NameCensus.

UK surname

Pennell

Derived from a French place name, likely referring to a person who lived near a hill or summit.

In the 1881 census there were 869 people recorded with the Pennell surname, ranking it #4,359 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,321, ranked #4,543, down from #4,359 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Cheshire East and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pennell is 1,504 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.0%.

1881 census count

869

Ranked #4,359

Modern count

1,321

2016, ranked #4,543

Peak year

1999

1,504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pennell had 869 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,359 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,321 in 2016, ranked #4,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,424 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pennell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pennell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pennell 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 513 #4,877
1861 historical 537 #4,889
1881 historical 869 #4,359
1891 historical 1,057 #3,969
1901 historical 1,120 #4,324
1911 historical 1,424 #3,393
1997 modern 1,452 #4,024
1998 modern 1,497 #4,060
1999 modern 1,504 #4,072
2000 modern 1,477 #4,113
2001 modern 1,454 #4,093
2002 modern 1,488 #4,098
2003 modern 1,411 #4,199
2004 modern 1,393 #4,242
2005 modern 1,324 #4,371
2006 modern 1,337 #4,352
2007 modern 1,323 #4,417
2008 modern 1,323 #4,444
2009 modern 1,351 #4,454
2010 modern 1,398 #4,407
2011 modern 1,407 #4,341
2012 modern 1,378 #4,358
2013 modern 1,380 #4,426
2014 modern 1,363 #4,489
2015 modern 1,337 #4,518
2016 modern 1,321 #4,543

Geography

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Where Pennells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth, Portsmouth, Portsea 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 East Lindsey, Cheshire East and Swale. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
2 East Lindsey 001 East Lindsey
3 Cheshire East 047 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 050 Cheshire East
5 Swale 014 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pennell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pennell

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Pennell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Pennell 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pennell is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pennell is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pennell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pennell 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 Pennell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pennell

The surname Pennell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "pening" and "hyll," which together mean "penny hill" or "hill where rent was paid." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a specific hill or location where rent or taxes were collected.

The earliest known record of the surname Pennell dates back to the 13th century in the county of Gloucestershire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a document recording landowners and their possessions, there is a mention of a Robert de Penhulle.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which lists a William Penell as a taxpayer. This indicates that the name was present in different regions of England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Pennell was John Pennell, who was born in 1610 in Munsley, Hertfordshire, England. He later immigrated to the American colonies and settled in Pennsylvania, where he became a prominent Quaker leader and landowner.

In the 17th century, Edward Pennell (1634-1707) was a notable English politician and Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. He was also a justice of the peace and served as the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.

Another prominent figure was Joseph Pennell (1857-1926), an American artist and author who was renowned for his etchings and lithographs. He was born in Philadelphia and gained international recognition for his works depicting various cities and landscapes.

In the 19th century, Henry Pennell (1826-1917) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Garrick Theatre and the Royal Automobile Club.

Robert Pennell (1849-1920) was an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and was considered one of the best wicket-keepers of his time.

These examples demonstrate the presence of the surname Pennell across various professions and regions throughout history, reflecting its enduring legacy as an English surname with origins dating back to the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pennell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pennell 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. Kent leads with 113 Pennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.92x.

County Total Index
Kent 113 3.92x
Middlesex 99 1.17x
Lancashire 63 0.63x
Surrey 54 1.31x
Staffordshire 51 1.79x
Suffolk 46 4.47x
Cheshire 39 2.09x
Devon 38 2.16x
Somerset 37 2.72x
Lincolnshire 35 2.59x
Worcestershire 30 2.72x
Gloucestershire 29 1.75x
Hampshire 24 1.39x
Warwickshire 24 1.13x
Hertfordshire 22 3.78x
Wiltshire 20 2.68x
Buckinghamshire 17 3.33x
Essex 10 0.60x
Sussex 10 0.70x
Yorkshire 10 0.12x
Fife 9 1.80x
Norfolk 9 0.69x
Northamptonshire 9 1.13x
Ayrshire 8 1.27x
Lanarkshire 8 0.29x
Glamorgan 6 0.41x
Westmorland 6 3.23x
Bedfordshire 5 1.14x
Shropshire 5 0.69x
Cornwall 4 0.42x
Monmouthshire 4 0.66x
Oxfordshire 4 0.77x
Radnorshire 4 5.87x
Derbyshire 3 0.23x
Berkshire 2 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.18x
Stirlingshire 2 0.64x
Brecknockshire 1 0.59x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.19x
Herefordshire 1 0.29x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 31 Pennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.56x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 31 4.56x
Camberwell 21 3.89x
Holbrook 19 844.44x
Minster In Sheppey 19 39.79x
Portsea 19 5.60x
Hulme 18 8.60x
Everton 16 5.01x
Aston 15 2.56x
Fulstow 14 864.20x
Hackney London 13 2.74x
Odcombe 13 722.22x
Shalstone 13 2407.41x
Shoreditch London 12 3.28x
West Derby 12 4.09x
Deptford St Paul 11 4.95x
Ipswich St Clement 11 42.05x
Rowley Regis 11 13.84x
Dudley 10 7.46x
Kidderminster Borough 10 15.49x
Lambeth 10 1.36x
Milton In Gravesend 10 23.14x
Nettlestead 10 581.40x
Plumstead 10 10.41x
Ballingry 9 291.26x
Birmingham 9 1.27x
Brightside Bierlow 9 5.48x
Clifton 9 10.75x
Exeter Heavitree 9 68.65x
Exeter St Thomas The 9 50.20x
Monks Coppenhall 9 12.79x
Wembdon 9 223.88x
Willaston In Nantwich 9 156.52x
Blantyre 8 28.13x
Northampton Priory St 8 16.78x
Saxby In Glanford Brigg 8 842.11x
St Albans St Peter 8 40.71x
Stevenston 8 48.54x
Swindon 8 13.81x
Westminster St John 8 7.78x
Yeovil 8 28.95x
Little Blakenham 7 1400.00x
Northfleet 7 27.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 2.31x
Tetney 7 300.43x
Wilmington 7 174.13x
Wolstanton Chesterton 7 48.04x
Abbots Leigh 6 566.04x
Burton 6 307.69x
Carshalton 6 38.10x
Harborne 6 6.57x
Kensington London 6 1.28x
Lancaster 6 10.06x
Rudheath 6 408.16x
Tewkesbury 6 40.57x
Withycombe Rawleigh 6 65.50x
Wolverhampton 6 2.74x
Bedford St Mary 5 44.37x
Bermondsey 5 1.99x
Bostock 5 877.19x
Cheriton 5 42.55x
Compton Gifford 5 90.74x
Faversham 5 18.19x
Greenwich 5 3.72x
Harvington 5 352.11x
Norwich St Augustine 5 95.42x
Somersham 5 423.73x
Southwark St Saviour 5 11.52x
Swynnerton 5 222.22x
Withington 5 276.24x
Wolstanton 5 5.77x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 5.02x
Coyty Lower 4 41.88x
East Ham 4 12.92x
Gravesend 4 16.39x
Hankerton 4 408.16x
Knighton 4 72.60x
Minety 4 192.31x
Paddington London 4 1.29x
Rogerstone 4 106.38x
Swanscombe 4 30.89x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 57
George 42
Thomas 38
John 36
Charles 35
Alfred 16
Henry 16
James 16
Joseph 12
Richard 11
Arthur 9
Edwin 8
Ernest 8
Robert 8
Walter 8
Frederick 7
Samuel 6
Edward 5
Frank 5
David 3
Martin 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
R. 2
Wm. 2
Alick 1
Archibald 1
Blyth 1
Blythe 1
Charley 1
Clement 1
Corneliars 1
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Emily 1
Follett 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederic.W. 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Josiah 1
Laneelsh 1
Louis 1
Lovell 1

FAQ

Pennell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pennell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 869 people were recorded with the Pennell surname. That placed it at #4,359 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pennell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,321 in 2016. That gives Pennell a modern rank of #4,543.

What does the Pennell surname mean?

Derived from a French place name, likely referring to a person who lived near a hill or summit.

What does the Pennell map show?

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