NameCensus.

UK surname

Rendall

A locational surname derived from Rendall, a location in Orkney, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 1,592 people recorded with the Rendall surname, ranking it #2,669 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,894, ranked #3,358, down from #2,669 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Kirkwall and St.Ola and Evie and Rendall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isles, West Kirkwall and East Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rendall is 1,935 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.0%.

1881 census count

1,592

Ranked #2,669

Modern count

1,894

2016, ranked #3,358

Peak year

1901

1,935 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rendall had 1,592 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,669 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,894 in 2016, ranked #3,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,935 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Rendall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rendall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rendall 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 1,226 #2,326
1861 historical 1,408 #2,030
1881 historical 1,592 #2,669
1891 historical 1,833 #2,504
1901 historical 1,935 #2,732
1911 historical 1,266 #3,754
1997 modern 1,700 #3,508
1998 modern 1,771 #3,498
1999 modern 1,803 #3,468
2000 modern 1,879 #3,336
2001 modern 1,807 #3,383
2002 modern 1,867 #3,356
2003 modern 1,797 #3,399
2004 modern 1,840 #3,334
2005 modern 1,822 #3,330
2006 modern 1,831 #3,325
2007 modern 1,845 #3,322
2008 modern 1,865 #3,319
2009 modern 1,899 #3,344
2010 modern 1,906 #3,409
2011 modern 1,878 #3,411
2012 modern 1,865 #3,384
2013 modern 1,879 #3,406
2014 modern 1,918 #3,369
2015 modern 1,900 #3,364
2016 modern 1,894 #3,358

Geography

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Where Rendalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Kirkwall and St.Ola, Evie and Rendall, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isles, West Kirkwall, East Mainland, East Kirkwall and West Mainland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
3 Evie and Rendall Orkney
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isles Orkney Islands
2 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
3 East Mainland Orkney Islands
4 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands
5 West Mainland Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rendall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rendall

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Rendall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rendall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rendall 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.

Read profile summary

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

Rendall is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rendall falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rendall

The surname Rendall is of English origin, originating from the county of Lancashire in the north of England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the place name "Renacres" or "Rhenanacres," which means "Rein's acres" or "the acres belonging to Rein."

Rendall is believed to have originated as a surname in the 13th or 14th century, and one of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311-1312, where a Robert de Reynacres is mentioned. The name's spelling has evolved over time, with variations such as Reynacres, Renacres, and Renaycres appearing in historical records.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no specific mentions of the Rendall surname, but there are references to places like "Reinefrid" and "Rainefrith," which may be related to the origin of the name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Rendall was John Renacres, who was born in Lancashire around 1380. Another notable bearer of the name was William Renacres, a landowner and merchant from Lancashire who lived in the late 15th century.

Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals with the surname Rendall. One such person was John Rendall (1576-1641), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse at the University of Cambridge. Another notable Rendall was Montagu Rendall (1862-1950), a British classical scholar and author who specialized in Greek literature and philosophy.

In the 19th century, James Meadows Rendall (1799-1856) was a renowned English geologist and mineralogist who made significant contributions to the study of crystallography. His son, Gerald Henry Rendall (1851-1945), was also a distinguished classical scholar and educator who served as the Headmaster of Charterhouse School.

During the 20th century, one of the most well-known Rendalls was Vivian Rendall (1912-1997), a British actor and writer who appeared in numerous films and television shows. He was also the author of several books, including his memoir "A Life in the Theatre."

The surname Rendall has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in Lancashire, England. Throughout the centuries, individuals with this surname have made their mark in various fields, ranging from academia and literature to science and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rendall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rendall 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. Orkney leads with 511 Rendalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.65x.

County Total Index
Orkney 511 299.65x
Somerset 190 7.61x
Dorset 156 15.33x
Middlesex 147 0.95x
Devon 70 2.17x
Midlothian 61 2.94x
Wiltshire 60 4.38x
Hampshire 51 1.61x
Gloucestershire 37 1.22x
Lancashire 37 0.20x
Surrey 34 0.45x
Shetland 30 18.95x
Durham 20 0.43x
Yorkshire 20 0.13x
Staffordshire 17 0.32x
Glamorgan 15 0.56x
Lanarkshire 12 0.24x
Cornwall 11 0.63x
Essex 11 0.36x
Kent 11 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.48x
Sussex 9 0.34x
Lincolnshire 7 0.28x
Worcestershire 7 0.35x
Monmouthshire 6 0.54x
Royal Navy 6 3.25x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.41x
Derbyshire 4 0.16x
Ayrshire 3 0.26x
Channel Islands 3 0.65x
Hertfordshire 3 0.28x
Bedfordshire 2 0.25x
Berkshire 2 0.17x
Cumberland 2 0.15x
Herefordshire 2 0.31x
Northumberland 2 0.09x
Ross-shire 2 0.47x
Warwickshire 2 0.05x
Angus 1 0.07x
Caithness 1 0.47x
Denbighshire 1 0.17x
Kincardineshire 1 0.53x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.28x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.08x
Rutland 1 0.88x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westray Papa Westray in Orkney leads with 341 Rendalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2522.19x.

Place Total Index
Westray Papa Westray 341 2522.19x
Evie Rendall 81 1125.00x
Corsley 44 813.31x
Kirkwall St Ola 41 160.53x
Merriott 28 383.56x
Islington London 23 1.53x
Stapleton 20 34.68x
Yeovil 20 39.45x
East Coker 19 347.99x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 19 136.20x
South Leith 18 7.70x
Bromley London 17 4.99x
Puddletown 17 272.87x
Charlton Horethorne 16 629.92x
Crewkerne 16 60.38x
Chelsea London 15 3.21x
Chesilborne 15 797.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 14 1.68x
Kensington London 14 1.62x
Lambeth 14 1.04x
Frome 13 21.78x
North Leith 13 13.53x
Clerkenwell London 12 3.28x
Tormoham 12 8.79x
Bruton 11 112.02x
Burton Bradstock 10 199.20x
Hackney London 10 1.15x
Roath 10 8.16x
Southampton St Mary 10 5.01x
St Andrews Deerness 10 111.48x
Stoke Damerel 10 4.43x
West Derby 10 1.86x
Chewton Mendip 9 217.92x
Chickerell 9 206.90x
Limehouse London 9 5.29x
West Ham 9 1.33x
Woolland 9 1406.25x
Bridport 8 38.20x
Ilminster 8 45.90x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 8.89x
Odcombe 8 241.69x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 3.22x
Provost Stour 8 392.16x
Warminster 8 26.63x
West Bromwich 8 2.67x
Winterborne Steepleton 8 1012.66x
Allington 7 77.18x
Arreton 7 68.69x
Broomfield 7 313.90x
Castleton 7 3.81x
Govan 7 0.56x
Horsforth 7 20.78x
Lerwick Gulberwick 7 28.57x
St Marylebone London 7 0.85x
Westleigh 7 16.76x
Brompton In Scarborough 6 163.93x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 14.86x
Everton 6 1.02x
Firth Stenness 6 82.08x
Horsham 6 11.82x
Kings Norton 6 3.31x
Maiden Newton 6 140.85x
Millbrook 6 7.50x
Oborne 6 789.47x
Paddington London 6 1.05x
Preston 6 161.73x
Richmond 6 5.67x
Shadwell London 6 13.83x
Shapinshay 6 116.05x
St Dennis 6 91.60x
Stromness 6 46.91x
Bedwellty 5 2.53x
Clifton 5 3.25x
Hammersmith London 5 1.31x
Liverpool 5 0.45x
Royal Navy 5 3.17x
Southampton All Sts 5 9.17x
Southwell 5 32.87x
Stronsay Eday 5 44.84x
Westoe 5 1.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 57
William 54
George 42
Charles 31
James 20
Thomas 20
Henry 19
Robert 19
Frederick 14
Joseph 13
Alfred 11
Edward 9
Frank 8
Geo. 8
Walter 8
Samuel 7
Ernest 6
Arthur 5
Edwin 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Harry 4
Isaac 4
Richard 4
Elias 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Emanuel 2
Fred 2
Fred. 2
Jno. 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Simon 2
Sydney 2
Arnold 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Charlotte 1
Eldred 1
Eli 1
Ephraim 1
Hinry 1
Holden 1
Hurbert 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rendall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rendall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,592 people were recorded with the Rendall surname. That placed it at #2,669 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rendall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,894 in 2016. That gives Rendall a modern rank of #3,358.

What does the Rendall surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Rendall, a location in Orkney, Scotland.

What does the Rendall map show?

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