NameCensus.

UK surname

Tunnell

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a tunnel or underground passageway.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Tunnell surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 208, ranked #19,062, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, Ore and Chobham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Guildford and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tunnell is 282 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.1%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

208

2016, ranked #19,062

Peak year

1911

282 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tunnell had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016, ranked #19,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tunnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tunnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tunnell 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 282 #11,915
1997 modern 246 #15,445
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 251 #15,751
2000 modern 254 #15,578
2001 modern 251 #15,483
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 252 #15,530
2004 modern 249 #15,739
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 236 #16,384
2007 modern 246 #16,086
2008 modern 245 #16,295
2009 modern 248 #16,509
2010 modern 256 #16,523
2011 modern 235 #17,328
2012 modern 218 #18,139
2013 modern 224 #18,080
2014 modern 216 #18,705
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 208 #19,062

Geography

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Where Tunnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, Ore, Chobham, Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury) and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Guildford, Waverley and East Cambridgeshire. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 Ore Sussex
3 Chobham Surrey
4 Wisborough Green (Billingshurst, Sussex), Cranley, Albury (Albury), Alfold, Ewhurst, Shere (Albury) Surrey
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 034 Cornwall
2 Guildford 001 Guildford
3 Guildford 018 Guildford
4 Waverley 013 Waverley
5 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tunnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tunnell

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Tunnell 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

Tunnell 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

Tunnell falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tunnell

The surname Tunnell originated in England during the late Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "tunnelman," which referred to a person who lived or worked near a tunnel or underground passage. The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 13th century, when it was spelled as "Tunnelle" or "Tunnele."

In medieval times, tunnels were often used for mining, transportation, or defensive purposes. The Tunnell surname may have been adopted by individuals who worked as miners, tunnel builders, or lived near such structures. It is also possible that the name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone who resided near a particular tunnel or underground passage in a specific locality.

One of the earliest known references to the Tunnell surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1273, where a person named "John Tunnelle" is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in northern England during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Tunnell," "Tunnel," and "Tunnyll." For instance, a John Tunnyll was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, indicating the surname's presence in the West Midlands region.

Notable individuals with the Tunnell surname throughout history include:

1. Robert Tunnell (c. 1592-1654), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk. 2. John Tunnell (1738-1828), an American Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer who settled in Kentucky. 3. Ebenezer Tunnell (1799-1875), an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Ohio Senate. 4. Garland Tunnell (1915-1999), an American actor and comedian best known for his appearances in films and television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. 5. Emlen Tunnell (1925-1975), an American professional football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history.

The Tunnell surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Tunnell Hill in West Virginia and Tunnell Creek in Ohio, which may have derived their names from early settlers bearing the Tunnell surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tunnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tunnell 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. Surrey leads with 71 Tunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.07x.

County Total Index
Surrey 71 11.07x
Middlesex 33 2.51x
Sussex 14 6.31x
Kent 10 2.23x
Cambridgeshire 3 3.60x
Durham 2 0.51x
Lincolnshire 1 0.48x
Somerset 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Albury in Surrey leads with 11 Tunnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1864.41x.

Place Total Index
Albury 11 1864.41x
Chobham 11 973.45x
Guildford St Mary 9 1139.24x
Cranleigh 8 851.06x
Greenwich 7 33.40x
Islington London 7 5.49x
St Martin In Fields 7 88.83x
St Luke London 6 28.41x
Lambeth 5 4.36x
Merrow 5 1851.85x
Ore 5 303.03x
Richmond 5 55.62x
Hammersmith London 4 12.33x
Kingston On Thames 4 25.96x
Waldron 4 666.67x
Ashford 3 68.65x
Brighton 3 6.70x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 82.42x
St George Hanover 3 17.45x
Bishopwearmouth 2 5.95x
Kensington London 2 2.73x
Leatherhead 2 124.22x
Shere 2 256.41x
Wotton 2 645.16x
Abinger 1 188.68x
Egham 1 25.38x
Finchley 1 19.80x
Great Grimsby 1 7.49x
Guildford Holy Trinity 1 81.97x
Hampstead London 1 4.88x
Hurstpierpoint 1 80.65x
Lamberhurst 1 178.57x
Nutfield 1 208.33x
Shepton Mallet 1 42.02x
Southwark St Saviour 1 14.77x
St George Martyr 1 45.05x
St Marylebone London 1 1.42x
Stoke 1 33.00x
Streatham 1 10.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Mary 5
Fanny 4
Alice 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
(Mrs) 1
A.A. 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Cihlea 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emly 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Philis 1
Priscilla 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 9
Henry 9
William 8
Edward 4
James 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
A.D. 1
Alf. 1
Charlotte 1
Christoford 1
Edmund 1
F.H. 1
Fdck. 1
Herbert 1
John 1
Joseph 1
T. 1
Thomas 1
W. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Tunnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tunnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Tunnell surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tunnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016. That gives Tunnell a modern rank of #19,062.

What does the Tunnell surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a tunnel or underground passageway.

What does the Tunnell map show?

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