UK surname
An English surname derived from a location in Buckinghamshire.
In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Turrill surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 44, ranked #35,224, down from #21,211 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Milton, Little, Oxford City: St Giles and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Turrill is 118 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.0%.
1881 census count
88
Ranked #21,211
Modern count
44
2016, ranked #35,224
Peak year
1911
118 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Turrill surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Turrill surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 92 | #18,050 |
| 1861 | historical | 55 | #27,007 |
| 1881 | historical | 88 | #21,211 |
| 1891 | historical | 94 | #24,820 |
| 1901 | historical | 108 | #21,836 |
| 1911 | historical | 118 | #20,649 |
| 1997 | modern | 46 | #33,077 |
| 1998 | modern | 49 | #33,000 |
| 1999 | modern | 45 | #33,511 |
| 2000 | modern | 41 | #33,889 |
| 2001 | modern | 40 | #33,842 |
| 2002 | modern | 34 | #34,634 |
| 2003 | modern | 41 | #34,113 |
| 2004 | modern | 38 | #34,555 |
| 2005 | modern | 40 | #34,562 |
| 2006 | modern | 37 | #35,074 |
| 2007 | modern | 41 | #34,974 |
| 2008 | modern | 40 | #35,137 |
| 2009 | modern | 41 | #35,221 |
| 2010 | modern | 44 | #35,183 |
| 2011 | modern | 42 | #35,283 |
| 2012 | modern | 44 | #35,164 |
| 2013 | modern | 45 | #35,167 |
| 2014 | modern | 44 | #35,241 |
| 2015 | modern | 42 | #35,322 |
| 2016 | modern | 44 | #35,224 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Milton, Little, Oxford City: St Giles, London parishes, Stadhampton and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milton, Little | Oxfordshire |
| 2 | Oxford City: St Giles | Oxfordshire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 4 | Stadhampton | Berkshire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Turrill surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Turrill, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Turrill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Turrill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Turrill is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Turrill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Turrill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Turrill is of English origin, derived from the medieval French word "turel," which means a small tower or turret. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwestern England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Turrill can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for the county of Devon, where a John Turel is listed. The Turrill surname also appears in various historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries in the neighboring county of Cornwall.
In the early 16th century, the Turrill family established themselves in the village of Rame, near Plymouth in Cornwall. This area was once known as "Turrill's Downe," suggesting the family's longstanding presence and influence in the region.
A notable early bearer of the Turrill surname was Thomas Turrill, a prominent merchant and shipowner who lived in Plymouth in the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the city's maritime trade and was involved in voyages to the West Indies and the Americas.
Another historical figure was Sir John Turrill, born in 1632 in Rame, Cornwall. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of West Looe in 1685 and was knighted by King James II in recognition of his service and loyalty to the Crown.
In the 18th century, the Turrill family had a strong presence in the county of Somerset. John Turrill (1705-1785), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from the village of Chew Magna, left a significant endowment to support education and the poor in the area.
Further north, in the county of Gloucestershire, William Turrill (1770-1845) was a notable figure. He was a successful banker and served as the Mayor of Gloucester in 1825.
While the Turrill surname is not as widespread as some other English names, it has left its mark on various regions of the country throughout history, particularly in the southwest and the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Turrill surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Oxfordshire leads with 56 Turrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 105.66x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Oxfordshire | 56 | 105.66x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 0.93x |
| Sussex | 7 | 4.84x |
| Suffolk | 5 | 4.78x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 2.19x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.72x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.24x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.55x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 1.93x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.86x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.35x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gt Milton in Oxfordshire leads with 23 Turrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 12777.78x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gt Milton | 23 | 12777.78x |
| Oxford St Giles | 14 | 553.36x |
| Garsington | 8 | 4444.44x |
| Oxford St Ebbe | 6 | 384.62x |
| Stadhampton | 5 | 4545.45x |
| Beccles | 4 | 238.10x |
| Kingston By Sea | 4 | 1739.13x |
| Kensington London | 3 | 6.29x |
| Brighton | 2 | 6.85x |
| Grantham | 2 | 111.73x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 2.67x |
| St Martin In Fields | 2 | 38.91x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.36x |
| Beeston | 1 | 75.19x |
| Eastbourne | 1 | 15.02x |
| Hardmead | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Leeds | 1 | 2.08x |
| Lowestoft | 1 | 20.24x |
| Middlesbrough | 1 | 9.03x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 3.17x |
| Sandhurst | 1 | 80.00x |
| Shrewsbury St Chad | 1 | 38.46x |
| St Nicholas Lincoln | 1 | 76.34x |
| Weybridge | 1 | 111.11x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Turrill surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Turrill surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Turrill households.
FAQ
In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Turrill surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 44 in 2016. That gives Turrill a modern rank of #35,224.
An English surname derived from a location in Buckinghamshire.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Turrill bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.