NameCensus.

UK surname

Rendle

A locative surname indicating someone from a place named Rendle or Rendel.

In the 1881 census there were 873 people recorded with the Rendle surname, ranking it #4,346 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,050, ranked #5,548, down from #4,346 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, South Hams and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rendle is 1,183 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.3%.

1881 census count

873

Ranked #4,346

Modern count

1,050

2016, ranked #5,548

Peak year

1999

1,183 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rendle had 873 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,346 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016, ranked #5,548.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,163 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rendle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rendle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rendle 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 705 #3,701
1861 historical 536 #4,904
1881 historical 873 #4,346
1891 historical 894 #4,606
1901 historical 1,102 #4,382
1911 historical 1,163 #4,021
1997 modern 1,126 #4,973
1998 modern 1,166 #5,003
1999 modern 1,183 #4,995
2000 modern 1,141 #5,114
2001 modern 1,119 #5,097
2002 modern 1,142 #5,120
2003 modern 1,097 #5,193
2004 modern 1,090 #5,225
2005 modern 1,082 #5,199
2006 modern 1,097 #5,152
2007 modern 1,092 #5,216
2008 modern 1,086 #5,277
2009 modern 1,100 #5,316
2010 modern 1,119 #5,359
2011 modern 1,095 #5,392
2012 modern 1,071 #5,404
2013 modern 1,077 #5,480
2014 modern 1,092 #5,431
2015 modern 1,076 #5,447
2016 modern 1,050 #5,548

Geography

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Where Rendles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston, Plymouth St Charles the Martyr and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, South Hams and Plymouth. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
4 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
2 South Hams 007 South Hams
3 Plymouth 019 Plymouth
4 Plymouth 030 Plymouth
5 Plymouth 032 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rendle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rendle

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Rendle 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

Rendle is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rendle falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rendle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rendle

The surname Rendle originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "rendan," which means "to tear or rend." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone known for tearing or rending cloth or other materials.

The earliest recorded instance of the Rendle surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various historical documents from Gloucestershire and Somerset in the southwest of England. Some of the earliest spellings of the name include "Rende," "Rended," and "Rendel."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the Rendle surname. However, the book does contain references to place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Rendcombe" in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Rendle surname was John Rendle, born in Somerset around 1430. Another notable bearer of the name was William Rendle, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who lived in the late 16th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Rendle surname spread to other parts of England, with records showing families bearing the name in counties like Dorset, Devon, and Wiltshire. One notable figure from this period was Samuel Rendle (1668-1742), a prominent clergyman and author from Gloucestershire.

In the 19th century, several individuals with the Rendle surname achieved recognition in various fields. These include William Rendle (1811-1897), a noted English architect and surveyor, and George Rendle (1833-1908), a British botanist and curator at the British Museum.

Another prominent bearer of the Rendle surname was Walter Rendle (1865-1938), a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his military service.

Over time, the Rendle surname has also spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration from England to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, its origins can be traced back to the southwestern regions of England, where it first emerged as a descriptive surname during the late medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rendle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rendle 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. Devon leads with 496 Rendles recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.63x.

County Total Index
Devon 496 27.63x
Somerset 59 4.25x
Surrey 56 1.33x
Cornwall 43 4.40x
Middlesex 40 0.46x
Dorset 34 6.01x
Hampshire 21 1.19x
Glamorgan 17 1.13x
Gloucestershire 12 0.71x
Wiltshire 12 1.57x
Lancashire 11 0.11x
Cheshire 10 0.53x
Kent 9 0.31x
Northumberland 9 0.70x
Yorkshire 8 0.09x
Durham 7 0.27x
Channel Islands 6 2.35x
Norfolk 6 0.45x
Royal Navy 5 4.87x
Lincolnshire 4 0.29x
Worcestershire 4 0.36x
Berkshire 3 0.46x
Essex 3 0.18x
Hertfordshire 3 0.50x
Sussex 3 0.21x
Herefordshire 1 0.28x
Perthshire 1 0.26x
Renfrewshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 99 Rendles recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.60x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 99 71.60x
Plymouth Charles The 51 64.49x
Tormoham 34 44.77x
Stoke Damerel 33 26.27x
Bermondsey 29 11.30x
Hardington Mandeville 24 1283.42x
Ilfracombe 19 102.81x
Cornwood 14 408.16x
Exeter St Sidwell 14 34.06x
Bideford 12 62.40x
Falmouth 12 34.72x
Bedminster 11 8.43x
Chittlehampton 11 248.31x
Modbury 11 240.17x
Battersea 10 3.15x
Bigbury 10 751.88x
Corscombe 10 518.13x
East Stonehouse 10 28.28x
Harberton 10 244.50x
Elswick 9 8.79x
Gwennap 9 48.86x
Holbeton 9 273.56x
Newton Abbot St Mary 9 59.76x
Withycombe Rawleigh 9 96.26x
Chelsea London 8 3.08x
Instow 8 412.37x
Northam 8 61.16x
Oldham 8 2.42x
Pitney 8 842.11x
Swansea Lower 8 104.44x
Winterbourne Gunner 8 1600.00x
Beaminster 7 111.29x
Charminster 7 155.56x
Goodleigh 7 945.95x
Tranmere 7 10.01x
Bishops Tawton 6 107.14x
Churston Ferrers 6 319.15x
Dawlish 6 44.81x
Ermington 6 91.88x
Exeter St David 6 39.14x
Fulham London 6 4.80x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 15.07x
Mangotsfield 6 35.59x
North Molton 6 171.43x
Stokenham 6 118.58x
Ashprington 5 375.94x
Cardiff St John 5 10.20x
Constantine 5 88.03x
Gateshead 5 2.60x
Lambeth 5 0.67x
Royal Navy 5 5.69x
Southampton St Mary 5 4.50x
St Helier 5 6.01x
Stoke Gabriel 5 263.16x
Wellington 5 26.57x
West Teignmouth 5 36.42x
Alverstoke 4 6.25x
Barnes 4 22.51x
Camberwell 4 0.73x
Castle Cary 4 66.12x
Cheddington 4 1176.47x
Fremington 4 109.59x
Ipplepen 4 163.93x
Kings Norton 4 3.96x
Lanteglos By Fowey 4 100.76x
Liskeard 4 24.48x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 20.63x
Swansea Town 4 3.25x
Clapham 3 2.78x
Crediton 3 17.64x
East Teignmouth 3 40.87x
Feock 3 49.10x
Horton In Bradford 3 2.25x
Kensington London 3 0.63x
Lynton 3 83.80x
Morleigh 3 967.74x
Plymstock 3 31.91x
Poole St James 3 14.11x
St Mary Kalendar 3 81.52x
Ventnor 3 17.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 55
Sarah 20
Ann 18
Jane 18
Emily 15
Eliza 14
Ellen 12
Emma 11
Annie 10
Susan 10
Edith 9
Martha 8
Caroline 7
Louisa 7
Maria 7
Alice 6
Harriett 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Minnie 4
Rosa 4
Anna 3
Bessie 3
Charlotte 3
Grace 3
Julia 3
Laura 3
Lily 3
Lucy 3
Phillipa 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Lilian 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Margret 2
Marion 2
May 2
Priscilla 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 56
George 34
Thomas 27
James 24
Henry 18
Samuel 16
Charles 14
Alfred 13
Richard 12
Robert 9
Frederick 8
Harry 8
Ernest 7
Francis 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Albert 4
Joseph 4
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Fred 2
Joshua 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Simeon 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Bertie 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Eward 1
G.P. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Lawrence 1
Lionel 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Montague 1
N. 1
Percy 1
Prowse 1

FAQ

Rendle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rendle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 873 people were recorded with the Rendle surname. That placed it at #4,346 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rendle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016. That gives Rendle a modern rank of #5,548.

What does the Rendle surname mean?

A locative surname indicating someone from a place named Rendle or Rendel.

What does the Rendle map show?

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