NameCensus.

UK surname

Roswell

A place name derived from an Old English phrase meaning "horse stream".

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Roswell surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfleet, London parishes and Roath. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, Wellingborough and Gravesham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roswell is 148 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.6%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1911

148 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roswell had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Roswell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roswell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roswell 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 148 #18,023
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Roswells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfleet, London parishes, Roath and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, Wellingborough, Gravesham and Lambeth. 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 Northfleet Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Roath Glamorganshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Trafford 001 Trafford
2 Wellingborough 009 Wellingborough
3 Gravesham 004 Gravesham
4 Lambeth 021 Lambeth
5 Trafford 004 Trafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roswell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roswell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Roswell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Roswell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Roswell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roswell is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roswell falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roswell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Roswell

The surname Roswell is of English origin, derived from a place name in the county of Shropshire, England. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ros" meaning a horse and "well" meaning a spring or stream.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1285, where it appears as "Rosewell." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a location where horses were watered or a place near a stream inhabited by horses.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to places with similar names, such as "Rosewelle" and "Rosewall," which could have been early variations or precursors to the modern surname Roswell.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Roswell, who was born in 1420 in Shropshire and served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Henry VI.

Another notable figure was William Roswell, born in 1585 in Doncaster, Yorkshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the establishment of trade routes between England and the American colonies in the 17th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Roswell was also found in the records of the parish of St. Mary's in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, where several families with the name were documented.

During the English Civil War in the mid-17th century, a Captain Richard Roswell was mentioned in the accounts of the battles fought between the Parliamentarian and Royalist forces.

Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Roswell, born in 1670 in Leicestershire, who served as a member of the British Parliament and was a prominent figure in the development of the East India Company's trade operations in Asia.

Throughout its history, the surname Roswell has been associated with various locations in England, such as the village of Roswell in Shropshire, which likely gave rise to the place name and subsequently the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roswell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roswell 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 21 Roswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 3.08x
Surrey 16 4.81x
Somerset 10 9.10x
Kent 6 2.58x
Lancashire 4 0.49x
Devon 3 2.11x
Essex 3 2.23x
Glamorgan 2 1.68x
Sussex 2 1.74x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.42x
Hampshire 1 0.71x
Warwickshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 11 Roswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.22x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 11 25.22x
Islington London 9 13.60x
Donyatt 5 5555.56x
Milton In Gravesend 5 143.27x
Paulton 4 800.00x
Shoreditch London 4 13.51x
Southwark St John 4 191.39x
St Sepulchre London 4 400.00x
Plymouth Charles The 3 47.92x
Waltham Holy Cross 3 238.10x
Manchester 2 5.49x
Swansea Town 2 20.51x
Bedminster 1 9.68x
Bermondsey 1 4.92x
Birmingham 1 1.74x
Burnley 1 14.66x
Chelsea London 1 4.86x
Lewes All Sts 1 217.39x
Lewisham 1 8.05x
Mile End Old Town 1 9.28x
Newick 1 400.00x
Newton 1 16.03x
Southampton St Mary 1 11.36x
Stoke Poges 1 200.00x
Tottenham 1 9.20x
Westminster St James 1 14.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 4
Thomas 4
William 4
Edward 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Aaron 1
Abel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
George 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Mark 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Roswell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roswell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Roswell surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roswell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Roswell a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Roswell surname mean?

A place name derived from an Old English phrase meaning "horse stream".

What does the Roswell map show?

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