NameCensus.

UK surname

Vail

Derived from a Middle English topographic term referring to a person who lived in or near a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 324 people recorded with the Vail surname, ranking it #9,214 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 342, ranked #13,398, down from #9,214 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stretham, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Shropshire and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vail is 447 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.6%.

1881 census count

324

Ranked #9,214

Modern count

342

2016, ranked #13,398

Peak year

1901

447 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vail had 324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,214 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016, ranked #13,398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 447 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Vail surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vail surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vail 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 209 #10,066
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 324 #9,214
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 447 #8,746
1911 historical 446 #8,566
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 362 #12,259
1999 modern 338 #12,922
2000 modern 348 #12,614
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 336 #12,992
2003 modern 317 #13,328
2004 modern 325 #13,161
2005 modern 310 #13,518
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 318 #13,604
2009 modern 327 #13,599
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 324 #13,839
2012 modern 318 #13,926
2013 modern 330 #13,777
2014 modern 345 #13,396
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 342 #13,398

Geography

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Where Vails are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stretham, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Ely St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Shropshire, East Cambridgeshire and Isle of Wight. 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 Stretham Cambridgeshire
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
5 Ely St Mary Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 Shropshire 039 Shropshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
4 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight
5 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vail

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vail

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Vail surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Vail household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Vail is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Vail is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vail falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Vail

The surname Vail originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "val," meaning a valley or dale. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in a valley or near a valley region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vail can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land holdings and property in England. The Domesday Book mentions a person named "Radulfus de val," which translates to Ralph from the valley.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "de Val," "de Valle," and "de Vail." These variations likely reflect the changing spellings and pronunciations of the name over time.

The surname Vail is also linked to several place names in England, such as Vale Royal in Cheshire and Vallis in Shropshire. These place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname by families living in or near these areas.

One notable individual with the surname Vail was Sir Harry Vail (1588-1662), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I against the Parliamentarians.

Another significant figure was Benjamin Vail (1773-1844), an American inventor and gunsmith from New Jersey. He is credited with developing the first fully revolving firearm, known as the Vail Revolver, which paved the way for modern revolvers.

Thomas Hubbard Vail (1807-1859) was an American businessman and co-founder of the American Telegraph Company, which played a crucial role in the development of the telegraph system in the United States.

Alfred Vail (1807-1859) was a renowned American machinist and inventor who collaborated with Samuel Morse to develop the Morse code and the electromagnetic telegraph system. He played a vital role in the practical implementation of the telegraph and is considered a pioneer in the field of telecommunications.

Anna Murray Vail (1828-1915) was an American abolitionist and a prominent figure in the Underground Railroad. She was married to Lewis Vail, and their home in Brooklyn served as a safe haven for escaped enslaved individuals seeking freedom in the North.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Vail, demonstrating the rich heritage and significance of this name in various fields and contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vail families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vail 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 104 Vails recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.70x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 104 50.70x
Middlesex 63 1.95x
Surrey 36 2.28x
Essex 24 3.75x
Nottinghamshire 17 3.89x
Gloucestershire 11 1.73x
Yorkshire 11 0.34x
Fife 9 4.69x
Channel Islands 8 8.34x
Devon 8 1.19x
Norfolk 8 1.61x
Lancashire 5 0.13x
Suffolk 5 1.27x
Cumberland 4 1.43x
Northamptonshire 4 1.31x
Glamorgan 2 0.35x
Hampshire 2 0.30x
Angus 1 0.33x
Cornwall 1 0.27x
Hertfordshire 1 0.45x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.56x
Kent 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.43x
Perthshire 1 0.69x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Stirlingshire 1 0.84x
Sussex 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 31 Vails recorded in 1881 and an index of 132.25x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 31 132.25x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 23 256.98x
Clerkenwell London 15 19.62x
West Ham 12 8.50x
St Marythe Great 10 1492.54x
Stretham 10 680.27x
Auchterderran 9 186.72x
Balderton 9 756.30x
Stoke 9 120.81x
Bethnal Green London 8 5.69x
Brandon 8 298.51x
Camberwell 8 3.87x
Sculcoates 8 15.72x
St Andrewthe Great 8 301.89x
St Helier 8 25.61x
St Stephen Coleman 8 930.23x
Tormoham 8 28.05x
Whaddon 8 6666.67x
Battersea 7 5.87x
Hackney London 7 3.86x
Lambeth 6 2.12x
St Luke London 6 11.55x
Landbeach 5 877.19x
Sutton In Ashfield 5 52.80x
Chesterton 4 63.29x
Milton 4 655.74x
Newington 4 3.34x
Peterborough 4 18.14x
Poplar London 4 6.54x
St Giles In Fields 4 35.81x
Wanstead 4 35.71x
Waterbeach 4 239.52x
Whitehaven 4 26.92x
Brightside Bierlow 3 4.77x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 28.46x
Harwich St Nicholas 3 60.73x
Prestbury 3 191.08x
Chelsea London 2 2.05x
Crompton 2 18.28x
Cuckney 2 322.58x
Little Abington 2 689.66x
Mile End Old Town 2 3.91x
Moss Side 2 9.89x
Purleigh 2 210.53x
Swansea Town 2 4.33x
Vange 2 1111.11x
Woolpit 2 173.91x
Aston 1 0.44x
Bedwellty 1 2.42x
Bishop Stortford 1 13.40x
Bluntisham 1 82.64x
Brighton 1 0.91x
Carlton 1 20.08x
Dundee 1 0.89x
Elythe College 1 833.33x
Handsworth 1 3.71x
Isleworth 1 6.94x
Islington London 1 0.32x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.64x
Little Shelford 1 175.44x
Madron Penzance 1 7.50x
Maidstone 1 3.04x
North Benfleet 1 434.78x
Paddington London 1 0.84x
Portsea 1 0.77x
Portsmouth 1 6.54x
Rattray 1 29.59x
Richmond 1 4.52x
Spitalfields London 1 4.11x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 86.21x
St George In East 1 4.54x
St Marylebone London 1 0.58x
Stirling 1 6.64x
Westminster St John 1 2.54x
Wigan 1 1.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 15
Mary 12
Alice 9
Annie 8
Sarah 8
Eliza 6
Louisa 6
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Susan 4
Florence 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Clara 2
Eliz. 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Phibe 2
Rosa 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Catherine 1
Christoph 1
Clarih 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elvinea 1
Emmeline 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Olive 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 20
Edward 14
Joseph 13
George 10
Charles 8
Alfred 7
Henry 7
James 7
Thomas 7
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Fredk. 2
Arthur 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Crain 1
Edwd.M. 1
F. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Patsey 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Shalbert 1
Sidney 1
T. 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Vail surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vail surname in 1881?

In 1881, 324 people were recorded with the Vail surname. That placed it at #9,214 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vail surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016. That gives Vail a modern rank of #13,398.

What does the Vail surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English topographic term referring to a person who lived in or near a valley.

What does the Vail map show?

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