NameCensus.

UK surname

Worrell

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosure by a spring" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 654 people recorded with the Worrell surname, ranking it #5,473 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,142, ranked #5,164, up from #5,473 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grimstone, Upper and Lower Boddington and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, West Lindsey and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worrell is 1,225 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.6%.

1881 census count

654

Ranked #5,473

Modern count

1,142

2016, ranked #5,164

Peak year

2010

1,225 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worrell had 654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,473 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016, ranked #5,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 654 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Worrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Worrell 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 384 #6,235
1861 historical 401 #6,399
1881 historical 654 #5,473
1891 historical 618 #6,247
1901 historical 649 #6,648
1911 historical 553 #7,252
1997 modern 1,133 #4,945
1998 modern 1,204 #4,864
1999 modern 1,188 #4,976
2000 modern 1,169 #5,015
2001 modern 1,148 #4,996
2002 modern 1,196 #4,918
2003 modern 1,159 #4,948
2004 modern 1,183 #4,868
2005 modern 1,131 #5,015
2006 modern 1,144 #4,957
2007 modern 1,150 #4,985
2008 modern 1,167 #4,949
2009 modern 1,189 #4,971
2010 modern 1,225 #4,955
2011 modern 1,179 #5,062
2012 modern 1,136 #5,147
2013 modern 1,166 #5,116
2014 modern 1,166 #5,147
2015 modern 1,146 #5,174
2016 modern 1,142 #5,164

Geography

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Where Worrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grimstone, Upper and Lower Boddington, St Pancras, London parishes and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Merthyr Tydfil, West Lindsey, East Lindsey and Chiltern. 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 Grimstone Norfolk
2 Upper and Lower Boddington Oxfordshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
2 West Lindsey 007 West Lindsey
3 East Lindsey 004 East Lindsey
4 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
5 Chiltern 002 Chiltern

Forenames

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First names often paired with Worrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Worrell

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Worrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Worrell 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Worrell 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

Worrell 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

Worrell falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Worrell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Worrell

The surname Worrell is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "wor" meaning a marsh or swamp, and "hyll" meaning a hill, potentially indicating that the name's bearers hailed from a hilly area near a wetland.

Early recordings of the name can be found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, which mention a Richard de Worehull. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also reference a John de Worrall in Cheshire.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Worrall, Worrall, Worell, and Worrell, reflecting the flexibility of spelling during that period. One notable bearer of the name was John Worrall (c. 1525-1590), a English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the Marian Persecutions.

The Worrell surname has also been connected to several place names, including Worrell in Staffordshire, Worall in Cheshire, and Worall Hill in Shropshire. These locations likely served as the ancestral homes of various branches of the Worrell family.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name continued to be prominent in various parts of England. Notable individuals bearing the surname include Sir John Worrell (1628-1695), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Callington, and John Worrell (1659-1722), an English merchant and landowner in Barbados.

In the 19th century, the Worrell name gained further recognition with individuals like Benjamin Prentiss Worrell (1838-1912), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, and Frank Vernon Worrell (1876-1957), an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and captained the English national team.

Other noteworthy Worrells throughout history include Sir Henry Worrell (1884-1956), a British naval officer who served in both World Wars, and Deborah Worrell (1941-2009), an American artist and educator known for her contributions to the field of textile arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Worrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worrell 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 121 Worrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.89x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 121 1.89x
Yorkshire 81 1.28x
Lancashire 69 0.91x
Kent 40 1.83x
Surrey 40 1.28x
Northamptonshire 27 4.49x
Staffordshire 26 1.20x
Warwickshire 26 1.61x
Norfolk 23 2.34x
Derbyshire 22 2.20x
Worcestershire 22 2.63x
Hampshire 16 1.22x
Hertfordshire 14 3.17x
Shropshire 14 2.53x
Oxfordshire 13 3.29x
Lincolnshire 12 1.17x
Suffolk 12 1.54x
Essex 11 0.87x
Durham 10 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.16x
Bedfordshire 8 2.41x
Monmouthshire 7 1.51x
Cheshire 6 0.42x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.29x
Sussex 4 0.37x
Berkshire 2 0.42x
Leicestershire 2 0.28x
Northumberland 2 0.21x
Renfrewshire 2 0.40x
Royal Navy 2 2.62x
Somerset 2 0.19x
Devon 1 0.08x
Fife 1 0.26x
Flintshire 1 0.58x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 24 Worrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.66x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 24 4.66x
Lambeth 17 3.05x
Dudley 14 13.78x
Holy Trinity 14 9.18x
Brabourne 13 792.68x
St Marylebone London 13 3.81x
Grimston 11 441.77x
Chesterfield 10 26.62x
Darlaston 10 33.50x
Ealing 10 17.49x
Enfield 10 23.82x
Mile End Old Town 10 9.90x
Watford 10 29.24x
Brightside Bierlow 9 7.24x
Eye Dunsden 9 471.20x
Hardingstone 9 156.52x
Heigham 9 17.04x
Hulme 9 5.68x
Snitterby 9 1500.00x
Camberwell 8 1.96x
Cardington 8 296.30x
Castleton 8 10.55x
Islington London 8 1.29x
Roundhay 8 449.44x
Bedwellty 7 8.57x
Birmingham 7 1.30x
Ince In Makerfield 7 19.81x
Ipswich St Clement 7 35.34x
Long Itchington 7 276.68x
Northampton Priory St 7 19.38x
Nottingham St Peter 7 72.77x
Portsmouth 7 23.18x
Rushall 7 55.07x
Wanstead 7 31.65x
Alverstoke 6 12.64x
Barton In Preston 6 740.74x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.16x
Chiswick 6 17.16x
Church Fenton 6 526.32x
Culcheth 6 120.72x
Darfield 6 103.99x
Ecclesfield 6 12.91x
Furnivals Inn London 6 1621.62x
Kimblesworth 6 235.29x
Newton 6 10.25x
Peterborough 6 13.77x
Wellington 6 19.31x
Bermondsey 5 2.62x
Bury St Edmunds St James 5 24.02x
Derby St Werburgh 5 8.64x
Hutton Wandesley 5 1923.08x
Kempsey 5 157.73x
Liverpool 5 1.08x
Sellinge 5 352.11x
Wednesbury 5 9.26x
Battersea 4 1.70x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.45x
Clifton 4 70.18x
Dawley 4 19.88x
Hackney London 4 1.12x
Kenilworth 4 43.96x
Kensington London 4 1.12x
Kirby Wiske 4 816.33x
Newchurch 4 563.38x
Sheffield 4 1.98x
St George Hanover 4 4.79x
West Ham 4 1.43x
Worth 4 51.09x
Abram 3 51.46x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.81x
Chesham 3 21.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.33x
Farnley In Bramley 3 37.88x
Faversham 3 14.41x
Heage 3 56.60x
Lower Boddington 3 576.92x
Madeley 3 14.80x
Neithrop 3 22.59x
Southam 3 76.53x
Tamworth 3 25.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 41
George 25
Charles 22
Thomas 17
James 16
Joseph 13
Henry 11
Edward 8
Francis 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Jas. 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Leonard 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Elihu 2
Hy. 2
Isaac 2
Sherriff 2
Bens.H. 1
Carl 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Douglas 1
Edgar 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo.Richard 1
Gilbert 1
Gustave 1
Harold 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Margaret 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Noah 1

FAQ

Worrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 654 people were recorded with the Worrell surname. That placed it at #5,473 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016. That gives Worrell a modern rank of #5,164.

What does the Worrell surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosure by a spring" in Old English.

What does the Worrell map show?

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