NameCensus.

UK surname

Wassell

Of English origin, meaning "lake stream" or "stream from a lake".

In the 1881 census there were 468 people recorded with the Wassell surname, ranking it #7,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,313, ranked #4,573, up from #7,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Rowley Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Dudley and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wassell is 1,351 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 180.6%.

1881 census count

468

Ranked #7,114

Modern count

1,313

2016, ranked #4,573

Peak year

2011

1,351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wassell had 468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,313 in 2016, ranked #4,573.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 850 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wassell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wassell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wassell 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 294 #7,758
1861 historical 309 #8,207
1881 historical 468 #7,114
1891 historical 564 #6,733
1901 historical 719 #6,142
1911 historical 850 #5,222
1997 modern 1,252 #4,552
1998 modern 1,315 #4,519
1999 modern 1,309 #4,573
2000 modern 1,298 #4,581
2001 modern 1,282 #4,539
2002 modern 1,307 #4,551
2003 modern 1,289 #4,518
2004 modern 1,267 #4,595
2005 modern 1,260 #4,559
2006 modern 1,268 #4,546
2007 modern 1,272 #4,565
2008 modern 1,289 #4,547
2009 modern 1,318 #4,554
2010 modern 1,327 #4,611
2011 modern 1,351 #4,489
2012 modern 1,311 #4,540
2013 modern 1,334 #4,549
2014 modern 1,335 #4,566
2015 modern 1,330 #4,540
2016 modern 1,313 #4,573

Geography

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Where Wassells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Rowley Regis, Oldswinford and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Dudley, Rotherham and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 022 Barnsley
2 Dudley 023 Dudley
3 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
4 Dudley 019 Dudley
5 Telford and Wrekin 006 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wassell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wassell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Wassell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wassell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wassell 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

Wassell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wassell falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wassell 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wassell

The surname Wassell has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name Wasser, which itself comes from the Germanic root word "wass" meaning "robust" or "strong".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Wasselus is listed as holding lands in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the centuries that followed, the name spread across various parts of England, with different regional variations in spelling emerging, such as Wassell, Wassel, and Wassail. The latter variation may have been influenced by the similar-sounding word "wassail", which referred to a traditional English drinking ritual.

Notable bearers of the Wassell surname include Sir John Wassell (c. 1460-1520), a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Tudor period. Another early figure was William Wassell (c. 1490-1560), a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Wassell family established themselves in the village of Baginton, near Coventry, where they owned land and property. Richard Wassell (1621-1694) was a notable member of this branch, serving as the lord of the manor of Baginton.

Moving into the 18th century, we find John Wassell (1732-1804), a merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who played a role in the local community affairs of the county. Another figure from this period was George Wassell (1762-1842), a noted architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the West Midlands region.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the Americas and other parts of the English-speaking world through emigration. However, the roots and earliest recorded instances of the Wassell surname can be traced back to its medieval English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wassell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wassell 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. Staffordshire leads with 148 Wassells recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.58x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 148 9.58x
Hampshire 65 6.93x
Warwickshire 53 4.59x
Worcestershire 47 7.87x
Yorkshire 36 0.79x
Sussex 23 2.98x
Lancashire 20 0.37x
Hertfordshire 16 5.07x
Lanarkshire 16 1.08x
Surrey 15 0.67x
Middlesex 10 0.22x
Kent 7 0.45x
Wiltshire 5 1.24x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.08x
Berkshire 1 0.29x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Derbyshire 1 0.14x
Norfolk 1 0.14x
Northumberland 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 31 Wassells recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.29x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 31 55.29x
Tipton 28 59.21x
Birmingham 26 6.76x
Aston 22 6.93x
Sedgley 22 38.35x
Lye 21 211.27x
Rawmarsh 19 118.60x
Fareham 17 150.84x
Portsea 17 9.25x
Dalziel 13 81.66x
Keymer 13 238.53x
Walsall Foreign 13 16.30x
Codsall 11 500.00x
Great Bolton 11 15.30x
Brighton 10 6.43x
Rowley Regis 10 23.23x
Wollescote 10 207.90x
Streatham 9 26.52x
Aldbury 8 559.44x
Brightside Bierlow 8 9.00x
Cannock 7 25.97x
Paddington London 7 4.16x
Tichborne 7 1346.15x
Southampton St Mary 6 10.17x
Amblecote 5 113.64x
Hatherton 5 746.27x
Ince In Makerfield 5 19.79x
Kinver 5 112.36x
Lambeth 5 1.25x
South Stoneham 5 24.58x
Upperswinford 5 98.81x
West Bromwich 5 5.66x
Bradford On Avon 4 30.89x
Cradley 4 74.07x
Deptford St Paul 4 3.32x
Millbrook 4 16.93x
Rickmansworth 4 46.08x
Sheffield 4 2.77x
Berkhampstead 3 42.31x
Brewood 3 67.42x
Chalfont St Peter 3 131.58x
Dudley 3 4.13x
Govan 3 0.82x
Nether Hallam 3 4.89x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.71x
Edgbaston 2 5.59x
Headbourne Worthy 2 526.32x
Kings Norton 2 3.73x
Lower Mitton 2 38.02x
Soberton 2 116.28x
Aldershot 1 3.18x
Banham 1 55.87x
Bolehall Glascote 1 20.45x
Budbrooke 1 84.75x
Christchurch 1 4.92x
Croydon 1 0.81x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.08x
Erith 1 6.50x
Hammersmith London 1 0.89x
Havercroft Cum Cold 1 128.21x
Ilkeston 1 4.98x
Lancaster 1 3.10x
Leamington Priors 1 3.52x
Macclesfield 1 2.23x
Meon Stoke 1 135.14x
Michelmersh 1 54.95x
Penkridge 1 25.13x
Reading St Giles 1 2.97x
St Mary Kalendar 1 51.28x
St Marylebone London 1 0.41x
Tonbridge 1 1.78x
Tynemouth 1 2.74x
Uxbridge 1 19.12x
Warrington 1 1.55x
Watford 1 4.09x
Wednesbury 1 2.59x
Whiteparish 1 58.14x
Wolverhampton 1 0.84x
Woolwich 1 1.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 24
William 24
John 23
Joseph 21
Thomas 16
George 14
Charles 11
Henry 11
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Albert 7
Richard 6
Samuel 5
David 3
Edward 3
Adam 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Walter 2
Abel 1
Aubrey 1
Bingham 1
Daniell 1
Eli 1
Elisha 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Horaice 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Oliver 1
Phinius 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Victor 1
W. 1

FAQ

Wassell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wassell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 468 people were recorded with the Wassell surname. That placed it at #7,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wassell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,313 in 2016. That gives Wassell a modern rank of #4,573.

What does the Wassell surname mean?

Of English origin, meaning "lake stream" or "stream from a lake".

What does the Wassell map show?

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