NameCensus.

UK surname

Tanswell

In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Tanswell surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 423, ranked #11,344, up from #12,511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waltham Forest, East Dorset and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tanswell is 454 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.4%.

1881 census count

208

Ranked #12,511

Modern count

423

2016, ranked #11,344

Peak year

2010

454 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tanswell had 208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 423 in 2016, ranked #11,344.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tanswell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tanswell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tanswell 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 142 #15,982
1881 historical 208 #12,511
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 329 #10,927
1911 historical 365 #9,955
1997 modern 430 #10,423
1998 modern 439 #10,602
1999 modern 446 #10,513
2000 modern 435 #10,720
2001 modern 427 #10,673
2002 modern 453 #10,391
2003 modern 439 #10,487
2004 modern 442 #10,459
2005 modern 418 #10,812
2006 modern 418 #10,861
2007 modern 418 #10,976
2008 modern 419 #11,058
2009 modern 438 #10,927
2010 modern 454 #10,833
2011 modern 446 #10,863
2012 modern 430 #11,065
2013 modern 431 #11,231
2014 modern 428 #11,371
2015 modern 416 #11,561
2016 modern 423 #11,344

Geography

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Where Tanswells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, London parishes and Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waltham Forest, East Dorset, Babergh, North Dorset and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waltham Forest 013 Waltham Forest
2 East Dorset 011 East Dorset
3 Babergh 003 Babergh
4 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
5 Kensington and Chelsea 005 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tanswell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tanswell

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Tanswell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tanswell is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tanswell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Tanswell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tanswell 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. Dorset leads with 52 Tanswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.01x.

County Total Index
Dorset 52 40.01x
Wiltshire 39 22.27x
Somerset 30 9.41x
Shropshire 26 15.20x
Staffordshire 11 1.65x
Middlesex 7 0.35x
Northamptonshire 5 2.68x
Surrey 5 0.52x
Worcestershire 5 1.93x
Hampshire 4 0.99x
Kent 4 0.59x
Yorkshire 4 0.20x
Cheshire 3 0.69x
Gloucestershire 3 0.77x
Channel Islands 1 1.70x
Herefordshire 1 1.23x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Knoyle in Wiltshire leads with 20 Tanswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
East Knoyle 20 3333.33x
Shaftesbury St Peter 11 1803.28x
Bedminster 10 33.39x
Tarrant Monckton 10 7142.86x
Maiden Bradley 8 2000.00x
Shrewsbury St Julian 8 189.13x
Sutton Bingham 8 26666.67x
Canford Magna 7 933.33x
Buckhorn Weston 6 1714.29x
Shrewsbury St Mary 6 88.89x
Warminster 6 156.25x
Wolverhampton 6 11.68x
Wrockwardine 6 159.57x
Yeovil 6 92.59x
Battersea 5 6.86x
Blandford Forum 5 195.31x
Daventry 5 190.11x
Dorchester St Peter 5 531.91x
Shrewsbury St Chad 5 83.33x
Stourbridge 5 75.19x
Folkestone 4 30.53x
Holy Trinity 4 8.47x
Awre 3 375.00x
Blymhill 3 882.35x
Islington London 3 1.56x
Rockbourne 3 967.74x
Sedghill 3 2307.69x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 3 447.76x
Sutton Waldron 3 2307.69x
East Coker 2 285.71x
Kensington London 2 1.82x
Runcorn 2 19.84x
St Andrew Holborn 2 29.81x
Winterbourne Dantsey 2 1818.18x
Birmingham 1 0.60x
Burton Upon Trent 1 6.39x
Fontmell Magna 1 200.00x
Hoole 1 60.61x
Kewstoke 1 200.00x
Ledbury 1 35.84x
Longfleet 1 66.23x
Loughborough 1 10.04x
Openshaw 1 9.09x
Portsea 1 1.26x
St Helier 1 5.24x
Walcot 1 5.89x
Wellington 1 10.41x
Weston Super Mare 1 12.42x
Weston Under Lizard 1 526.32x
Wincanton 1 60.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
George 10
William 10
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Frederick 5
James 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Albert 1
Bryan 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Grifiths 1
Jos. 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Silas 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Willm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Tanswell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tanswell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Tanswell surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tanswell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 423 in 2016. That gives Tanswell a modern rank of #11,344.

What does the Tanswell map show?

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