NameCensus.

UK surname

Turnball

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Turnball surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Westminster and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Turnball is 640 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.4%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

1861

640 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Turnball had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 640 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Turnball surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Turnball surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Turnball 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 640 #4,186
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 524 #7,145
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 330 #10,669
1997 modern 84 #29,106
1998 modern 90 #28,920
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 84 #29,706
2001 modern 76 #30,366
2002 modern 76 #30,830
2003 modern 72 #31,281
2004 modern 70 #31,681
2005 modern 72 #31,730
2006 modern 71 #32,147
2007 modern 72 #32,397
2008 modern 80 #31,833
2009 modern 86 #31,612
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Turnballs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Monkwearmouth, Newcastle All Saints and Newcastle St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromley, Westminster, Tunbridge Wells, Vale of White Horse and Kinghorn. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Newcastle St John Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromley 041 Bromley
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 Tunbridge Wells 005 Tunbridge Wells
4 Vale of White Horse 003 Vale of White Horse
5 Kinghorn Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Turnball

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Turnball

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Turnball is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Turnball 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

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

1881 census detail

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Turnball families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Turnball 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. Northumberland leads with 16 Turnballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.98x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 16 11.98x
Lanarkshire 13 4.48x
Durham 8 3.00x
Kent 8 2.61x
Lancashire 7 0.66x
Berwickshire 6 55.20x
Middlesex 6 0.67x
Sussex 5 3.30x
Nairnshire 3 109.49x
Nottinghamshire 3 2.48x
Yorkshire 3 0.34x
Aberdeenshire 2 2.41x
Angus 2 2.41x
Surrey 2 0.46x
Cornwall 1 0.98x
Fife 1 1.88x
Gloucestershire 1 0.57x
Inverness-shire 1 3.73x
Midlothian 1 0.83x
Perthshire 1 2.48x
Roxburghshire 1 6.15x
Warwickshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 12 Turnballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.72x.

Place Total Index
Govan 12 16.72x
Edrom 6 1276.60x
Plumstead 6 58.77x
Tynemouth 6 83.92x
Brighton 5 16.38x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 29.55x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 62.74x
Sherburn 5 617.28x
Nairn 3 180.72x
Romanby 3 2307.69x
Shadforth 3 576.92x
St Marylebone London 3 6.26x
Worksop 3 83.57x
Aberdeen Old Machar 2 11.53x
Dundee 2 6.44x
Eltham 2 111.73x
Everton 2 5.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 28.90x
Acton 1 19.01x
Barony 1 1.36x
Battersea 1 3.03x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 35.34x
Birmingham 1 1.33x
Bristol St Stephen 1 217.39x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.72x
Elswick 1 9.38x
Errol 1 133.33x
Falmouth 1 27.78x
Inverness 1 14.84x
Islington London 1 1.15x
Jesmond 1 53.19x
Kelso 1 61.73x
Lambeth 1 1.28x
Lasswade 1 36.36x
Markinch 1 55.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 4
James 4
William 4
John 3
Fredk. 2
Jas. 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Charles 1
Cutter 1
Edward 1
Jno. 1
Rivers 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Turnball households.

FAQ

Turnball surname: questions and answers

How common was the Turnball surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Turnball surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Turnball surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Turnball a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Turnball map show?

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