NameCensus.

UK surname

Tyrrell

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Tirell," meaning "descendant of Tirell," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 2,197 people recorded with the Tyrrell surname, ranking it #2,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,760, ranked #1,427, up from #2,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Forest of Dean and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tyrrell is 5,028 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 116.7%.

1881 census count

2,197

Ranked #2,019

Modern count

4,760

2016, ranked #1,427

Peak year

1998

5,028 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tyrrell had 2,197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,760 in 2016, ranked #1,427.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,601 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tyrrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tyrrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tyrrell 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 1,234 #2,316
1861 historical 1,202 #2,361
1881 historical 2,197 #2,019
1891 historical 2,574 #1,846
1901 historical 3,340 #1,673
1911 historical 3,601 #1,451
1997 modern 4,810 #1,365
1998 modern 5,028 #1,358
1999 modern 5,028 #1,368
2000 modern 5,010 #1,360
2001 modern 4,923 #1,351
2002 modern 4,980 #1,367
2003 modern 4,839 #1,369
2004 modern 4,783 #1,382
2005 modern 4,641 #1,406
2006 modern 4,592 #1,425
2007 modern 4,595 #1,440
2008 modern 4,614 #1,439
2009 modern 4,751 #1,436
2010 modern 4,867 #1,430
2011 modern 4,836 #1,422
2012 modern 4,754 #1,415
2013 modern 4,828 #1,417
2014 modern 4,865 #1,416
2015 modern 4,806 #1,416
2016 modern 4,760 #1,427

Geography

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Where Tyrrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Forest of Dean, Daventry, Tendring and South Norfolk. 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 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 029 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
3 Daventry 002 Daventry
4 Tendring 002 Tendring
5 South Norfolk 012 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tyrrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tyrrell

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tyrrell is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tyrrell is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Tyrrell

The surname Tyrrell originates from Normandy in northern France. It is derived from the Old French personal name Touri or Turel, which in turn comes from the Germanic name Theodoric, meaning 'ruler of the people'. The name was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest records of the name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Tirel and Turell. It is thought to refer to landowners or tenants in the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.

The Tyrrell family later established themselves as lords of the manor of Beeches in Essex. Sir Walter Tyrrell (c. 1095 – c. 1100) was a Norman nobleman who was implicated in the death of William II (William Rufus), King of England, in a hunting accident in the New Forest in 1100.

Another notable figure was Sir James Tyrrell (c. 1455 – 1502), an English knight who served under King Richard III. He was accused of being involved in the murder of the Princes in the Tower, Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Tyrrell (c. 1594 – 1672) was an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Essex. He was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

During the 17th century, Sir Timothy Tyrrell (1617 – 1701) was an Irish lawyer and landowner who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1689 to 1691.

A more recent example is the English actor Jason Tyrrell (born 1969), best known for his roles in television shows such as EastEnders and Casualty.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tyrrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tyrrell 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. Middlesex leads with 313 Tyrrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 313 1.46x
Surrey 255 2.44x
Norfolk 193 5.84x
Essex 178 4.20x
Lancashire 145 0.57x
Northamptonshire 127 6.28x
Kent 109 1.49x
Suffolk 103 3.94x
Sussex 86 2.37x
Berkshire 83 5.15x
Oxfordshire 75 5.65x
Hampshire 65 1.48x
Leicestershire 49 2.06x
Warwickshire 46 0.85x
Yorkshire 43 0.20x
Gloucestershire 42 1.00x
Buckinghamshire 34 2.62x
Devon 34 0.76x
Lincolnshire 26 0.76x
Cheshire 22 0.46x
Lanarkshire 21 0.30x
Staffordshire 18 0.25x
Cumberland 16 0.86x
Angus 11 0.55x
Midlothian 11 0.38x
Somerset 11 0.32x
Worcestershire 10 0.36x
Cornwall 9 0.37x
Anglesey 8 2.10x
Wiltshire 8 0.42x
Bedfordshire 7 0.63x
Durham 7 0.11x
Hertfordshire 7 0.47x
Northumberland 7 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.22x
Channel Islands 3 0.47x
Derbyshire 3 0.09x
Dorset 3 0.21x
Isle of Man 2 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.29x
Royal Navy 2 0.78x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.23x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 45 Tyrrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 45 3.28x
Lowestoft 40 32.35x
Lambeth 38 2.03x
Thaxted 33 234.38x
Liverpool 32 2.07x
Shoreditch London 32 3.44x
Portsea 29 3.36x
Steventon 27 397.06x
Great Waltham 24 138.89x
Manchester 24 2.09x
St Pancras London 23 1.33x
Brighton 22 3.01x
St Marylebone London 21 1.83x
Hallaton 19 359.85x
West Horsley 19 430.84x
Beccles 18 42.72x
Bromley London 18 3.81x
Great Yarmouth 18 6.58x
Islington London 18 0.86x
Kirkdale 18 4.20x
Hackney London 17 1.41x
Sulgrave 17 502.96x
Bow London 16 5.85x
Hanging Houghton 16 1758.24x
Heigham 16 9.02x
Saffron Walden 16 35.70x
Clapham 15 5.58x
Leicester St Mary 15 7.79x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 15 180.94x
Saxlingham Nethergate 15 382.65x
West Ham 15 1.60x
Westminster St John 15 5.73x
Croydon 14 2.41x
Brixworth 13 150.46x
Long Wittenham 13 314.77x
Checkendon 12 425.53x
Cowbit 12 255.86x
Northampton St Giles 12 15.58x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 12 55.97x
Norwich St Michael At 12 62.60x
St George In East 12 8.21x
Wotton St Mary 12 54.89x
Chelsea London 11 1.70x
Dundee 11 1.48x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 0.95x
Newington 11 1.39x
Oxford St Giles 11 17.37x
Scaldwell 11 436.51x
Tattingstone 11 271.60x
Barcheston 10 746.27x
Bermondsey 10 1.56x
Clifton 10 4.69x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.77x
Finchley 10 12.14x
Halford 10 531.91x
Harwich St Nicholas 10 30.53x
Hastings St Leonards 10 18.78x
Kirtlington 10 189.39x
Loose 10 92.85x
West Bromwich 10 2.41x
Aston 9 0.60x
Barton Hartshorn 9 1097.56x
Braintree 9 23.63x
Dalziel 9 12.04x
Farnham 9 11.05x
Great Chesterford 9 133.93x
Greenwich 9 2.63x
Hastings St Mary In The 9 11.64x
Henstead 9 227.27x
Northampton St Sepulchre 9 8.75x
Oxford St Ebbe 9 23.04x
Reigate Foreign 9 7.94x
Workington 9 8.50x
Charlwood 8 79.76x
Cuckfield 8 21.86x
Gillingham 8 5.29x
Newton Harcourt 8 588.24x
St George Hanover 8 2.85x
West Derby 8 1.07x
Woodford 8 71.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 122
Sarah 79
Elizabeth 77
Annie 45
Jane 43
Alice 41
Ellen 38
Eliza 37
Ann 36
Emily 31
Martha 30
Emma 28
Florence 19
Hannah 18
Edith 17
Kate 16
Clara 15
Charlotte 14
Louisa 13
Maria 13
Ada 12
Fanny 12
Susan 12
Amelia 11
Anne 11
Harriet 11
Harriett 11
Frances 10
Lucy 10
Margaret 10
Matilda 10
Rose 9
Esther 8
Amy 7
Caroline 7
Catherine 7
Sophia 7
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Minnie 6
Anna 5
Helen 5
Lilly 5
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Ruth 4
Betsy 3
Bridget 3
Isabella 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 123
John 116
George 74
James 67
Thomas 63
Charles 53
Walter 48
Henry 43
Joseph 29
Alfred 28
Frederick 28
Samuel 27
Edward 26
Arthur 25
Albert 23
Richard 23
Robert 20
Peter 14
Ernest 13
Harry 12
Herbert 12
Frank 10
Francis 8
Christopher 6
David 6
Edmund 6
Mark 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Joshua 5
Wm. 5
Nathan 4
Patrick 4
Abraham 3
Andrew 3
Chas. 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Robt. 3
Sidney 3
Ellis 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Rice 2
Stanley 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Tyrrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tyrrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,197 people were recorded with the Tyrrell surname. That placed it at #2,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tyrrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,760 in 2016. That gives Tyrrell a modern rank of #1,427.

What does the Tyrrell surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Tirell," meaning "descendant of Tirell," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Tyrrell map show?

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