UK surname
A locational surname likely derived from a place name in England.
In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Tewell surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #33,498 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Durham St Oswald and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tewell is 131 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 33.3%.
1881 census count
3
Ranked #33,498
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1891
131 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tewell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tewell 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 | 6 | #32,278 |
| 1861 | historical | 101 | #20,955 |
| 1881 | historical | 3 | #33,498 |
| 1891 | historical | 131 | #20,073 |
| 1901 | historical | 9 | #33,154 |
| 1911 | historical | 24 | #30,800 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2002 | modern | 1 | #38,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 2 | #38,775 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 2 | #38,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Durham St Oswald, Lambeth, Ilfracombe and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. 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 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 2 | Durham St Oswald | Durham |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Ilfracombe | Devon |
| 5 | Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy | Essex |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tewell 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 Tewell, 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 Tewell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tewell 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, Tewell 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 Tewell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tewell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tewell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name like Tewkesbury or Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, which means "Tew's settlement" or "Tew's fortified place" from the Old English personal name Tew and the word "burh" meaning a fortified place.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tewell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1197, where a Robert de Teukesbyr is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become established as a locational surname by the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, a Roger de Teukesbury is listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221. This provides further evidence of the surname's early roots in the county of Gloucestershire.
The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a William de Teukesbury in Oxfordshire, indicating that the surname had spread beyond its original locale by this time.
A notable figure bearing the surname Tewell was John Tewell, a 14th-century English cleric who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire from 1349 to 1361.
Another early bearer of the name was Thomas Tewell, a 15th-century landowner and yeoman from Gloucestershire, who is mentioned in various tax records and land transactions from the period.
In the 16th century, the surname appears in various parish records across England, with spellings such as Tewkesbury, Tuksbury, and Tewksbury, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common at the time.
One notable individual from this period was William Tewell, a merchant and alderman of the City of London, who is recorded as having lived from around 1520 to 1585.
As the surname spread across England over the centuries, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to various parts of the world through migration and colonization.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tewell 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. Lincolnshire leads with 2 Tewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.83x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 42.83x |
| Essex | 1 | 17.33x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wrawby in Lincolnshire leads with 2 Tewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 20000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wrawby | 2 | 20000.00x |
| Chipping Ongar | 1 | 10000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tewell 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 Tewell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| James | 1 |
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 Tewell households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Domestic | 1 |
| Mail Coach Contractor (Cab Owner) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Tewell surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Tewell a modern rank of #38,825.
A locational surname likely derived from a place name in England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tewell 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.