NameCensus.

UK surname

Powdrell

An English surname likely derived from the Anglo-Norman French term "poudre" meaning powder or dust.

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Powdrell surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Powdrell is 110 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.1%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2010

110 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Powdrell had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 59 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Powdrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Powdrell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Powdrell 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 49 #28,696
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 91 #29,406
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Powdrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 034 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Kingston upon Hull 022 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 002 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Powdrell

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Powdrell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Powdrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Powdrell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Powdrell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Powdrell 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

Powdrell falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Powdrell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Powdrell

The surname POWDRELL is of English origin, originating in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "powdre" and "hill," referring to a hill or mound composed of powdery or dusty soil. This suggests that the name may have originally been used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a Robert Powdrell is listed. This indicates that the name was already established in the English Midlands by the late 13th century.

The POWDRELL surname has also been linked to the village of Powderhill in Worcestershire, which likely took its name from the same Old English roots. This further reinforces the locational origins of the surname.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records with slightly different spellings, such as Powdrell, Powdrill, and Powderell. This was common during this period when spelling conventions were not yet standardized.

One notable POWDRELL was Sir John Powdrell (1535-1592), a Member of Parliament for Taunton in Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a role in the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was knighted for his service.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Powdrell (1624-1689), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1679 to 1681.

In the 18th century, William Powdrell (1710-1783) was a successful merchant and landowner in Derbyshire, known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local schools and churches.

During the Victorian era, Charles Powdrell (1823-1897) was a respected architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Masonic School for Boys.

In the early 20th century, Emily Powdrell (1885-1972) was a pioneering female engineer who worked on various projects, including the construction of the Forth Bridge in Scotland.

While the POWDRELL surname is not as common today as it once was, its history can be traced back to medieval England, with a strong connection to the Midlands region and its distinctive geographical features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Powdrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Powdrell 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. Yorkshire leads with 21 Powdrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 21 5.57x
Shropshire 4 12.17x
Cheshire 3 3.57x
Lancashire 3 0.66x
Leicestershire 2 4.74x
Middlesex 2 0.53x
Montgomeryshire 2 22.94x
Glamorgan 1 1.51x
Merionethshire 1 14.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 10 Powdrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 167.22x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 10 167.22x
Leeds 9 42.29x
Wem 4 816.33x
Guilsfield 2 625.00x
Higher Booths 2 246.91x
Holy Trinity 2 22.05x
Osgathorpe 2 5000.00x
St Pancras London 2 6.53x
Cardiff St Mary 1 27.40x
Lower Bebington 1 200.00x
Macclesfield 1 26.81x
Sutton In Macclesfield 1 114.94x
Trawsfynydd 1 400.00x
Withington 1 68.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Frances 2
Ann 1
Dinah 1
E.T. 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 3
Richard 2
William 2
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Walter 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 Powdrell households.

FAQ

Powdrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Powdrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Powdrell surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Powdrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Powdrell a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Powdrell surname mean?

An English surname likely derived from the Anglo-Norman French term "poudre" meaning powder or dust.

What does the Powdrell map show?

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