NameCensus.

UK surname

Reavill

A topographic surname derived from a dwelling near a ravine or secluded valley.

In the 1881 census there were 96 people recorded with the Reavill surname, ranking it #20,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 189, ranked #20,334, down from #20,248 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Woodborough and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Mansfield and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reavill is 237 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.9%.

1881 census count

96

Ranked #20,248

Modern count

189

2016, ranked #20,334

Peak year

1998

237 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reavill had 96 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,248 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016, ranked #20,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Reavill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reavill surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reavill 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 96 #20,248
1891 historical 154 #18,004
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 228 #16,211
1998 modern 237 #16,272
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 223 #16,978
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 205 #17,838
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 216 #17,575
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 205 #18,722
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 194 #19,606
2013 modern 204 #19,276
2014 modern 200 #19,713
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 189 #20,334

Geography

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Where Reavills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Woodborough, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Mansfield, North East Lincolnshire, Greenwich 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Woodborough Nottinghamshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Bulwell Nottinghamshire
5 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 006 Nottingham
2 Mansfield 007 Mansfield
3 North East Lincolnshire 005 North East Lincolnshire
4 Greenwich 003 Greenwich
5 Derby 025 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reavill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reavill

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Reavill 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

Reavill is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reavill falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reavill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Reavill

The surname Reavill has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Reavill or Reaville, possibly in the county of Yorkshire or Lincolnshire.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words 'ra', meaning roe deer, and 'welle', meaning a spring or stream, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near a spring or stream frequented by roe deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire, where a Richard Reavill was mentioned in 1568. Another early record is from the parish records of Louth, Lincolnshire, where a John Reavill was mentioned in 1598.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various spellings, including Reavill, Reaville, and Revill. One notable bearer of the name during this period was William Reavill (1627-1697), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Utterby in Lincolnshire.

The 18th century saw the name spread to other parts of England, with records showing bearers of the name in counties such as Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. A prominent individual from this period was John Reavill (1720-1788), a landowner and farmer from Ecclesfield, Yorkshire.

In the 19th century, the Reavill surname continued to be found across England, with notable bearers including James Reavill (1814-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Sheffield, and Henry Reavill (1844-1923), a renowned artist and illustrator from Nottinghamshire.

Other individuals of note bearing the Reavill surname include Robert Reavill (1866-1942), a British engineer and inventor who held numerous patents, and Evelyn Reavill (1900-1985), a British actress and singer who performed in various stage productions and films during the early 20th century.

While the Reavill surname has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has left its mark across various parts of England, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields, from religion and literature to business and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reavill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reavill 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 79 Reavills recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.60x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 79 62.60x
Kent 4 1.25x
Yorkshire 4 0.43x
Derbyshire 3 2.05x
Bedfordshire 2 4.13x
Lancashire 2 0.18x
Lincolnshire 2 1.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 25 Reavills recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.59x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 25 76.59x
Radford 15 234.01x
Bulwell 11 401.46x
Woodborough 8 2857.14x
Budby 5 12500.00x
Edwinstowe 5 1666.67x
Newark Upon Trent 5 110.13x
Bingley 4 67.68x
Woolwich 4 33.90x
Alfreton 3 67.42x
Houghton Conquest 2 1000.00x
Hucknall Torkard 2 62.50x
Navenby 2 645.16x
Burnley 1 10.68x
Castleton 1 9.01x
Linby 1 1000.00x
Oxton 1 588.24x
Papplewick 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 7
Arthur 5
James 3
Edward 2
George 2
Henry 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Enoch 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Noah 1
Sam.L. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Reavill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reavill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 96 people were recorded with the Reavill surname. That placed it at #20,248 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reavill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016. That gives Reavill a modern rank of #20,334.

What does the Reavill surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from a dwelling near a ravine or secluded valley.

What does the Reavill map show?

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