NameCensus.

UK surname

Stovell

A locative surname referring to someone from a location named Stovell or Stowell.

In the 1881 census there were 284 people recorded with the Stovell surname, ranking it #10,100 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 457, ranked #10,690, down from #10,100 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Rother and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stovell is 504 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.9%.

1881 census count

284

Ranked #10,100

Modern count

457

2016, ranked #10,690

Peak year

1998

504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stovell had 284 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,100 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016, ranked #10,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 457 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Stovell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stovell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stovell 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 110 #16,093
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 284 #10,100
1891 historical 313 #10,723
1901 historical 386 #9,708
1911 historical 457 #8,397
1997 modern 500 #9,304
1998 modern 504 #9,531
1999 modern 499 #9,674
2000 modern 489 #9,788
2001 modern 476 #9,814
2002 modern 474 #10,027
2003 modern 464 #10,003
2004 modern 466 #10,030
2005 modern 458 #10,077
2006 modern 458 #10,109
2007 modern 472 #9,978
2008 modern 467 #10,146
2009 modern 486 #10,069
2010 modern 493 #10,161
2011 modern 480 #10,267
2012 modern 455 #10,574
2013 modern 463 #10,602
2014 modern 472 #10,525
2015 modern 462 #10,619
2016 modern 457 #10,690

Geography

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Where Stovells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and Horsham, Sullington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, Rother, Spelthorne and Eastleigh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Horsham, Sullington Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 006 Rugby
2 Rother 009 Rother
3 Rother 011 Rother
4 Spelthorne 005 Spelthorne
5 Eastleigh 010 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stovell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stovell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stovell, 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 Stovell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Stovell 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Stovell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Stovell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Stovell falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Stovell

The surname Stovell has its origins in England, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English words "stofu" meaning a room or chamber, and "fell" meaning a hill or ridge. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was Stovill in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to a landowner in Wiltshire.

In the 12th century, variations of the name such as Stovile and Stovyll appeared in historical records from Oxfordshire and Somerset. These early spellings suggest that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a hill or ridge with a room or building on it, possibly a lookout point or a small dwelling.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John Stovell, a tax collector from Gloucestershire, mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Another notable figure was William Stovell, a merchant from Bristol who was granted a coat of arms in 1562 by the College of Arms in London.

In the 17th century, the surname was found in various parish records across southern England, particularly in counties like Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset. A prominent individual from this period was Sir Benjamin Stovell (1632-1708), a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and a renowned lawyer.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Stovell name appeared in several historical documents, including birth, marriage, and death records. One notable figure was James Stovell (1741-1821), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Sir William Stovell (1805-1879), an English judge and legal writer who authored several influential works on criminal law and jurisprudence.

Throughout its history, the surname Stovell has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the southern counties, with various branches and offshoots emerging over time. While relatively uncommon, the name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including lawyers, politicians, military officers, and professionals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stovell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stovell 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. Surrey leads with 138 Stovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.22x.

County Total Index
Surrey 138 10.22x
Middlesex 70 2.53x
Sussex 49 10.49x
Berkshire 8 3.85x
Hampshire 6 1.06x
Norfolk 5 1.17x
Essex 4 0.73x
Kent 2 0.21x
Somerset 2 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 23 Stovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.57x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 23 8.57x
Reigate Foreign 23 157.32x
Croydon 17 22.69x
St Pancras London 17 7.62x
Horsham 15 165.38x
Cobham 11 495.50x
Clerkenwell London 10 15.29x
Cuckfield 9 190.68x
Banstead 8 218.58x
Effingham 7 1250.00x
Esher 7 370.37x
Hackney London 7 4.51x
Headley 7 2187.50x
Lambeth 7 2.90x
Carshalton 6 116.05x
Felpham 6 1111.11x
Keymer 6 181.82x
Great Bookham 5 480.77x
Itchingfield 5 1219.51x
Kingston On Thames 5 15.42x
Little Bookham 5 2777.78x
Martham 4 384.62x
Mickleham 4 526.32x
Putney 4 31.67x
Edburton 3 937.50x
Fetcham 3 666.67x
Hampstead London 3 6.95x
Holdenhurst 3 20.15x
Old Windsor 3 124.48x
Stoke 3 47.10x
Aldershot 2 10.52x
Betchworth 2 119.76x
Bridgewater 2 16.52x
Brighton 2 2.12x
Clewer 2 23.47x
East Ham 2 19.70x
Mortlake 2 33.22x
Richmond 2 10.57x
Rotherhithe 2 5.84x
St Mary Le Strand 2 227.27x
St Marylebone London 2 1.35x
Stoke Newington London 2 9.27x
Sunninghill 2 69.44x
West Ham 2 1.66x
Caterham 1 16.75x
Clayton 1 56.82x
Edmonton 1 4.48x
Epsom 1 15.20x
Frant 1 30.21x
Godalming 1 11.76x
Guildford Holy Trinity 1 38.91x
Heigham 1 4.37x
Leatherhead 1 29.59x
Maidstone 1 3.55x
Newington 1 0.98x
Paddington London 1 0.98x
Petersfield 1 64.10x
Plumstead 1 3.17x
St George In East 1 5.31x
Stoke D Abernon 1 256.41x
Teddington London 1 15.92x
Thames Ditton 1 35.71x
Twineham 1 357.14x
Waltham St Lawrence 1 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 16
James 14
John 12
Thomas 11
Charles 10
George 10
Frederick 6
Arthur 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Alfred 3
Abraham 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
P. 2
Richard 2
Spencer 2
C.A. 1
Danniel 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Harvey 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Sidney 1
Squire 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Stovell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stovell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 284 people were recorded with the Stovell surname. That placed it at #10,100 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stovell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016. That gives Stovell a modern rank of #10,690.

What does the Stovell surname mean?

A locative surname referring to someone from a location named Stovell or Stowell.

What does the Stovell map show?

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