NameCensus.

UK surname

Threlfall

A topographic surname derived from a location containing a waterfall or thrill (a mountain stream).

In the 1881 census there were 1,360 people recorded with the Threlfall surname, ranking it #3,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,572, ranked #3,944, down from #3,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkham, North Meols and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Fylde and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Threlfall is 1,848 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.6%.

1881 census count

1,360

Ranked #3,012

Modern count

1,572

2016, ranked #3,944

Peak year

1911

1,848 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Threlfall had 1,360 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,572 in 2016, ranked #3,944.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,848 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Threlfall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Threlfall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Threlfall 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 849 #3,203
1861 historical 667 #4,019
1881 historical 1,360 #3,012
1891 historical 1,351 #3,219
1901 historical 1,738 #2,983
1911 historical 1,848 #2,672
1997 modern 1,605 #3,691
1998 modern 1,646 #3,739
1999 modern 1,682 #3,692
2000 modern 1,712 #3,619
2001 modern 1,682 #3,612
2002 modern 1,732 #3,599
2003 modern 1,637 #3,688
2004 modern 1,634 #3,702
2005 modern 1,611 #3,715
2006 modern 1,629 #3,691
2007 modern 1,618 #3,735
2008 modern 1,626 #3,741
2009 modern 1,624 #3,835
2010 modern 1,634 #3,884
2011 modern 1,585 #3,940
2012 modern 1,559 #3,938
2013 modern 1,591 #3,935
2014 modern 1,584 #3,972
2015 modern 1,568 #3,968
2016 modern 1,572 #3,944

Geography

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Where Threlfalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkham, North Meols, Lytham, Preston and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Fylde, Blackpool, Lancaster and Harrogate. 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 Kirkham Lancashire
2 North Meols Lancashire
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
2 Fylde 002 Fylde
3 Blackpool 005 Blackpool
4 Lancaster 020 Lancaster
5 Harrogate 009 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Threlfall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Threlfall

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Threlfall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Threlfall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Threlfall 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

Threlfall is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Threlfall falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Threlfall

The surname THRELFALL is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Threlfall, a township located in the parish of Goosnargh in Lancashire. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "thyrl" meaning a hole or aperture, and "falla" meaning a fell or hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1212, where one Adam de Thurlefal is mentioned. The name also appears in the Lancashire Inquests and Extents of the 13th century as Thurlefalle and Thurlefal. These early variations in spelling were common due to the inconsistent nature of medieval record-keeping.

In the 14th century, the name is recorded as Thurulfhall in the Coucher Book of Whalley Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Lancashire. This suggests a possible connection between the Threlfall family and the abbey or its lands.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Richard de Threlfall, who was born around 1300 and served as a yeoman to the Lord of the Manor of Goosnargh. His descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was Robert Threlfall, born in 1535, who was a prominent landowner and tenant farmer in the Goosnargh area. He played a role in the local administration and served as a juror at the Lancashire assizes.

Another individual of note was John Threlfall (1626-1701), a Quaker preacher and author from Lancashire. He wrote several religious works and played a significant role in the early Quaker movement in the region.

During the English Civil War, a Captain William Threlfall (1620-1679) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in several battles against the Royalists. He later served as a magistrate and held positions of authority in Lancashire.

In the 18th century, Thomas Threlfall (1739-1803) was a notable English clockmaker and watchmaker who established a successful business in London. His timepieces were highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections.

Despite its localized origins, the surname Threlfall eventually spread beyond Lancashire to other parts of England and even to other countries through migration and emigration. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the medieval period in the northwest region of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Threlfall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Threlfall 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. Lancashire leads with 1,231 Threlfalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,231 7.83x
Cheshire 24 0.82x
Westmorland 22 7.56x
Yorkshire 16 0.12x
Cumberland 10 0.88x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.00x
Middlesex 7 0.05x
Lanarkshire 6 0.14x
Northumberland 5 0.25x
Surrey 5 0.08x
Hampshire 4 0.15x
Northamptonshire 4 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.22x
Berkshire 3 0.30x
Shropshire 3 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.18x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 123 Threlfalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.25x.

Place Total Index
Preston 123 29.25x
Blackburn 65 15.54x
Layton With Warbreck 60 104.02x
North Meols 52 33.79x
Farington 35 382.51x
Kirkham 32 153.99x
Barrow In Furness 31 14.50x
Thornton In Fylde 30 87.23x
Chorley 27 30.61x
West Derby 27 5.87x
Clayton Le Moors 26 85.25x
Little Bolton 26 12.86x
Eccleston In Chorley 23 563.73x
Spotland 22 12.59x
Everton 20 3.99x
Liverpool 20 2.09x
Halsall 19 305.96x
Broughton In Salford 18 12.52x
Great Bolton 18 8.65x
Aughton 17 109.18x
Freckleton 17 329.46x
Lancaster 17 18.18x
Hulme 16 4.88x
Over Staveley 16 483.38x
Salford 16 3.46x
Lytham 15 62.50x
Dalton In Furness 14 23.07x
Leyland 14 51.19x
Manchester 14 1.98x
Poulton Le Fylde 14 250.90x
Weeton With Preece 14 721.65x
Ardwick 13 9.17x
Garston 13 28.02x
Habergham Eaves 13 9.05x
Marton 13 124.40x
Toxteth Park 13 2.44x
Maghull 12 184.05x
Poulton Barre 12 67.11x
Altham 11 614.53x
Hapton 11 111.90x
Accrington 10 7.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 4.00x
Liscard 10 18.98x
Scarisbrick 10 54.79x
Greenhalgh With 9 523.26x
Turton 9 34.97x
Aspull 8 21.64x
Downholland 8 368.66x
Much Woolton 8 37.51x
Pendleton In Salford 8 4.27x
Wendover 8 92.70x
Birkdale 7 17.60x
Cleator 7 14.75x
Kirkdale 7 2.65x
Pennington In Ulverston 7 89.51x
Pilling 7 94.85x
Bishop Thornton 6 276.50x
Burnley 6 4.53x
East Broughton 6 133.93x
Govan 6 0.57x
Kendal 6 11.26x
Lathom 6 31.61x
Oldham 6 1.18x
Ulverston 6 13.11x
Atherton 5 8.74x
Blackley 5 18.14x
Blawith 5 694.44x
Chester St Bridget 5 99.80x
Ellel 5 61.65x
Goosnargh 5 98.23x
Lowick 5 285.71x
Mawdesley 5 118.48x
Nateby 5 280.90x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 4.89x
Northowram 5 5.43x
Rainford 5 29.41x
Barnsley 4 2.95x
Lambeth 4 0.35x
Oswaldtwistle 4 7.20x
Peterborough 4 4.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 94
Elizabeth 82
Ann 52
Margaret 52
Jane 44
Alice 41
Ellen 41
Sarah 31
Agnes 18
Martha 16
Nancy 13
Isabella 12
Hannah 10
Annie 9
Emma 8
Frances 8
Eliza 7
Emily 7
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Dorothy 5
Eleanor 5
Esther 5
Harriet 5
Dora 4
Edith 4
Elizth. 3
Gertrude 3
Grace 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Betty 2
Ester 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Helena 2
Jemima 2
Lillian 2
Lilly 2
Margery 2
Margt. 2
Maud 2
May 2
Susannah 2
Bealia 1
Beatrice 1
Dolly 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 109
William 96
Thomas 79
James 68
Henry 31
Joseph 31
Robert 30
Richard 26
George 23
Edward 18
Charles 12
Alexander 8
Arthur 8
Wm. 7
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Albert 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Richd. 3
Thos. 3
Christopher 2
Cuthbert 2
Geoffrey 2
Haworth 2
Herbert 2
Hy. 2
Lawrence 2
Lazarus 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Saml. 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredric 1
Gabriel 1
Harold 1
J.T. 1
Jas. 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Levatus 1
Louis 1
Wm.Hry.J. 1

FAQ

Threlfall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Threlfall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,360 people were recorded with the Threlfall surname. That placed it at #3,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Threlfall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,572 in 2016. That gives Threlfall a modern rank of #3,944.

What does the Threlfall surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from a location containing a waterfall or thrill (a mountain stream).

What does the Threlfall map show?

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