NameCensus.

UK surname

Pennells

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Pennells surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 381, ranked #12,317, down from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Endford, Netheravon, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Rother and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pennells is 445 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.7%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

381

2016, ranked #12,317

Peak year

1999

445 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pennells had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016, ranked #12,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 345 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Pennells surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pennells surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pennells 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 321 #11,118
1911 historical 345 #10,358
1997 modern 420 #10,608
1998 modern 431 #10,754
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 431 #10,785
2001 modern 429 #10,634
2002 modern 437 #10,693
2003 modern 414 #10,980
2004 modern 412 #11,029
2005 modern 386 #11,493
2006 modern 378 #11,714
2007 modern 395 #11,481
2008 modern 396 #11,581
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 426 #11,396
2011 modern 411 #11,617
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 399 #11,944
2014 modern 400 #12,006
2015 modern 382 #12,322
2016 modern 381 #12,317

Geography

Back to top

Where Pennells' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Endford, Netheravon, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Collingbourn and Llanfihangel Llantarnam. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Rother, Tonbridge and Malling, North Devon and Derby. 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 Endford, Netheravon Wiltshire
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Collingbourn Wiltshire
5 Llanfihangel Llantarnam Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 036 Coventry
2 Rother 003 Rother
3 Tonbridge and Malling 009 Tonbridge and Malling
4 North Devon 014 North Devon
5 Derby 029 Derby

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pennells

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pennells

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pennells, 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 Pennells surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pennells 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Pennells is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pennells is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pennells falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pennells families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pennells 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. Sussex leads with 100 Pennells' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.32x.

County Total Index
Sussex 100 26.32x
Wiltshire 58 29.11x
Kent 38 4.94x
Middlesex 16 0.71x
Westmorland 5 10.10x
Yorkshire 5 0.22x
Monmouthshire 3 1.84x
Worcestershire 3 1.02x
Hampshire 2 0.43x
Channel Islands 1 1.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burwash in Sussex leads with 58 Pennells' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3295.45x.

Place Total Index
Burwash 58 3295.45x
Enford 58 8529.41x
Hastings St Mary 19 201.06x
Brenchley 6 218.18x
Chislehurst 6 145.63x
Hastings St Clement 6 168.07x
Shoreditch London 6 6.14x
Hammersmith London 5 9.01x
Hawkhurst 5 209.21x
Leeds 5 3.97x
Bromley 4 34.13x
Greenwich 4 11.15x
Horsemonden 4 357.14x
Horsham 4 54.20x
Bodiam 3 1200.00x
Boughton Monchelsea 3 352.94x
Evesham All Sts 3 218.98x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 3 252.10x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 3 96.46x
St George Hanover 3 10.20x
Andover 2 45.87x
Deptford St Paul 2 3.37x
Etchingham 2 285.71x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 71.43x
Hastings St Leonards 2 35.84x
Kendal 2 22.05x
Canterbury St Mildred 1 54.95x
Eastbourne 1 5.72x
Edgware 1 158.73x
Foots Cray 1 68.03x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 12.35x
Mountfield 1 208.33x
Snargate 1 909.09x
St Helier 1 4.60x
St Marylebone London 1 0.83x
Tonbridge 1 3.61x
Wadhurst 1 40.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Ellen 11
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Ann 4
Annie 4
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Bertha 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eada 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Leonora 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Mareissa 1
Nellie 1
Norah 1
Rachel 1
Sussanna 1
Thyria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 13
John 13
William 13
Thomas 11
Henry 9
James 9
Albert 6
Charles 6
Frank 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Walter 3
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Job 2
Joseph 2
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Earnest 1
Emanuell 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Giddion 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Leonard 1
Nelson 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Raymand 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Pennells surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pennells surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Pennells surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pennells surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016. That gives Pennells a modern rank of #12,317.

What does the Pennells map show?

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