UK surname
A surname derived from a place name, possibly from the village of Skeel in Sweden.
In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Skeel surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 63, ranked #34,163, down from #23,670 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bottisham and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skeel is 105 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.0%.
1881 census count
70
Ranked #23,670
Modern count
63
2016, ranked #34,163
Peak year
1891
105 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Skeel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Skeel surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 53 | #23,739 |
| 1861 | historical | 35 | #29,571 |
| 1881 | historical | 70 | #23,670 |
| 1891 | historical | 105 | #23,241 |
| 1901 | historical | 82 | #25,019 |
| 1911 | historical | 69 | #25,965 |
| 1997 | modern | 83 | #29,216 |
| 1998 | modern | 75 | #30,471 |
| 1999 | modern | 82 | #29,933 |
| 2000 | modern | 75 | #30,668 |
| 2001 | modern | 74 | #30,600 |
| 2002 | modern | 68 | #31,626 |
| 2003 | modern | 64 | #32,056 |
| 2004 | modern | 61 | #32,581 |
| 2005 | modern | 63 | #32,602 |
| 2006 | modern | 55 | #33,688 |
| 2007 | modern | 58 | #33,731 |
| 2008 | modern | 61 | #33,655 |
| 2009 | modern | 68 | #33,341 |
| 2010 | modern | 72 | #33,324 |
| 2011 | modern | 68 | #33,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 63 | #34,095 |
| 2013 | modern | 65 | #34,059 |
| 2014 | modern | 65 | #34,082 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 63 | #34,163 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bottisham, Edinburgh, St Giles-in-the-Fields and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Bottisham | Cambridgeshire |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | St Giles-in-the-Fields | London (Central Districts) |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Skeel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Skeel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Skeel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Skeel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Skeel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Skeel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Skeel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Skeel has its origins in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word 'skel', meaning a bone or a skeleton. This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with professions such as butchery or bone crafting.
The earliest known records of the name Skeel date back to the 13th century in Norway. It was initially spelled as 'Skiel' or 'Skiell', and over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form. In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Swedish province of Västergötland, indicating its spread across Scandinavia.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Skeel was Björn Skeel, a Norwegian nobleman who lived in the late 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Haakon V Magnusson and played a significant role in the political affairs of the time.
In the 16th century, the Skeel family gained prominence in Denmark, where they held influential positions in the royal court and the nobility. Otto Skeel (1522-1587) was a Danish statesman and military commander who served as the Governor of Lolland-Falster. His son, Peder Skeel (1561-1625), was a Danish nobleman and Admiral who played a crucial role in the Kalmar War against Sweden.
Another notable figure with the surname Skeel was Claus Skeels (1590-1653), a Danish diplomat and landowner. He served as the Governor of Bergen in Norway and was instrumental in negotiating the Treaty of Lübeck in 1629, which ended the Danish-Swedish War.
During the 17th century, the Skeel family established itself as a prominent noble family in Denmark, with several members holding high-ranking positions in the government and military. One such individual was Otte Skeels (1619-1670), a Danish statesman and diplomat who served as the Lord High Steward of Denmark.
As the Skeel family spread across Scandinavia and Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Skjel, Skjell, and Skjelde. Interestingly, some branches of the family adopted the anglicized spelling 'Skeel' while others retained the original Scandinavian spellings.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skeel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 33 Skeels recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.29x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 33 | 5.29x |
| Cambridgeshire | 8 | 20.23x |
| Surrey | 6 | 1.97x |
| Staffordshire | 5 | 2.37x |
| Roxburghshire | 4 | 35.37x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 2.39x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.81x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.82x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 1.00x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.00x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.32x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.95x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bottisham in Cambridgeshire leads with 8 Skeels recorded in 1881 and an index of 2352.94x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bottisham | 8 | 2352.94x |
| St Giles In Fields | 8 | 372.09x |
| Hackney London | 7 | 20.00x |
| St Pancras London | 7 | 13.93x |
| Hampstead London | 6 | 61.73x |
| Burton Upon Trent | 5 | 101.42x |
| Kelso | 4 | 353.98x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 3 | 23.89x |
| St Clement Danes | 3 | 297.03x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 2 | 5.94x |
| Southwark St Olave | 2 | 416.67x |
| Brighton | 1 | 4.71x |
| Clifton | 1 | 16.16x |
| Holbeach | 1 | 90.09x |
| Ipswich St Nicholas | 1 | 238.10x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.84x |
| Limehouse London | 1 | 14.60x |
| Lyncombe Widcombe | 1 | 38.02x |
| St Andrew Holborn | 1 | 47.17x |
| Steeple Bumpstead | 1 | 434.78x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Skeel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Skeel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Skeel households.
FAQ
In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Skeel surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 63 in 2016. That gives Skeel a modern rank of #34,163.
A surname derived from a place name, possibly from the village of Skeel in Sweden.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Skeel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.