NameCensus.

UK surname

Southwell

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Southwell in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,865 people recorded with the Southwell surname, ranking it #2,337 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,145, ranked #3,014, down from #2,337 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, East Riding of Yorkshire and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Southwell is 2,435 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.0%.

1881 census count

1,865

Ranked #2,337

Modern count

2,145

2016, ranked #3,014

Peak year

1911

2,435 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Southwell had 1,865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,337 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,145 in 2016, ranked #3,014.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,435 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Southwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Southwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Southwell 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 1,461 #1,967
1861 historical 1,374 #2,081
1881 historical 1,865 #2,337
1891 historical 2,115 #2,204
1901 historical 2,290 #2,375
1911 historical 2,435 #2,107
1997 modern 2,228 #2,781
1998 modern 2,306 #2,800
1999 modern 2,332 #2,791
2000 modern 2,294 #2,813
2001 modern 2,229 #2,837
2002 modern 2,265 #2,855
2003 modern 2,196 #2,866
2004 modern 2,201 #2,865
2005 modern 2,191 #2,849
2006 modern 2,142 #2,898
2007 modern 2,162 #2,899
2008 modern 2,165 #2,924
2009 modern 2,229 #2,919
2010 modern 2,260 #2,940
2011 modern 2,223 #2,947
2012 modern 2,190 #2,928
2013 modern 2,216 #2,943
2014 modern 2,205 #2,973
2015 modern 2,183 #2,978
2016 modern 2,145 #3,014

Geography

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Where Southwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, London parishes, Lockerley and Bridgnorth St Leonard and St Mary Magdalen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, East Riding of Yorkshire and Cannock Chase. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lockerley Hampshire
5 Bridgnorth St Leonard and St Mary Magdalen Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 010 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 006 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Southwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Southwell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Southwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Southwell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Southwell

The surname Southwell originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Southwell in Nottinghamshire. The name is composed of the Old English words "sūth" meaning "south" and "well" referring to a spring or stream.

Southwell is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, recorded as "Sudwell" and "Sudwelle." This indicates that the name was well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest. The town of Southwell was an important ecclesiastical center, home to the Collegiate Church of St. Mary the Virgin, which may have contributed to the name's early prominence.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Southwell was Robert de Southwell, a 13th-century cleric and canon of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Southwell. Another notable early figure was Sir Richard Southwell (c. 1504-1564), a courtier and diplomat during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.

In the 16th century, the Jesuit priest and poet Robert Southwell (c. 1561-1595) gained fame for his religious works and martyrdom for his Catholic faith during the reign of Elizabeth I. His nephew, Thomas Southwell (c. 1592-1637), was a Benedictine monk and author.

Other notable individuals with the Southwell surname include Edward Southwell (1671-1730), an English clergyman and writer, and Sir Richard Southwell (1644-1702), an English diplomat and Secretary of State for Ireland under William III.

The name Southwell has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Southwell Park in Norfolk and Southwell Minster, the cathedral church in Nottinghamshire, which was built on the site of the former Collegiate Church of St. Mary the Virgin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Southwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Southwell 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 386 Southwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 386 2.13x
Lancashire 226 1.04x
Hampshire 224 5.97x
Middlesex 154 0.84x
Lincolnshire 125 4.27x
Cambridgeshire 88 7.59x
Norfolk 70 2.49x
Kent 58 0.93x
Northamptonshire 55 3.20x
Warwickshire 46 1.00x
Worcestershire 45 1.88x
Surrey 41 0.46x
Staffordshire 40 0.65x
Huntingdonshire 36 9.91x
Cumberland 30 1.90x
Sussex 29 0.94x
Durham 25 0.46x
Shropshire 23 1.45x
Rutland 21 15.63x
Leicestershire 16 0.79x
Dorset 15 1.25x
Wiltshire 15 0.93x
Lanarkshire 13 0.22x
Somerset 13 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.45x
Gloucestershire 9 0.25x
Renfrewshire 8 0.56x
Suffolk 8 0.36x
Bedfordshire 6 0.63x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.81x
Berkshire 5 0.36x
Cheshire 5 0.12x
Royal Navy 5 2.29x
Devon 4 0.11x
Derbyshire 3 0.10x
Isle of Man 3 0.88x
Oxfordshire 3 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.52x
Essex 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Todmorden Walsden in Lancashire leads with 48 Southwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.50x.

Place Total Index
Todmorden Walsden 48 82.50x
Stansfield 47 70.43x
Crosscanonby 29 55.65x
Lockerley 28 746.67x
Wadsworth 25 84.69x
Ramsey 24 82.50x
Islington London 23 1.30x
Southampton St Mary 23 9.75x
Peterborough 22 17.65x
Wisbech St Peter 22 37.85x
Alverstoke 21 15.47x
Birmingham 21 1.37x
Portsea 21 2.86x
Thornton In Bradford 21 34.79x
Boston 20 22.53x
March 20 51.53x
Wardleworth 20 16.12x
Kensington London 19 1.87x
Millbrook 19 20.11x
Uppingham 19 118.60x
Hornsey 18 7.78x
Langfield 17 53.58x
Shoreditch London 17 2.14x
St Giles In Fields 17 26.93x
Brandon 16 105.82x
Lambeth 16 1.00x
Sowerby In Halifax 15 25.30x
Newchurch 14 7.88x
Padiham 14 26.69x
Redditch 14 28.90x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 13 72.50x
Rugeley 13 29.33x
Castleton 12 5.53x
Chatham 12 6.99x
Midgley 12 62.08x
Portsmouth 12 13.90x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 11 6.51x
Feckenham 11 40.22x
Keighley 11 5.69x
Norland 11 88.35x
Salehurst 11 82.34x
Toxteth Park 11 1.50x
Bradford 10 2.28x
Haworth 10 23.20x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.57x
Somerby In Grantham 10 134.23x
Wimblington 10 146.41x
Wolverhampton 10 2.11x
Heptonstall 9 35.36x
Leicester St Margaret 9 1.82x
Liverpool 9 0.68x
St Mary Extra 9 29.81x
Stow Bardolph 9 107.53x
Aston 8 0.63x
Broughton In Skipton 8 720.72x
Crowland 8 43.60x
Eye 8 97.32x
Horncastle 8 26.49x
Kildwick 8 48.46x
Oldham 8 1.14x
Paston 8 109.29x
Sculcoates 8 2.78x
Spotland 8 3.31x
Thornton In Fylde 8 16.84x
Webheath 8 187.79x
West Walton 8 148.42x
Wisbech St Mary 8 60.11x
Wortley In Bramley 8 5.57x
Berkswell 7 76.75x
Brighton 7 1.12x
Ditton 7 333.33x
Elm 7 61.67x
Govan 7 0.48x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 2.97x
Horton In Bradford 7 2.47x
Rusholme 7 12.09x
South Stoneham 7 8.60x
Teddington London 7 16.88x
Welney 7 108.86x
West Tytherley 7 262.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 118
Sarah 78
Elizabeth 73
Emma 32
Ann 30
Eliza 28
Jane 27
Martha 27
Annie 24
Alice 22
Ellen 21
Hannah 21
Emily 19
Maria 19
Harriet 17
Ada 16
Fanny 14
Kate 14
Florence 12
Louisa 12
Caroline 11
Clara 11
Margaret 11
Susannah 10
Catherine 9
Charlotte 9
Frances 8
Rebecca 8
Agnes 7
Anne 7
Grace 7
Lucy 7
Betty 6
Julia 6
Anna 5
Harriett 5
Ruth 5
Dinah 4
Edith 4
Matilda 4
May 4
Rosa 4
Rose 4
Susan 4
Bessie 3
Eliz. 3
Jemima 3
Lilly 3
Minnie 3
S. 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 123
William 107
James 69
George 63
Charles 48
Thomas 38
Henry 36
Joseph 24
Alfred 23
Walter 19
Richard 18
Edward 17
Robert 17
Frederick 16
Albert 15
Frank 14
Arthur 13
Samuel 13
Harry 10
Benjamin 8
David 7
Edwin 7
Fred 7
Wm. 7
Emanuel 6
Herbert 6
Tom 6
Fred. 5
Horace 4
Thos. 4
Christopher 3
Ernest 3
Fredk. 3
Leonard 3
Luke 3
Sam 3
Silas 3
Sydney 3
Amos 2
Bertram 2
Dan 2
Jeremiah 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Matthew 2
Nathaniel 2
Reginald 2
Samson 2
Sidney 2
Stanley 2

FAQ

Southwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Southwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,865 people were recorded with the Southwell surname. That placed it at #2,337 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Southwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,145 in 2016. That gives Southwell a modern rank of #3,014.

What does the Southwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Southwell in England.

What does the Southwell map show?

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