UK surname
Variant spelling of Powell, an occupational surname referring to one who dwelt near a meadow or brook.
In the 1881 census there were 774 people recorded with the Powel surname, ranking it #4,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 76, ranked #33,304, down from #4,784 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Dawley, Magna and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Powel is 1,804 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 90.2%.
1881 census count
774
Ranked #4,784
Modern count
76
2016, ranked #33,304
Peak year
1851
1,804 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Powel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Powel 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 | 1,804 | #1,597 |
| 1861 | historical | 1,272 | #2,245 |
| 1881 | historical | 774 | #4,784 |
| 1891 | historical | 485 | #7,607 |
| 1901 | historical | 410 | #9,322 |
| 1911 | historical | 314 | #11,077 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 49 | #33,000 |
| 1999 | modern | 55 | #32,561 |
| 2000 | modern | 49 | #33,187 |
| 2001 | modern | 46 | #33,311 |
| 2002 | modern | 59 | #32,468 |
| 2003 | modern | 56 | #32,797 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 52 | #33,619 |
| 2006 | modern | 55 | #33,688 |
| 2007 | modern | 60 | #33,539 |
| 2008 | modern | 61 | #33,655 |
| 2009 | modern | 71 | #33,102 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 68 | #33,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 65 | #33,964 |
| 2013 | modern | 72 | #33,631 |
| 2014 | modern | 76 | #33,423 |
| 2015 | modern | 72 | #33,595 |
| 2016 | modern | 76 | #33,304 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Dawley, Magna, London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and St Marylebone. 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 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Dawley, Magna | Shropshire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Merthyr Tydfil | Glamorganshire |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Powel 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 Powel, 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 Powel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Powel 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, Powel 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 Powel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Powel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname POWEL is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Welsh personal name "Hywel" or "Howell," which means "eminent" or "conspicuous." The name was later anglicized to its current spelling, POWEL.
The earliest recorded instances of the POWEL surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was most prevalent in the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire, where it appeared as "Howel" or "Howell."
One of the earliest known bearers of the POWEL surname was Sir Thomas Powel, a Welsh soldier and landowner who lived in the 14th century. He served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War and was granted estates in Pembrokeshire for his military service.
In the 16th century, the POWEL surname was associated with several notable figures, including Sir Thomas Powel (1501-1572), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1561. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers and a prominent merchant.
Another prominent POWEL was David Powel (1549-1598), a Welsh historian and antiquarian who wrote extensively about the history and genealogy of Wales. His most famous work, "The Historie of Cambria," published in 1584, is considered one of the earliest comprehensive histories of Wales.
In the 17th century, the POWEL surname was associated with Sir Edward Powel (1617-1696), a Welsh landowner and politician who served as a member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire. He was also a prominent supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
During the 18th century, the POWEL surname gained prominence through figures like William Samuel Powel (1738-1801), an American merchant and politician who served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1776 to 1789. He was also a close friend of Benjamin Franklin and played a significant role in the American Revolution.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the POWEL surname throughout history, and the name has continued to be widely used in various parts of the world, particularly in England, Wales, and the United States.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Powel 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. Staffordshire leads with 99 Powels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 99 | 3.93x |
| Yorkshire | 67 | 0.91x |
| Shropshire | 66 | 10.24x |
| Middlesex | 63 | 0.84x |
| Lancashire | 45 | 0.51x |
| Glamorgan | 39 | 3.00x |
| Gloucestershire | 31 | 2.12x |
| Warwickshire | 30 | 1.59x |
| Durham | 29 | 1.31x |
| Herefordshire | 26 | 8.50x |
| Kent | 24 | 0.94x |
| Surrey | 23 | 0.63x |
| Cheshire | 19 | 1.15x |
| Derbyshire | 18 | 1.54x |
| Worcestershire | 16 | 1.64x |
| Merionethshire | 15 | 10.99x |
| Essex | 13 | 0.88x |
| Lincolnshire | 11 | 0.92x |
| Monmouthshire | 11 | 2.04x |
| Nottinghamshire | 11 | 1.09x |
| Leicestershire | 10 | 1.21x |
| Pembrokeshire | 9 | 3.79x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 0.52x |
| Lanarkshire | 8 | 0.33x |
| Denbighshire | 7 | 2.48x |
| Flintshire | 7 | 3.49x |
| Carmarthenshire | 6 | 1.91x |
| Cornwall | 6 | 0.71x |
| Devon | 5 | 0.32x |
| Brecknockshire | 4 | 2.68x |
| Hertfordshire | 4 | 0.78x |
| Norfolk | 4 | 0.35x |
| Ayrshire | 3 | 0.54x |
| Caernarfonshire | 3 | 0.99x |
| Cambridgeshire | 3 | 0.63x |
| Montgomeryshire | 3 | 1.75x |
| Somerset | 3 | 0.25x |
| Suffolk | 3 | 0.33x |
| Wiltshire | 3 | 0.45x |
| Berkshire | 2 | 0.36x |
| Cardiganshire | 2 | 1.10x |
| Royal Navy | 2 | 2.25x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 0.26x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.22x |
| Radnorshire | 1 | 1.66x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 0.17x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 26 Powels recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.42x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Powel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 58 |
| Elizabeth | 32 |
| Sarah | 30 |
| Ann | 24 |
| Hannah | 17 |
| Eliza | 12 |
| Annie | 11 |
| Ellen | 10 |
| Emma | 10 |
| Jane | 10 |
| Margaret | 10 |
| Alice | 7 |
| Esther | 6 |
| Fanny | 6 |
| Louisa | 6 |
| Caroline | 5 |
| Catherine | 5 |
| Ada | 4 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Maria | 4 |
| Martha | 4 |
| Minnie | 4 |
| Amelia | 3 |
| Anne | 3 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Florence | 3 |
| Frances | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Lucy | 3 |
| Matilda | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Amy | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Dorothy | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Ethel | 2 |
| Henrietta | 2 |
| Isabella | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Margret | 2 |
| Rachel | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Ruth | 2 |
| Selina | 2 |
| Susan | 2 |
| Cathrine | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Elizth.E. | 1 |
| Ida | 1 |
| Winifred | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Powel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 50 |
| John | 40 |
| Thomas | 34 |
| James | 22 |
| George | 18 |
| Charles | 15 |
| Joseph | 13 |
| Richard | 13 |
| Samuel | 12 |
| Edward | 11 |
| Henry | 10 |
| Alfred | 7 |
| Evan | 6 |
| Arthur | 5 |
| Benjamin | 5 |
| Robert | 5 |
| Thos. | 5 |
| Edwin | 4 |
| Walter | 4 |
| Albert | 3 |
| Andrew | 3 |
| David | 3 |
| Frank | 3 |
| Lewis | 3 |
| Wm. | 3 |
| Alexander | 2 |
| Eldred | 2 |
| Elijah | 2 |
| Francis | 2 |
| Fredrick | 2 |
| Harry | 2 |
| Moses | 2 |
| Patrick | 2 |
| Allen | 1 |
| Ben | 1 |
| Bernard | 1 |
| Berney | 1 |
| Bertie | 1 |
| E.H.T. | 1 |
| Ed. | 1 |
| Edmond | 1 |
| F.H. | 1 |
| Fernand | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Howard | 1 |
| Howel | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Isaac | 1 |
| Isaiah | 1 |
| Janson | 1 |
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 Powel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 105 |
| Coal Miner | 15 |
| Labourer | 13 |
| Ag Lab | 11 |
| Domestic Servant | 11 |
| Farm Labourer | 8 |
| Farm Servant Indoor | 6 |
| Housekeeper | 6 |
| Cook | 5 |
| Farmers Son | 5 |
| General Labourer | 5 |
| General Servant | 5 |
| Annuitant | 4 |
| Carpenter | 4 |
| Cotton Spinner | 4 |
| Dressmaker | 4 |
| Milliner | 4 |
| None | 4 |
| Painter | 4 |
| Tailor | 4 |
| Blacksmith | 3 |
| Butcher | 3 |
| Cotton Weaver | 3 |
| Gen Lab | 3 |
| General Laborer | 3 |
| General Serv | 3 |
| Grocer | 3 |
| Laborer | 3 |
| Laundress | 3 |
| Potters Presser | 3 |
| Pupil | 3 |
| Solicitors Clerk (General) | 3 |
| Wheelwright | 3 |
| Woollen Cloth Worker | 3 |
| (Income From Parents) | 2 |
| Ag Lab Wife | 2 |
| Ag Labourer | 2 |
| Barmaid | 2 |
| Bricklayer | 2 |
| Farm Serv Indoor | 2 |
| Farmers Daughter | 2 |
| File Cutter | 2 |
| General Dealer | 2 |
| House Painter | 2 |
| Machinist | 2 |
| Mariner | 2 |
| Organ Builder | 2 |
| Servant | 2 |
| Servant Dom | 2 |
| Shoe Maker | 2 |
FAQ
In 1881, 774 people were recorded with the Powel surname. That placed it at #4,784 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016. That gives Powel a modern rank of #33,304.
Variant spelling of Powell, an occupational surname referring to one who dwelt near a meadow or brook.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Powel 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.