UK surname
A variant of the Irish surname O'Donnell, meaning descendant of Domhnall or ruler of the world.
In the 1881 census there were 355 people recorded with the Odonnel surname, ranking it #8,679 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 64, ranked #34,098, down from #8,679 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and West Calder. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odonnel is 355 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 82.0%.
1881 census count
355
Ranked #8,679
Modern count
64
2016, ranked #34,098
Peak year
1881
355 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Odonnel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Odonnel 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 | 259 | #8,550 |
| 1861 | historical | 164 | #14,188 |
| 1881 | historical | 355 | #8,679 |
| 1891 | historical | 177 | #16,330 |
| 1901 | historical | 180 | #16,171 |
| 1911 | historical | 60 | #26,808 |
| 1997 | modern | 82 | #29,325 |
| 1998 | modern | 70 | #30,968 |
| 1999 | modern | 74 | #30,759 |
| 2000 | modern | 66 | #31,553 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 62 | #32,214 |
| 2003 | modern | 58 | #32,619 |
| 2004 | modern | 65 | #32,177 |
| 2005 | modern | 66 | #32,303 |
| 2006 | modern | 67 | #32,532 |
| 2007 | modern | 68 | #32,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 70 | #33,182 |
| 2010 | modern | 74 | #33,167 |
| 2011 | modern | 69 | #33,532 |
| 2012 | modern | 68 | #33,763 |
| 2013 | modern | 72 | #33,631 |
| 2014 | modern | 71 | #33,717 |
| 2015 | modern | 63 | #34,178 |
| 2016 | modern | 64 | #34,098 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, West Calder, Gateshead and Edinburgh. 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 | Hamilton | Lanark |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | West Calder | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 5 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Odonnel 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 Odonnel, 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 Odonnel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Odonnel 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, Odonnel 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 Odonnel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Odonnel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname ODONNEL is of Irish origin, and it can be traced back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Dónaill, which means "descendant of Dónall." Dónall was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "domhnall," meaning "world mighty" or "world ruler."
The ODONNEL surname was first found in County Donegal, Ireland, where the Ó Dónaill family held a prominent position as the ruling dynasty of Tír Chonaill, the ancient territory of Donegal. The family was one of the most powerful and influential Irish clans in the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions Domhnall Ó Dónaill in the year 1241. Another notable reference is the Book of Fenagh, a 14th-century manuscript, which includes the name Ó Dónaill among the families of Tír Chonaill.
The ODONNEL surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including O'Donnell, O'Donell, O'Donill, and O'Donniel. The name is also associated with several place names in County Donegal, such as Ballyshannon, which was derived from the Irish "Béal Átha Seanaidh," meaning "the mouth of Seannach's ford."
Several notable individuals with the ODONNEL surname have left their mark on history. These include:
1. Niall Garbh Ó Dónaill (c. 1569-1626), the last inaugurated Chief of the Name and a prominent figure in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. 2. Rory O'Donnell (1575-1608), an Irish nobleman and the last Earl of Tyrconnell. 3. Hugh Roe O'Donnell (1572-1602), an Irish chieftain and one of the most successful Irish military leaders against the English forces in the Nine Years' War. 4. Sir Neal O'Donnell (1605-1680), an Irish soldier who served in the Spanish Army of Flanders and later joined the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. 5. John O'Donnell (1837-1904), an Irish-American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Michigan.
While the ODONNEL surname has strong historical roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to Irish emigration and diaspora.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Odonnel 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. Lancashire leads with 44 Odonnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.97x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 44 | 1.97x |
| Lanarkshire | 40 | 6.57x |
| Midlothian | 28 | 11.10x |
| Middlesex | 18 | 0.96x |
| Renfrewshire | 15 | 10.28x |
| Yorkshire | 9 | 0.48x |
| Dunbartonshire | 7 | 13.84x |
| Durham | 6 | 1.07x |
| Kent | 6 | 0.93x |
| Staffordshire | 5 | 0.79x |
| Surrey | 5 | 0.55x |
| Dorset | 3 | 2.43x |
| Fife | 2 | 1.79x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.57x |
| Denbighshire | 1 | 1.41x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.31x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.26x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.21x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 16 Odonnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.38x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Odonnel 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 Odonnel 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 Odonnel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| General Labourer | 6 |
| Coal Miner | 4 |
| Comber Wool (Stuff) | 3 |
| Hawker | 3 |
| Jute Works | 2 |
| Sch | 2 |
| Agri Labourer | 1 |
| Agri Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labr | 1 |
| Brickmaker | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Collier | 1 |
| Cook (Domestic Servant) | 1 |
| Cotton Drawer | 1 |
| Cotton Piecer | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Creeler In Cotton Mill | 1 |
| Dock Laborer | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Engineer (...) | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| Genl Dk Laborer | 1 |
| Genl Labr | 1 |
| Genl Serv | 1 |
| Iron Works Labourer | 1 |
| Labour | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Labourer Iron Works | 1 |
| Late Lieut Col | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Maning Visitor | 1 |
| Marble Polisher | 1 |
| Masons Lab | 1 |
| Member Of Parliament | 1 |
| Moulder Iron | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Retired Hawker | 1 |
| Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Ship Keeper | 1 |
| Throstle Overlooker (Cotton) | 1 |
| Tin Smith | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
| Wool Comb Minder Stuff | 1 |
| Worsted Spinner | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 355 people were recorded with the Odonnel surname. That placed it at #8,679 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 64 in 2016. That gives Odonnel a modern rank of #34,098.
A variant of the Irish surname O'Donnell, meaning descendant of Domhnall or ruler of the world.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Odonnel 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.