NameCensus.

UK surname

Rosewell

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Rosewell, a village near Edinburgh, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Rosewell surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 418, ranked #11,472, up from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Almondsbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Torridge and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rosewell is 472 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

418

2016, ranked #11,472

Peak year

1999

472 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rosewell had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016, ranked #11,472.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 327 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rosewell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rosewell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rosewell 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 177 #13,265
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 298 #11,167
1901 historical 268 #12,553
1911 historical 327 #10,742
1997 modern 443 #10,189
1998 modern 471 #10,048
1999 modern 472 #10,083
2000 modern 472 #10,063
2001 modern 448 #10,274
2002 modern 445 #10,538
2003 modern 413 #11,006
2004 modern 403 #11,224
2005 modern 403 #11,120
2006 modern 407 #11,087
2007 modern 407 #11,228
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 407 #11,556
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 414 #11,533
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 421 #11,462
2014 modern 418 #11,614
2015 modern 414 #11,605
2016 modern 418 #11,472

Geography

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Where Rosewells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Almondsbury, London parishes, Shepperton and Westbury-on-Trym, Henbury, Compton Greenfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Torridge, South Somerset and Uttlesford. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Almondsbury Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Shepperton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Westbury-on-Trym, Henbury, Compton Greenfield Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 001 East Devon
2 Torridge 005 Torridge
3 South Somerset 006 South Somerset
4 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
5 East Devon 002 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rosewell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rosewell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rosewell, 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 Rosewell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rosewell 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, Rosewell 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

Rosewell 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

Rosewell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rosewell

The surname Rosewell is of English origin, deriving from a place name located in the county of Essex, England. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, with the earliest known recorded spelling being Roswelle in the Feet of Fines for Essex, dated 1245.

The name Rosewell is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ros" meaning "rose" and "well" meaning "a spring or stream". This suggests that the original place name referred to a spring or stream where roses grew, or perhaps a settlement located near such a water source.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Rosewell was John Rosewell, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275. Another early bearer of the name was William Rosewell, recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279.

In the 16th century, the surname Rosewell appeared in various records, including the Parish Registers of Wiltshire, where a certain Agnes Rosewell was listed in 1560. The Rosewell family was also present in the neighboring county of Somerset, with records showing a William Rosewell in the Somerset Musters of 1642.

One notable individual with the surname Rosewell was Sir Thomas Rosewell (1630-1692), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General for the Duchy of Lancaster under King Charles II. He was also a Member of Parliament for Arundel from 1681 to 1689.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Rosewell (1679-1722), an English nonconformist minister and author who served as the pastor of the Presbyterian congregation in Rotherhithe, London. He published several theological works, including "The Covenant of Grace Opened" and "The Blessed State of the Saints in Glory".

In the 18th century, the surname Rosewell was found in various parts of England, with records showing a John Rosewell christened in Crayford, Kent, in 1704, and a Mary Rosewell married in Whitchurch, Shropshire, in 1743.

The name Rosewell also has a connection to the American colonies, with a settlement called Rosewell Plantation established in Gloucester County, Virginia, in the late 17th century. This plantation was named after the prominent Rosewell family, who owned and operated it for several generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rosewell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rosewell 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 81 Rosewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.97x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 81 3.97x
Gloucestershire 34 8.50x
Somerset 29 8.84x
Devon 18 4.24x
Surrey 17 1.71x
Glamorgan 7 1.97x
Hampshire 6 1.44x
Essex 5 1.24x
Lancashire 5 0.21x
Kent 4 0.58x
Herefordshire 1 1.20x
Suffolk 1 0.40x
Wiltshire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shepperton in Middlesex leads with 52 Rosewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5777.78x.

Place Total Index
Shepperton 52 5777.78x
Upottery 12 2352.94x
Almondsbury 11 718.95x
Walton On Thames 11 241.23x
Hornsey 10 38.79x
Horfield 9 223.88x
Compton Dando 8 3478.26x
Paulton 7 466.67x
Roath 7 43.42x
Easton In Gordano 6 454.55x
Clifton 5 24.74x
Combe Raleigh 5 3125.00x
Great Bolton 5 15.61x
Henbury 5 256.41x
Portsea 5 6.11x
Prittlewell 5 89.61x
St Marylebone London 5 4.59x
Bromley London 4 8.92x
Ilminster 4 174.67x
Acton 3 25.10x
Islington London 3 1.52x
Lambeth 3 1.69x
St Pancras London 3 1.83x
Greenwich 2 6.16x
Publow 2 540.54x
Westbury On Trym 2 14.77x
Bristol St Augustine 1 15.50x
Dundry 1 256.41x
Dunkerton 1 140.85x
East Cliffe 1 526.32x
Hereford All Sts 1 26.11x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.19x
Lawshall 1 178.57x
Limehouse London 1 4.47x
Olveston 1 89.29x
Portsmouth 1 10.40x
Richmond 1 7.18x
Salisbury The Close 1 227.27x
Send Ripley 1 77.52x
Staverton 1 192.31x
Tonbridge 1 3.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 10
Jane 9
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Elizh. 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
May 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Blanch 1
Charlott 1
Constance 1
Elizth.G. 1
Ellin 1
Elsie 1
Esmerelda 1
Ethel 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
George 10
Charles 8
John 8
James 7
Thomas 6
Edward 4
Henry 4
Joseph 3
Fred 2
Harry 2
Tom 2
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Bertram 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredric 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Thos.Sedgwick 1
Jessie 1
Jonathan 1
Mark 1
Robert 1
Robin 1
Sidney 1
Simon 1
W.Henry 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rosewell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rosewell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Rosewell surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rosewell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016. That gives Rosewell a modern rank of #11,472.

What does the Rosewell surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Rosewell, a village near Edinburgh, Scotland.

What does the Rosewell map show?

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