NameCensus.

UK surname

Yell

An occupational surname referring to a noisy person or town crier.

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Yell surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Walls and Sandness and Sandsting and Aithsting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maldon, East Lindsey and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yell is 178 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.8%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1911

178 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Yell had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Yell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yell 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 151 #12,840
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 150 #18,328
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 178 #16,073
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Yells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Walls and Sandness, Sandsting and Aithsting and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maldon, East Lindsey, Guildford, Richmond upon Thames and Sefton. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Walls and Sandness Shetland
4 Sandsting and Aithsting Shetland
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maldon 003 Maldon
2 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
3 Guildford 003 Guildford
4 Richmond upon Thames 023 Richmond upon Thames
5 Sefton 011 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Yell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Yell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Yell 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

Yell is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yell falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Yell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Yell

The surname Yell has its origins in the British Isles, specifically England and Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is most prevalent in the northeast of Scotland and the north of England. The name Yell is believed to derive from the Old English word "giellan," meaning to call or shout. This etymology alludes to the possibility that the surname was originally a nickname for someone who was known for raising their voice.

In historical records, the name appears in various forms such as Yele and Yeall. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England dates back to the 12th century, where a John Yele is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1187. This early reference indicates that the family has been established in the region for several centuries.

The name Yell also has connections to place names, particularly on the Shetland Islands where the island of Yell exists. This connection to geography may indicate that families bearing the surname either originated from or were influential in these regions.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Yell surname. Alexander Yell, born in 1342, was a prominent figure in the Scottish Highlands and is mentioned in the historical records of the era for his involvement in regional trade. Additionally, Roger Yell, born in 1497, was a well-known merchant in the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, significantly contributing to the local economy.

In the 17th century, Richard Yell, born in 1635, was documented as a landowner and local politician in Northumberland, playing a crucial role in local governance. Moving into the 18th century, James Yell, born in 1721, served as a sea captain, navigating the treacherous waters of the North Sea and contributing to maritime exploration and trade during that period.

In more recent history, William Yell, born in 1843, became a notable figure in the field of engineering, particularly recognized for his work on railway development in Scotland during the late 19th century. His contributions significantly advanced the infrastructure of the region, and his legacy is documented in various engineering journals of the time.

Throughout its history, the Yell surname has been associated with notable figures who have contributed to their communities in varied fields such as commerce, politics, maritime exploration, and engineering. The surname's origins in the British Isles, along with its connection to both language and geography, illustrate a rich and diverse heritage spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Yell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Yell 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. Essex leads with 41 Yells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.68x.

County Total Index
Essex 41 18.68x
Surrey 22 4.06x
Middlesex 12 1.08x
Norfolk 7 4.09x
Cambridgeshire 6 8.52x
Yorkshire 6 0.54x
Durham 5 1.51x
Shetland 5 44.01x
Ayrshire 3 3.61x
Somerset 2 1.12x
Banffshire 1 4.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.52x
Lancashire 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.27x
Sussex 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newington in Surrey leads with 14 Yells recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.09x.

Place Total Index
Newington 14 34.09x
Streatham 8 96.97x
Wanstead 7 182.29x
Paddington London 6 14.68x
Brightlingsea 5 400.00x
Holy Trinity 5 18.87x
Rawreth 5 3846.15x
Walls 5 909.09x
Little Baddow 4 1904.76x
Mistley 4 677.97x
Woodham Walter 4 2000.00x
Seaton Carew 3 447.76x
Shoreditch London 3 6.22x
Stanton All Sts 3 1875.00x
West Walton 3 909.09x
Writtle 3 333.33x
Ardrossan 2 69.44x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 42.64x
Terrington St John 2 769.23x
Walpole St Andrew 2 740.74x
Ardrossan New 1 3333.33x
Bishopwearmouth 1 3.52x
Blackwell 1 625.00x
Cardiff St Mary 1 9.38x
Gamrie 1 38.91x
Great Baddow 1 128.21x
Hanwell 1 50.76x
Harrow 1 58.82x
Lancaster 1 12.74x
Lawford 1 312.50x
Leverington 1 217.39x
Lexden 1 113.64x
Limehouse London 1 8.19x
Little Bromley 1 714.29x
Manningtree 1 277.78x
Newhaven 1 65.79x
Purleigh 1 303.03x
Ramsden Bell House 1 666.67x
Sculcoates 1 5.72x
Upwell 1 192.31x
Walsall Foreign 1 5.16x
Wisbech St Mary 1 123.46x
Witham 1 88.50x
Woodham Ferris 1 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Alice 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Allice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Cilian 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Henrietta 1
Jessie 1
Katie 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
May 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Yell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Yell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Yell surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Yell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Yell a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Yell surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a noisy person or town crier.

What does the Yell map show?

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