NameCensus.

UK surname

Vogel

A German and Jewish surname derived from the German word for "bird," likely referring to a birdcatcher or seller.

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Vogel surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 569, ranked #9,045, up from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Sefton and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vogel is 575 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 480.6%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

569

2016, ranked #9,045

Peak year

2014

575 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vogel had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016, ranked #9,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 350 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Vogel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vogel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vogel 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 179 #16,198
1901 historical 283 #12,117
1911 historical 350 #10,262
1997 modern 490 #9,435
1998 modern 500 #9,590
1999 modern 501 #9,648
2000 modern 497 #9,675
2001 modern 497 #9,516
2002 modern 519 #9,390
2003 modern 508 #9,379
2004 modern 517 #9,288
2005 modern 511 #9,297
2006 modern 504 #9,432
2007 modern 498 #9,592
2008 modern 496 #9,694
2009 modern 528 #9,453
2010 modern 529 #9,640
2011 modern 527 #9,584
2012 modern 544 #9,245
2013 modern 568 #9,080
2014 modern 575 #9,068
2015 modern 572 #9,036
2016 modern 569 #9,045

Geography

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Where Vogels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Sefton, Croydon and Hackney. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 037 Barnet
2 Sefton 034 Sefton
3 Barnet 014 Barnet
4 Croydon 037 Croydon
5 Hackney 001 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vogel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vogel

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Vogel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Vogel 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Vogel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vogel is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vogel falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vogel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Vogel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Vogel

The surname Vogel is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "vogel," meaning "bird." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname, possibly given to someone who had a bird-like appearance, behavior, or occupation related to birds.

The earliest recorded instances of the Vogel surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony. In the medieval period, the name appeared in various spellings, including Voghel, Vogl, and Fogel.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Vogel surname was Heinrich Vogel, a German cleric and scholar who lived in the late 13th century. He served as the Provost of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Bamberg and was known for his writings on ecclesiastical law.

In the 15th century, the Vogel name was found in several historical records, including the Berne Shilling Book, a tax register from the city of Berne, Switzerland, which listed several individuals with the surname Vogel.

During the 16th century, the Vogel family gained prominence in the town of Nuremberg, where several members were successful merchants and artisans. One notable figure was Georg Vogel, a skilled goldsmith and engraver who lived from 1512 to 1568.

In the 17th century, Johannes Vogel (1589-1663) was a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry. He was also a professor at the University of Hamburg and published several works on mathematics and astronomy.

Another notable bearer of the Vogel surname was Christian Leberecht Vogel (1759-1789), a German writer and poet who was part of the Sturm und Drang literary movement. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Idyllen" (Idylls).

Throughout the centuries, the Vogel surname has been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Vogelsang (meaning "bird's song"), Vogelsberg (meaning "bird's mountain"), and Vogelherd (meaning "bird's hearth").

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vogel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vogel 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 33 Vogels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.45x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 3.45x
Surrey 20 4.29x
Lancashire 16 1.41x
Yorkshire 14 1.48x
Hampshire 4 2.04x
Cheshire 2 0.95x
Fife 2 3.53x
Kent 2 0.61x
Berkshire 1 1.39x
Cornwall 1 0.92x
Lanarkshire 1 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.78x
Sussex 1 0.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 11 Vogels recorded in 1881 and an index of 152.99x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 11 152.99x
Rotherhithe 8 67.74x
Whitechapel London 8 84.93x
Sculcoates 7 46.60x
Batley 6 66.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 31.20x
Kirkdale 5 26.21x
Stretford 5 80.13x
Battersea 4 11.37x
Everton 4 11.07x
Portsea 4 10.42x
St Anne Soho London 3 54.95x
St George In East 3 46.15x
Folkestone 2 31.60x
Hyde 2 32.10x
Kensington London 2 3.76x
Mile End Old Town 2 13.25x
Wemyss 2 83.68x
Barrow In Furness 1 6.48x
Brighton 1 3.08x
Budock 1 123.46x
Fulham London 1 7.22x
Govan 1 1.31x
Hampstead London 1 6.72x
Long Ditton 1 131.58x
Manningham 1 8.57x
Nottingham St Mary 1 3.00x
Old Windsor 1 120.48x
Richmond 1 15.31x
St Dunstan In East 1 1428.57x
St Pancras London 1 1.30x
Withington 1 27.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Mary 2
Matilda 2
Adeline 1
Albertiana 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Borene 1
Catherine 1
Delphine 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eve 1
Fanny 1
G. 1
Gertrude 1
Henrietta 1
Jenie 1
Johanna 1
Johnanne 1
Juliane 1
Katie 1
Lizette 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Magdalena 1
Marie 1
Milly 1
Pricilla 1
Sophei 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Vogel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vogel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Vogel surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vogel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016. That gives Vogel a modern rank of #9,045.

What does the Vogel surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname derived from the German word for "bird," likely referring to a birdcatcher or seller.

What does the Vogel map show?

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