NameCensus.

UK surname

Tovell

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Tovell surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, up from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity and East Dereham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Waveney and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tovell is 448 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.7%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

1999

448 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tovell had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 336 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tovell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tovell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tovell 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 132 #14,174
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 224 #13,760
1901 historical 232 #13,769
1911 historical 336 #10,563
1997 modern 425 #10,510
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 448 #10,482
2000 modern 426 #10,878
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 420 #11,041
2003 modern 390 #11,467
2004 modern 395 #11,390
2005 modern 368 #11,926
2006 modern 353 #12,363
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 346 #12,813
2009 modern 352 #12,918
2010 modern 362 #12,914
2011 modern 375 #12,438
2012 modern 366 #12,520
2013 modern 365 #12,766
2014 modern 376 #12,553
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Tovells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity, East Dereham and Chelmondiston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, Waveney and Great Yarmouth. 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 Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity Suffolk
4 East Dereham Norfolk
5 Chelmondiston Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 018 Broadland
2 Waveney 011 Waveney
3 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
5 Great Yarmouth 011 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tovell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tovell

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tovell 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

Tovell is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tovell 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 Tovell 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 Tovell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Tovell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tovell 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. Suffolk leads with 55 Tovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.56x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 55 27.56x
Middlesex 29 1.77x
Norfolk 25 9.92x
Essex 20 6.18x
Glamorgan 9 3.15x
Surrey 9 1.13x
Kent 7 1.25x
Northamptonshire 6 3.89x
Cheshire 4 1.11x
Durham 4 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Runham in Norfolk leads with 14 Tovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2800.00x.

Place Total Index
Runham 14 2800.00x
Clerkenwell London 12 31.02x
Woolverstone 11 7857.14x
Bradfield 10 2173.91x
Swansea Town 9 38.48x
Wissett 9 4090.91x
Deptford St Paul 6 13.91x
Paddington London 6 9.96x
Weedon Beck 6 545.45x
Bungay St Mary 5 505.05x
Carlton Colville 5 684.93x
Battersea 4 6.63x
Bramford 4 533.33x
Bungay Holy Trinity 4 392.16x
Cheadle 4 57.89x
Harwich St Nicholas 4 160.00x
Pakefield 4 800.00x
Stockton On Tees 4 17.02x
Thorington 4 6666.67x
Westleton 4 851.06x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 3 1153.85x
Hackney London 3 3.27x
Lambeth 3 2.10x
Mistley 3 344.83x
St Pancras London 3 2.27x
Stockton 3 4285.71x
Bermondsey 2 4.10x
Chelsea London 2 4.05x
Freethorpe 2 909.09x
Kirkley 2 119.76x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 1 243.90x
Beccles 1 31.15x
Bylaugh 1 1666.67x
Colchester St Botolph 1 36.36x
Colchester St Giles 1 31.25x
Fressingfield 1 156.25x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 14.77x
Kensington London 1 1.10x
Limehouse London 1 5.56x
Loddon 1 153.85x
Orpington 1 58.48x
St George Hanover 1 4.68x
Whinburgh 1 769.23x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Tovell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tovell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Tovell surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tovell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Tovell a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Tovell map show?

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