NameCensus.

UK surname

Withell

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Withell surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalton, North, Monkwearmouth and Goodmanham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Sefton and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Withell is 148 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.9%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

1901

148 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 1998

Key insights

  • Withell had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Withell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Withell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Withell 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 93 #22,009
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 143 #18,401
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 84 #31,370
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 84 #32,237
2012 modern 86 #32,297
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 90 #32,245
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Withells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalton, North, Monkwearmouth, Goodmanham, Swansea and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Sefton, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Cambridgeshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Dalton, North Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Goodmanham Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Swansea Glamorganshire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 004 Bassetlaw
2 Sefton 025 Sefton
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 017 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 028 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Withell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Withell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Withell, 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 Withell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Withell 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Withell is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Withell is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Withell 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 Withell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Withell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Withell 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. Yorkshire leads with 37 Withells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.54x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 37 3.54x
Glamorgan 23 12.54x
Devon 14 6.38x
Cornwall 9 7.55x
Durham 8 2.55x
Middlesex 6 0.57x
Essex 5 2.40x
Norfolk 2 1.23x
Hampshire 1 0.46x
Midlothian 1 0.71x
Royal Navy 1 7.97x
Surrey 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Goodmanham in Yorkshire leads with 23 Withells recorded in 1881 and an index of 20909.09x.

Place Total Index
Goodmanham 23 20909.09x
Swansea St Thomas 15 815.22x
Antony 8 695.65x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 130.72x
Swansea Town 8 53.19x
Stoke Damerel 7 45.60x
West Ham 5 10.89x
Bromley London 4 17.26x
Eastrington 4 2857.14x
Leeds 4 6.79x
Plymouth Charles The 4 41.41x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 17.76x
Great Yarmouth 2 14.90x
Market Weighton Arras 2 294.12x
Sculcoates 2 12.08x
Brantingham 1 1000.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.76x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 147.06x
Lambeth 1 1.09x
Limehouse London 1 8.65x
Portsmouth 1 20.12x
Royal Navy 1 9.32x
Saltash 1 108.70x
Wapping London 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 4
Emily 3
Anne 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Ida 2
Jane 2
Melinda 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Althea 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Belinda 1
Celia 1
Clarrissa 1
Eliza 1
Elizb. 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Hellana 1
Malind 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
George 7
Thomas 7
Charles 3
John 3
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Jno. 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Israel 1
James 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
Uriah 1
Watson 1

FAQ

Withell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Withell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Withell surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Withell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Withell a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Withell map show?

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