NameCensus.

UK surname

Rendell

An English surname derived from the Old French "rendel" meaning a small stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 1,253 people recorded with the Rendell surname, ranking it #3,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,761, ranked #3,566, down from #3,248 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, Coker, West and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, South Somerset and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rendell is 2,017 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.5%.

1881 census count

1,253

Ranked #3,248

Modern count

1,761

2016, ranked #3,566

Peak year

1911

2,017 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rendell had 1,253 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,248 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,761 in 2016, ranked #3,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,017 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rendell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rendell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rendell 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 663 #3,915
1861 historical 663 #4,039
1881 historical 1,253 #3,248
1891 historical 1,415 #3,081
1901 historical 1,616 #3,201
1911 historical 2,017 #2,468
1997 modern 1,831 #3,282
1998 modern 1,880 #3,333
1999 modern 1,901 #3,317
2000 modern 1,904 #3,296
2001 modern 1,841 #3,325
2002 modern 1,872 #3,346
2003 modern 1,767 #3,448
2004 modern 1,783 #3,426
2005 modern 1,751 #3,450
2006 modern 1,752 #3,457
2007 modern 1,747 #3,498
2008 modern 1,780 #3,466
2009 modern 1,812 #3,483
2010 modern 1,817 #3,540
2011 modern 1,813 #3,514
2012 modern 1,745 #3,560
2013 modern 1,790 #3,547
2014 modern 1,790 #3,564
2015 modern 1,770 #3,563
2016 modern 1,761 #3,566

Geography

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Where Rendells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, Coker, West, London parishes, Chinnock, East and Stokeinteignhead, Combeinteignhead, Haccombe, St Nicholas. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, South Somerset, West Dorset and Wiltshire. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 Coker, West Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Chinnock, East Somerset
5 Stokeinteignhead, Combeinteignhead, Haccombe, St Nicholas Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 006 North Dorset
2 South Somerset 005 South Somerset
3 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
4 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
5 Wiltshire 022 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rendell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rendell

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rendell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rendell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Rendell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rendell is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rendell falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rendell

The surname RENDELL is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. Its roots can be traced to the Old English word "rennen," meaning "to run," and the Old French word "rendel," meaning "channel" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a running stream or channel.

Early forms of the name included "Rendel," "Rendill," and "Rendle." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where it is listed as "Johannes Rendel." The Rendells were particularly prominent in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire in the southwestern part of England.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the Parish Registers of Crewkerne, Somerset, where a Margery Rendell was listed in 1567. Another notable entry is from the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1576, which mentions a William Rendell.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Rendell (c.1530-1592), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in 1572. Another notable figure was Edward Rendell (1639-1700), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Winchester.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name appeared in various parish records across the southwest of England. One notable individual from this period was Francis Rendell (1693-1744), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury from 1722 to 1744.

In the 19th century, several individuals with the surname RENDELL gained prominence. These include James Meadows Rendell (1799-1856), an English author and journalist, and George Rendell (1833-1892), a Canadian businessman and political figure who served as the 6th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

Other notable individuals with this surname include Ruth Rendell (1930-2015), a renowned English crime writer, and Edward Rendell (born 1944), an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rendell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rendell 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. Somerset leads with 350 Rendells recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.79x.

County Total Index
Somerset 350 17.79x
Devon 241 9.47x
Dorset 162 20.19x
Middlesex 155 1.27x
Surrey 73 1.23x
Lancashire 34 0.23x
Cornwall 30 2.17x
Glamorgan 25 1.17x
Wiltshire 22 2.04x
Kent 19 0.46x
Hampshire 18 0.72x
Midlothian 18 1.10x
Yorkshire 15 0.12x
Gloucestershire 14 0.58x
Sussex 12 0.58x
Staffordshire 11 0.27x
Durham 10 0.28x
Norfolk 8 0.43x
Warwickshire 8 0.26x
Monmouthshire 7 0.79x
Berkshire 6 0.65x
Derbyshire 3 0.16x
Northumberland 3 0.17x
Royal Navy 3 2.06x
Leicestershire 2 0.15x
Berwickshire 1 0.68x
Channel Islands 1 0.28x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Essex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Coker in Somerset leads with 110 Rendells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2750.00x.

Place Total Index
West Coker 110 2750.00x
Islington London 34 2.87x
Lambeth 32 3.00x
East Chinnock 26 1069.96x
Misterton 25 896.06x
Stoke Climsland 24 271.49x
Melcombe Regis 23 69.17x
Tiverton 22 50.19x
Haselbury Plucknett 20 806.45x
Tormoham 19 17.65x
Devizes St John 17 209.36x
Littleham 17 91.40x
St Marylebone London 17 2.61x
Netherbury 16 241.33x
Stokeinteignhead 16 583.94x
Crewkerne 15 71.80x
Symondsbury 15 293.54x
Taunton St Mary 15 41.53x
Axminster 14 117.35x
Branscombe 14 401.15x
Hawkchurch 14 562.25x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 14 313.90x
Charlton Horethorne 13 650.00x
Hackney London 13 1.90x
West Derby 13 3.06x
Beaminster 12 134.53x
Bridport 12 72.68x
Combeinteignhead 12 662.98x
East Budleigh 12 100.08x
Everton 12 2.60x
Hardington Mandeville 12 452.83x
Rotherhithe 12 7.95x
St Pancras London 12 1.22x
Kingsteignton 11 155.59x
Swansea Town 11 6.30x
Walmer 11 60.67x
Frome 10 21.25x
Taunton St James 10 34.86x
Croydon 9 2.72x
Epsom 9 31.01x
Ipplepen 9 260.12x
Leek Lowe 9 16.40x
Limington 9 725.81x
Ideford 8 672.27x
Paddington London 8 1.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 4.08x
Yeovil 8 20.01x
Coffinswell 7 853.66x
East Stonehouse 7 13.97x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.06x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 12.01x
Ingoldisthorpe 7 542.64x
Kensington London 7 1.03x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 13.59x
Manningham 7 4.69x
North Perrott 7 514.71x
Stockwood 7 2413.79x
Bradpole 6 91.32x
Camberwell 6 0.77x
Chiswick 6 8.98x
Huntspill 6 74.53x
Pitcombe 6 340.91x
Shadwell London 6 17.54x
South Leith 6 3.26x
St George Hanover 6 3.76x
Staines 6 31.01x
Trelleck 6 163.49x
Yeovilton 6 594.06x
Bampton 5 64.18x
Brislington 5 136.24x
Ermington 5 54.05x
Hammersmith London 5 1.66x
Holy Trinity Less 5 190.11x
Martock 5 39.09x
Milton Abbas 5 127.23x
Portsea 5 1.02x
Puddletrenthide 5 159.74x
Rampisham 5 413.22x
Westham 5 119.05x
Ystradyfodwg 5 2.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 98
George 45
John 45
Thomas 35
James 33
Charles 29
Henry 24
Arthur 19
Edward 18
Frederick 17
Alfred 16
Walter 16
Robert 15
Samuel 15
Joseph 14
Richard 14
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Albert 9
Edwin 8
Francis 8
Harry 7
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Elias 3
Emanuel 3
Giles 3
Lambert 3
Adam 2
Earnest 2
Ephraim 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Israel 2
Job 2
Nathaniel 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2
Simeon 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Wallace 2
Cecyl 1
Edley 1
H.Francis 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Rendell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rendell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,253 people were recorded with the Rendell surname. That placed it at #3,248 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rendell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,761 in 2016. That gives Rendell a modern rank of #3,566.

What does the Rendell surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French "rendel" meaning a small stream or brook.

What does the Rendell map show?

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