NameCensus.

UK surname

Reffell

In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Reffell surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, up from #20,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Horton, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Cardiff and Lewisham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reffell is 208 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 119.8%.

1881 census count

91

Ranked #20,843

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

2008

208 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reffell had 91 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Reffell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reffell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reffell 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 91 #20,843
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 152 #17,916
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 186 #18,448
1998 modern 192 #18,561
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 193 #18,616
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 200 #18,294
2003 modern 193 #18,501
2004 modern 196 #18,438
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 197 #19,218
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 197 #19,408
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Reffells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Horton, London parishes, St Pancras and Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Cardiff and Lewisham. 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 Horton Buckinghamshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury) Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 009 Bridgend
2 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
3 Bridgend 013 Bridgend
4 Lewisham 005 Lewisham
5 Bridgend 008 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reffell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reffell

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Reffell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Reffell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Reffell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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.

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Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Reffell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reffell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Reffell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reffell 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. Middlesex leads with 37 Reffells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 37 4.12x
Surrey 23 5.26x
Kent 10 3.27x
Suffolk 7 6.40x
Buckinghamshire 6 11.06x
Northamptonshire 4 4.74x
Lancashire 3 0.28x
Dorset 1 1.70x
Royal Navy 1 9.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 10 Reffells recorded in 1881 and an index of 90.17x.

Place Total Index
Rotherhithe 10 90.17x
St Pancras London 10 13.84x
Shere 9 1698.11x
St George Hanover 7 59.78x
Bexley 6 221.40x
Bury St Edmunds St James 6 205.48x
Horton 6 2307.69x
St Anne Soho London 5 97.47x
Stoke Newington London 5 71.53x
Hornsey 4 35.24x
Peterborough 4 65.47x
Newchurch 3 34.44x
Tonbridge 3 27.17x
Clerkenwell London 2 9.44x
Newington 2 6.03x
Bermondsey 1 3.74x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 48.78x
Guildford St Mary 1 185.19x
Kensington London 1 2.00x
Lewisham 1 6.12x
Paddington London 1 3.03x
Royal Navy 1 10.94x
Sherborne 1 57.80x
St Andrew Holborn 1 32.89x
Westminster St John 1 9.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
Henry 6
John 4
Raymond 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Reffell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reffell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Reffell surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reffell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Reffell a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Reffell map show?

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