NameCensus.

UK surname

Thirkell

In the 1881 census there were 397 people recorded with the Thirkell surname, ranking it #8,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 594, ranked #8,788, down from #8,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thirkell is 654 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.6%.

1881 census count

397

Ranked #8,010

Modern count

594

2016, ranked #8,788

Peak year

2010

654 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thirkell had 397 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016, ranked #8,788.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 623 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Thirkell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thirkell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thirkell 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 397 #8,010
1891 historical 431 #8,330
1901 historical 548 #7,547
1911 historical 623 #6,640
1997 modern 585 #8,291
1998 modern 613 #8,263
1999 modern 614 #8,314
2000 modern 615 #8,287
2001 modern 607 #8,230
2002 modern 627 #8,187
2003 modern 620 #8,124
2004 modern 626 #8,077
2005 modern 595 #8,323
2006 modern 592 #8,368
2007 modern 607 #8,278
2008 modern 627 #8,131
2009 modern 650 #8,073
2010 modern 654 #8,199
2011 modern 645 #8,202
2012 modern 607 #8,534
2013 modern 607 #8,662
2014 modern 609 #8,704
2015 modern 600 #8,738
2016 modern 594 #8,788

Geography

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Where Thirkells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and North Lincolnshire. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 051 County Durham
2 Tunbridge Wells 014 Tunbridge Wells
3 Maidstone 012 Maidstone
4 County Durham 046 County Durham
5 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thirkell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thirkell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thirkell, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Thirkell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Thirkell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Thirkell 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

Thirkell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thirkell 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 Thirkell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Thirkell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Thirkell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thirkell 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. Durham leads with 158 Thirkells recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.64x.

County Total Index
Durham 158 13.64x
Yorkshire 125 3.24x
Surrey 40 2.11x
Kent 36 2.71x
Lancashire 18 0.39x
Middlesex 11 0.28x
Northumberland 7 1.21x
Cheshire 1 0.12x
Essex 1 0.13x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 26 Thirkells recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.16x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 26 26.16x
Bishop Auckland 19 122.34x
Marske In Guisbrough 17 248.18x
Leeds 13 5.97x
Brenchley 12 252.63x
Southwick 11 100.27x
Evenwood Barony 10 253.81x
Lockwood 10 72.05x
Penge 10 40.23x
Middleton Tyas 9 1232.88x
Monkwearmouth 9 81.23x
Battersea 7 4.89x
Carnforth 7 275.59x
Cranbrook 7 124.56x
Holy Trinity 7 7.55x
Scarborough 7 19.97x
Biddenden 6 329.67x
Brandsby Cum Stearsby 6 1500.00x
Camberwell 6 2.41x
Cranleigh 6 215.83x
Greatham 6 612.24x
Hetton Le Hole 6 40.90x
Hunwick Helmington 6 215.83x
Kirkby Malzeard 6 714.29x
Stockton On Tees 6 10.75x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 58.82x
West Auckland 6 141.84x
Bermondsey 5 4.32x
Churwell 5 190.11x
Coundon Grange 5 196.85x
Croydon 5 4.75x
Everton 5 3.40x
Hunslet 5 8.31x
Shildon 5 53.76x
Stelling 5 1282.05x
Witton Gilbert 5 109.41x
Byker 4 13.97x
Copt Hewick 4 1250.00x
Embleton 4 2666.67x
Gateshead 4 4.61x
Kirby Fleetham 4 540.54x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 17.70x
St George Hanover 4 7.87x
Chatham 3 8.21x
Ecclesfield 3 10.61x
Horton In Bradford 3 4.98x
Long Newton 3 769.23x
Low Coniscliffe 3 1363.64x
Skipton On Swale 3 1578.95x
Walmersley Cum 3 40.65x
Westminster St John 3 6.33x
Westoe 3 4.57x
Whickham 3 28.17x
Barnard Castle 2 34.97x
Darlington 2 4.47x
Easingwold 2 73.53x
Edmondsley 2 161.29x
Hulme 2 2.07x
Linton Upon Ouse 2 500.00x
Longbenton 2 8.15x
Tanfield 2 14.52x
Thornton Le Beans 2 689.66x
Ashford 1 7.73x
Aylesford 1 27.17x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 7.58x
Birkenhead 1 1.46x
Hartlepool 1 6.08x
Kensington London 1 0.46x
Markington Cum 1 161.29x
Middlesbrough 1 1.99x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 3.33x
Ryde 1 5.83x
Sadberge 1 200.00x
Southwark St Olave 1 33.67x
St Anne Soho London 1 4.50x
Stranton 1 2.57x
Sunderland 1 4.89x
West Derby 1 0.74x
West Ham 1 0.59x
Wortley In Wortley 1 65.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 21
Jane 15
Sarah 10
Ann 9
Hannah 8
Margaret 7
Alice 6
Caroline 6
Annie 5
Emma 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Dora 3
Eliz. 3
Harriet 3
Anne 2
Barbara 2
Deborah 2
Dinah 2
Dorothy 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Joana 2
Naomi 2
Rachel 2
Bell 1
Blanche 1
Charoline 1
Christiana 1
Ella 1
Elsie 1
Evelyn 1
Fannie 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Haidac 1
Ida 1
Issabella 1
Janet 1
Leah 1
Letitia 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Margt.J. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 29
Thomas 16
George 13
Edward 10
Joseph 9
Arthur 5
Charles 5
Henry 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Fred 3
James 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Christopher 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wylam 2
Benjamin 1
Claude 1
Donald 1
Edwin 1
Egbert 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Jessie 1
Jno 1
Joeph 1
Jos. 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Sidney 1
Spencer 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Thirkell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thirkell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 397 people were recorded with the Thirkell surname. That placed it at #8,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thirkell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016. That gives Thirkell a modern rank of #8,788.

What does the Thirkell map show?

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