UK surname
A surname referring to someone who lived near a small stream or watercourse.
In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Vennell surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #13,930 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vennell is 200 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 62.5%.
1881 census count
176
Ranked #13,930
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1911
200 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Vennell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Vennell surname density by area, 1881 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 | 123 | #14,886 |
| 1861 | historical | 81 | #23,431 |
| 1881 | historical | 176 | #13,930 |
| 1891 | historical | 172 | #16,663 |
| 1901 | historical | 182 | #16,057 |
| 1911 | historical | 200 | #14,960 |
| 1997 | modern | 62 | #31,412 |
| 1998 | modern | 67 | #31,282 |
| 1999 | modern | 69 | #31,223 |
| 2000 | modern | 65 | #31,641 |
| 2001 | modern | 63 | #31,693 |
| 2002 | modern | 61 | #32,286 |
| 2003 | modern | 63 | #32,152 |
| 2004 | modern | 60 | #32,684 |
| 2005 | modern | 56 | #33,264 |
| 2006 | modern | 56 | #33,587 |
| 2007 | modern | 53 | #34,115 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 55 | #34,355 |
| 2010 | modern | 57 | #34,421 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 64 | #34,028 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, St Pancras, Ightham and Brighton. 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 | Trowbridge | Wiltshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Ightham | Kent |
| 5 | Brighton | Sussex |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Vennell 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 Vennell, 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 Vennell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Vennell 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, Vennell 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 Vennell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Vennell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname VENNELL has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'fenn' and 'hyll', meaning 'fen' and 'hill' respectively. This suggests the name likely referred to someone who lived near a hill by a marshy area or fen.
Early records indicate the name was particularly concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, areas known for their fens and marshlands. Variations in spelling were common, with forms like VENELL, VENNALL, and VENEL appearing in historical documents.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert Vennell as a landowner in Lincolnshire. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not explicitly mention the surname, but it does reference several place names that may have influenced its formation, such as Fennel and Venville.
Notable bearers of the VENNELL name throughout history include John Vennell (c. 1470-1545), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of York. Another was William Vennell (1784-1839), an English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Yorkshire.
In the 17th century, a family of VENNELLs settled in the American colonies, with Richard Vennell (1625-1701) establishing a successful farming operation in Massachusetts. His descendants went on to become prominent figures in New England society.
Other individuals of note include Celia Vennell (1856-1918), a British suffragette and activist for women's rights, and Charles Vennell (1879-1955), a New Zealand politician who served as a member of Parliament for over two decades.
Throughout its history, the VENNELL surname has maintained a strong association with its English roots, particularly in the northern counties where it first emerged centuries ago.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vennell 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. Wiltshire leads with 38 Vennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.75x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wiltshire | 38 | 24.75x |
| Kent | 28 | 4.73x |
| Somerset | 28 | 10.02x |
| Middlesex | 17 | 0.98x |
| Sussex | 14 | 4.78x |
| Surrey | 13 | 1.54x |
| Oxfordshire | 12 | 11.19x |
| Gloucestershire | 11 | 3.23x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 1.14x |
| Essex | 2 | 0.58x |
| Royal Navy | 2 | 9.67x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.34x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.77x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.28x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 0.84x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 0.80x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 1.56x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.06x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford On Avon in Wiltshire leads with 30 Vennells recorded in 1881 and an index of 609.76x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Vennell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Mary | 7 |
| Eliza | 6 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Florence | 4 |
| Jane | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Fanny | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Kate | 3 |
| Amy | 2 |
| Ann | 2 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Esther | 2 |
| Julia | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| Maud | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Agness | 1 |
| Alexandra | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Ealoner | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Elina | 1 |
| Flora | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Johanna | 1 |
| Lois | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| Mercy | 1 |
| Polly | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| S.Louisa | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Vennell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 11 |
| Henry | 8 |
| John | 8 |
| Alfred | 4 |
| Albert | 3 |
| Charles | 3 |
| Edward | 3 |
| Frank | 3 |
| George | 3 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Thomas | 3 |
| Walter | 3 |
| Daniel | 2 |
| Edwin | 2 |
| Godfrey | 2 |
| Jonathan | 2 |
| Joseph | 2 |
| C.W. | 1 |
| Chas. | 1 |
| Cornelius | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edmund | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Fredr. | 1 |
| Giles | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Jacob | 1 |
| James | 1 |
| Jesse | 1 |
| Percy | 1 |
| Reginald | 1 |
| Stanley | 1 |
| Stephen | 1 |
| Sydney | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
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 Vennell households.
FAQ
In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Vennell surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Vennell a modern rank of #33,948.
A surname referring to someone who lived near a small stream or watercourse.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Vennell 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.