NameCensus.

UK surname

Odell

From the Old English elements "wad," meaning woad (a plant), and "hyll," meaning hill, likely referring to a location.

In the 1881 census there were 2,324 people recorded with the Odell surname, ranking it #1,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,357, ranked #2,019, down from #1,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Luton, Central Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odell is 3,652 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.4%.

1881 census count

2,324

Ranked #1,911

Modern count

3,357

2016, ranked #2,019

Peak year

1998

3,652 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Odell had 2,324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,357 in 2016, ranked #2,019.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,553 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Odell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Odell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Odell 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 1,454 #1,976
1861 historical 1,097 #2,559
1881 historical 2,324 #1,911
1891 historical 2,548 #1,865
1901 historical 2,960 #1,891
1911 historical 3,553 #1,472
1997 modern 3,525 #1,837
1998 modern 3,652 #1,843
1999 modern 3,640 #1,865
2000 modern 3,597 #1,888
2001 modern 3,503 #1,888
2002 modern 3,556 #1,909
2003 modern 3,436 #1,926
2004 modern 3,446 #1,919
2005 modern 3,377 #1,932
2006 modern 3,370 #1,932
2007 modern 3,387 #1,943
2008 modern 3,374 #1,975
2009 modern 3,418 #1,999
2010 modern 3,508 #1,984
2011 modern 3,486 #1,967
2012 modern 3,384 #1,987
2013 modern 3,437 #1,993
2014 modern 3,426 #2,017
2015 modern 3,376 #2,028
2016 modern 3,357 #2,019

Geography

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Where Odells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands, St Mary Islington and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Luton, Central Bedfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands Bedfordshire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Luton 008 Luton
2 Central Bedfordshire 008 Central Bedfordshire
3 North Hertfordshire 012 North Hertfordshire
4 Central Bedfordshire 015 Central Bedfordshire
5 Aylesbury Vale 005 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Odell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Odell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Odell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Odell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Odell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Odell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Odell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Odell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Odell

The surname Odell has its origins in England, dating back to the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "od" meaning wealth or prosperity, and "hyll" meaning hill or ridge. The name likely originated from a place called Odell or Odel in the county of Bedfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Odo de Odell who held lands in Bedfordshire. This suggests that the Odell surname was already established by the time of the Norman Conquest.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name have been used, including Odell, Odill, Odyll, and Odel. The earliest known record of the modern spelling "Odell" dates back to 1199, when a person named Robert de Odell was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire.

The surname Odell has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Odell (c. 1350-1414), a English knight who served under King Richard II and later fought in the Battle of Shrewsbury during the Wars of the Roses.

Another prominent figure was Jonas Odell (1619-1692), one of the founders of the town of Fairfield, Connecticut. He emigrated from England to the New World in the 17th century and played a significant role in the early settlement of the colony.

In the 18th century, Thomas Odell (1691-1749) was a renowned English playwright and poet. He wrote several successful plays, including "The Patron" and "The Grimace," and was known for his satirical style.

During the American Revolutionary War, Jacob Odell (1738-1818) served as a loyalist and was appointed the first Surveyor General of the Province of New Brunswick, Canada, in 1784.

In more recent times, Benjamin Odell (1808-1868) was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Florida from 1837 to 1839.

While the Odell surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. The name continues to be borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, each with their own unique story and connection to this ancient surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Odell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Odell 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. Bedfordshire leads with 50 Odells recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.99x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 50 109.99x
Middlesex 18 2.05x
Lincolnshire 5 3.56x
Hampshire 4 2.22x
Staffordshire 3 1.01x
Derbyshire 2 1.46x
Kent 2 0.67x
Northamptonshire 2 2.42x
Hertfordshire 1 1.65x
Lancashire 1 0.10x
Surrey 1 0.23x
Warwickshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shefford in Bedfordshire leads with 46 Odells recorded in 1881 and an index of 14375.00x.

Place Total Index
Shefford 46 14375.00x
St Marylebone London 9 19.20x
Boston 5 117.37x
Dunstable 4 285.71x
Bilston 3 52.26x
Islington London 3 3.53x
Southampton St Mary 3 26.50x
Hackney London 2 4.06x
Hasland 2 142.86x
Irchester 2 392.16x
Kensington London 2 4.10x
Chatham 1 12.14x
Hythe St Leonard 1 94.34x
Leamington Priors 1 18.35x
Liverpool 1 1.58x
Southampton St Michael 1 169.49x
Southwark St Thomas 1 434.78x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 85.47x
St Giles In Fields London 1 23.20x
St Ippollitts 1 333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Isabella 3
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Hepsibah 1
Honora 1
Jane 1
Lizzie 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Pauela 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Odell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Odell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,324 people were recorded with the Odell surname. That placed it at #1,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Odell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,357 in 2016. That gives Odell a modern rank of #2,019.

What does the Odell surname mean?

From the Old English elements "wad," meaning woad (a plant), and "hyll," meaning hill, likely referring to a location.

What does the Odell map show?

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