NameCensus.

UK surname

Rickell

Of English origin meaning "rich" or "powerful".

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Rickell surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 142, ranked #24,625, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, St George Bloomsbury and Glentworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, North Lincolnshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rickell is 160 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.7%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

2002

160 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rickell had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Rickell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rickell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rickell 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 71 #24,765
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 153 #21,551
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 156 #20,974
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 142 #24,625

Geography

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Where Rickells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, St George Bloomsbury, Glentworth, St Michael-le-Belfry and St Olave Marygate and St Margaret Walmgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, North Lincolnshire and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 St George Bloomsbury London (Central Districts)
3 Glentworth Lincolnshire
4 St Michael-le-Belfry and St Olave Marygate Yorkshire, East Riding
5 St Margaret Walmgate Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 North Lincolnshire 014 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rickell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rickell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rickell, 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 Rickell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rickell 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rickell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Rickell 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

Rickell 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 Rickell 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 Rickell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rickell

The surname Rickell is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning wealthy or powerful, and "hill" referring to a hill or elevated location. Thus, the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near a wealthy or prominent hill.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the Rickell name can be found in medieval tax rolls and parish records from counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. For example, a John Rickell is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297. There are also references to a Richard Rickell in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1332.

While the Rickell surname does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several similar spellings found, such as Richill and Rikehil, suggesting the name's origins may date back even further. It is likely that the spelling Rickell emerged as a variation during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Rickell surname was Sir John Rickell, a landowner and member of the gentry class in Yorkshire, who lived from around 1410 to 1478. Another was William Rickell, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, born in 1524 and died in 1598.

Other historical figures bearing the Rickell name include Thomas Rickell, a Protestant clergyman and author who lived from 1642 to 1718, and Josiah Rickell, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War in the late 18th century. Additionally, there was a Robert Rickell, a notable painter and artist from the 19th century, born in 1821 and died in 1898.

While the origins and early history of the Rickell surname can be traced back several centuries in England, it has since spread and can be found among various communities and families around the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rickell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rickell 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. Yorkshire leads with 47 Rickells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 47 5.23x
Lincolnshire 15 10.34x
Middlesex 12 1.32x
Lancashire 5 0.46x
Surrey 5 1.13x
Durham 4 1.48x
Wiltshire 2 2.49x
Kent 1 0.32x
Northamptonshire 1 1.17x
Westmorland 1 5.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clifton In York in Yorkshire leads with 11 Rickells recorded in 1881 and an index of 585.11x.

Place Total Index
Clifton In York 11 585.11x
Gate Helmsley 10 16666.67x
Warter 9 4736.84x
St George Bloomsbury 6 115.38x
York St Margaret 6 1071.43x
Bermondsey 5 18.52x
St Mary Magdalen Lincoln 4 2105.26x
Westoe 4 26.14x
Glentworth 3 2727.27x
Normanby By Spital 3 2500.00x
Oldham 3 8.64x
York St Maurice 3 177.51x
Chippenham 2 119.05x
Elvington 2 1666.67x
Hulme 2 8.90x
Laceby 2 625.00x
Louth 2 60.24x
Settrington 2 1176.47x
St George In East 2 32.41x
St Pancras London 2 2.74x
Eye 1 243.90x
Hackney London 1 1.97x
Hendon 1 30.67x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 1 208.33x
Holy Trinity 1 4.63x
Horton In Bradford 1 7.12x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 138.89x
Lee 1 22.27x
Potter Newton 1 62.89x
Scotton 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Henrietta 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 7
George 4
Robert 4
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Alfred 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fridrick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Rickell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rickell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Rickell surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rickell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Rickell a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Rickell surname mean?

Of English origin meaning "rich" or "powerful".

What does the Rickell map show?

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