NameCensus.

UK surname

Trowell

A toponymic surname derived from the town name Trowell in Nottinghamshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 452 people recorded with the Trowell surname, ranking it #7,304 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 525, ranked #9,654, down from #7,304 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, Cotswold and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Trowell is 644 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.2%.

1881 census count

452

Ranked #7,304

Modern count

525

2016, ranked #9,654

Peak year

1901

644 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Trowell had 452 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,304 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016, ranked #9,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 644 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Trowell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Trowell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Trowell 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 201 #10,364
1861 historical 235 #10,427
1881 historical 452 #7,304
1891 historical 554 #6,841
1901 historical 644 #6,684
1911 historical 633 #6,564
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 607 #8,318
1999 modern 619 #8,272
2000 modern 621 #8,225
2001 modern 604 #8,260
2002 modern 575 #8,685
2003 modern 552 #8,814
2004 modern 545 #8,919
2005 modern 529 #9,066
2006 modern 530 #9,074
2007 modern 518 #9,316
2008 modern 511 #9,485
2009 modern 551 #9,155
2010 modern 568 #9,134
2011 modern 553 #9,228
2012 modern 561 #9,045
2013 modern 542 #9,446
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 526 #9,654
2016 modern 525 #9,654

Geography

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Where Trowells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Peterborough St John the Baptist. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maidstone, Cotswold and Medway. 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 Minster Kent
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
2 Cotswold 011 Cotswold
3 Medway 024 Medway
4 Medway 028 Medway
5 Maidstone 009 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Trowell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Trowell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Trowell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Trowell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Trowell 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

Trowell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Trowell falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Trowell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Trowell

The surname TROWELL is of English origin and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is believed to have originated from a place name, Trouell or Trowel, located in the county of Derbyshire. The name is derived from the Old English words 'trog' meaning a trough or hollow, and 'well' referring to a spring or stream, indicating that the original settlement was situated near a hollow with a water source.

Early records show variations in the spelling of the name, including Trouell, Trowale, and Trowelle. The name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire from 1273, where it is recorded as Trowell. This suggests that the surname was already established by the late 13th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Trouell, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1230. Another notable example is John de Trowale, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1327.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname TROWELL. However, it does mention the village of "Trohvelle" in Derbyshire, which is likely the original place name that gave rise to the surname.

In the 16th century, the surname TROWELL appears in various records, including the Parish Registers of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. One notable bearer was Richard Trowell (1565-1635), an English clergyman who served as Rector of Weston-on-Trent in Derbyshire.

During the 17th century, the name was also found in other parts of England, such as Norfolk and Suffolk. A prominent individual with this surname was John Trowell (1628-1682), a nonconformist minister and author from Nottinghamshire.

In the 18th century, the TROWELL name gained some prominence in the literary world. Samuel Trowell (1703-1784) was an English poet and schoolmaster, best known for his work "The Student, or, The Oxonian and Cantab Miscellany."

Moving into the 19th century, George Trowell (1808-1889) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and buildings in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Overall, the surname TROWELL has a long and rich history, with its origins deeply rooted in the English countryside of Derbyshire. While it may not have been as widely documented as some other surnames, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Trowell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Trowell 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. Kent leads with 198 Trowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.16x.

County Total Index
Kent 198 13.16x
Yorkshire 60 1.37x
Middlesex 42 0.95x
Northamptonshire 39 9.40x
Derbyshire 30 4.35x
Surrey 25 1.16x
Staffordshire 13 0.87x
Lancashire 11 0.21x
Berkshire 5 1.51x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.79x
Hampshire 5 0.55x
Lincolnshire 4 0.57x
Essex 3 0.34x
Renfrewshire 3 0.88x
Warwickshire 3 0.27x
Sussex 2 0.27x
Cumberland 1 0.26x
Herefordshire 1 0.55x
Royal Navy 1 1.90x
Wiltshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sittingbourne in Kent leads with 20 Trowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.35x.

Place Total Index
Sittingbourne 20 168.35x
Minster In Sheppey 17 68.22x
Loose 16 723.98x
Tonbridge 15 27.64x
Peterborough 14 46.62x
Holy Trinity 13 12.37x
Borden 12 628.27x
Sculcoates 11 15.88x
Holy Trinity St Mary 10 150.38x
Oare 9 1168.83x
Barnes 8 88.01x
Camberwell 8 2.84x
St Mary 8 273.97x
Stockbury 8 851.06x
Boxley 7 303.03x
Chatham 7 16.91x
Milton In Milton 7 109.55x
Paston 7 397.73x
Wigginton 7 555.56x
Ashford 6 40.96x
Breaston 6 491.80x
Deptford St Paul 6 5.17x
Faversham 6 41.81x
Snodland 6 140.52x
St Marylebone London 6 2.55x
Strood 6 69.93x
Alvaston 5 253.81x
Gillingham 5 16.12x
Harrietsham 5 490.20x
High Halden 5 520.83x
Litchurch 5 18.00x
St Giles Cripplegate 5 85.47x
St Sepulchre London 5 77.40x
Thornhaugh 5 1351.35x
Warfield 5 166.11x
Wittering 5 1282.05x
Bow London 4 7.13x
East Ardsley 4 105.82x
Easton 4 266.67x
Eggington 4 645.16x
Hammersmith London 4 3.68x
Kensington London 4 1.63x
Lewisham 4 4.99x
Paddington London 4 2.47x
Portsea 4 2.26x
Sutton 4 80.32x
Sutton Valence 4 233.92x
Thorney 4 129.03x
Toxteth Park 4 2.26x
Bermondsey 3 2.29x
Birmingham 3 0.81x
Burton Upon Trent 3 8.62x
Carnforth 3 104.53x
Inverkip 3 37.27x
Leeds 3 1.22x
Lenham 3 100.00x
Littleover 3 256.41x
Liverpool 3 0.94x
Selling 3 243.90x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.38x
Stamford St George 3 94.64x
Stapenhill 3 29.18x
Thornham 3 306.12x
Wellingborough 3 14.39x
Bexley 2 15.04x
Bobbing 2 281.69x
Chelsfield 2 138.89x
Derby St Peter 2 9.10x
Horninglow 2 28.53x
Prittlewell 2 16.58x
Speldhurst 2 26.11x
St Pancras London 2 0.56x
St Peter Le Poer 2 869.57x
Westminster St James 2 4.41x
Wimbledon 2 8.29x
Woodmansey Cum Beverley 2 243.90x
Barnack 1 113.64x
Halling 1 50.76x
Hollingbourn 1 57.47x
Lambeth 1 0.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 17
Alice 10
Ann 10
Emily 9
Charlotte 8
Jane 8
Annie 7
Martha 7
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Harriett 5
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Amy 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Laura 2
Lillian 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rosina 2
Ruth 2
Susannah 2
Adelade 1
Amey 1
Bertha 1
Elizth 1
Emmaline 1
Jessie 1
Kathleen 1
Letty 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 30
William 26
John 22
Richard 11
Thomas 11
James 9
Charles 8
Frederick 8
Henry 6
Edward 5
Albert 4
Francis 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Maurice 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Clarence 1
Daniell 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk 1
Fredk.G. 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Joel 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Twilley 1

FAQ

Trowell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Trowell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 452 people were recorded with the Trowell surname. That placed it at #7,304 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Trowell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016. That gives Trowell a modern rank of #9,654.

What does the Trowell surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from the town name Trowell in Nottinghamshire, England.

What does the Trowell map show?

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