NameCensus.

UK surname

Udell

A locational surname originating from a place name near Paris, France.

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Udell surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 208, ranked #19,062, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Temple Grafton and Arden and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, East Dorset and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Udell is 221 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.1%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

208

2016, ranked #19,062

Peak year

2013

221 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Udell had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 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 198 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Udell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Udell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Udell 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 164 #17,144
1911 historical 198 #15,058
1997 modern 192 #18,103
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 197 #18,400
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 185 #18,999
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 195 #18,564
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 214 #18,825
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 208 #19,062

Geography

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Where Udells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Temple Grafton and Arden, Willesden, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, East Dorset, North Dorset, Salford and Wiltshire. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Temple Grafton and Arden Warwickshire
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace Shropshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
2 East Dorset 010 East Dorset
3 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
4 Salford 005 Salford
5 Wiltshire 031 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Udell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Udell

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Udell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Udell is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Udell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Udell

The surname UDELL is believed to have originated in England, with early records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ud" meaning wood or forest, and "dell" meaning a valley or hollow, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a wooded valley or forest clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Robert de Udel". This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the surname UDELL appeared in various forms, including "Udal", "Udell", and "Udelle", in records from counties such as Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. This suggests that the name was concentrated in the eastern regions of England during this period.

The UDELL surname is also linked to several place names, such as Udell in Northamptonshire and Udal in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its geographic associations.

Notable individuals bearing the UDELL surname throughout history include:

1. Sir William Udell (c. 1390-1462), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in the 15th century.

2. John Udall (1560-1592), an English Puritan minister and playwright, known for his controversial religious views and his play "Ralph Roister Doister".

3. Mary Udell (1627-1704), an early settler in colonial New England and one of the accused during the Salem Witch Trials.

4. James Udell (1749-1825), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a captain in the Royal Navy.

5. William Udell (1826-1901), an American politician and businessman who served as the mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania, in the late 19th century.

While the UDELL surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Udell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Udell 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. Somerset leads with 31 Udells recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.52x.

County Total Index
Somerset 31 14.52x
Dorset 19 21.82x
Channel Islands 13 33.07x
Kent 11 2.43x
Middlesex 10 0.75x
Hampshire 9 3.31x
Surrey 9 1.39x
Berkshire 7 7.03x
Monmouthshire 7 7.30x
Lancashire 5 0.32x
Radnorshire 4 37.38x
Aberdeenshire 3 2.44x
Sussex 3 1.34x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Oxfordshire 1 1.22x
Shropshire 1 0.87x
Suffolk 1 0.62x
Warwickshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Frome in Somerset leads with 26 Udells recorded in 1881 and an index of 508.81x.

Place Total Index
Frome 26 508.81x
Wimborne 15 1428.57x
St Peter Port 13 178.82x
Greenwich 11 52.08x
Islington London 9 7.00x
Lambeth 6 5.19x
New Windsor 6 179.10x
Southampton St Mary 5 29.24x
Knighton 4 459.77x
Trevethin 4 44.15x
Camberwell 3 3.54x
Cruden 3 189.87x
Everton 3 5.98x
Poole St James 3 91.74x
Portsea 3 5.63x
Rodden 3 3750.00x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 41.93x
Rumworth 2 88.89x
Shire Newton 2 571.43x
Aberystruth 1 11.83x
Aston 1 1.09x
Bray 1 34.13x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 11.52x
Felixstow 1 256.41x
Frampton 1 526.32x
Freshford 1 555.56x
Hastings St Leonards 1 30.40x
Oxford St Giles 1 25.58x
Paddington London 1 2.05x
Portsmouth 1 15.97x
Radstock 1 71.43x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 35.21x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Udell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Udell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Udell surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Udell surname today?

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

What does the Udell surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place name near Paris, France.

What does the Udell map show?

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