (1836-1916), a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, including the former Reichsbank building.

Other individuals with the surname Nagel include Georg Konrad Nagel (1668-1744), a German composer and organist; Johann Andreas Michael Nagel (1710-1788), a German botanist and physician; and Karl Wilhelm Nagel (1783-1850), a German landscape painter and etcher.

The name Nagel has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Nageldorf (a village in Lower Saxony), Nagelsmühle (a former mill in Saxony-Anhalt), and Nagelstedt (a municipality in Thuringia).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nagel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nagel 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. Middlesex leads with 20 Nagels recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.10x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 4.10x
Essex 7 7.27x
Surrey 7 2.95x
Angus 5 11.07x
Kent 2 1.20x
Lancashire 2 0.35x
Staffordshire 2 1.22x
Cornwall 1 1.81x
Cumberland 1 2.38x
Lincolnshire 1 1.28x
Somerset 1 1.27x
Yorkshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 6 Nagels recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.26x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 6 19.26x
Saffron Hill London 6 6000.00x
Dundee 5 29.66x
St Giles In Fields 4 238.10x
West Ham 4 18.82x
Greenstead 2 1428.57x
Handsworth 2 49.26x
Islington London 2 4.23x
Mile End Old Town 2 25.97x
St George Bloomsbury 2 71.43x
Barrow In Furness 1 12.71x
Fulham London 1 14.14x
Great Grimsby 1 20.20x
Herne 1 135.14x
Holy Trinity 1 8.61x
Leyton Low 1 51.02x
Pendomer 1 10000.00x
Poplar London 1 10.87x
St Andrew Holborn 1 60.61x
Stanwix 1 294.12x
Tonbridge 1 16.67x
Tregoney St James 1 1000.00x
Wandsworth 1 21.32x
West Derby 1 5.91x
Westminster St James 1 19.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Frances 2
Johanna 2
Margaret 2
...g 1
Adelheid 1
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Louisa 1
Nina 1
Rosamond 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Bernard 2
Jacob 2
John 2
Arthur 1
Carl 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Conrad 1
Dirk 1
Ernest 1
Ernst 1
George 1
Guido 1
James 1
Joh 1
Johannes 1
Joseph 1
Percy 1
Peter 1

Top occupations

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 Nagel households.

FAQ

Nagel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nagel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Nagel surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nagel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016. That gives Nagel a modern rank of #16,792.

What does the Nagel surname mean?

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to someone who makes or sells nails.

What does the Nagel map show?

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