Ansell
Of Germanic origin, meaning "God's protection" or "follower of the gods".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Ansell. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ansell today is around 88 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ansell births was 1933 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ansell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ansell is about 88 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ansells were born before 1948.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ansell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1933
6 babies that year
Average age
88
years old
1933 SSA rank
#3,289
Tracked since 1933
Popularity
Ansell: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ansell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ansell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ansell
The given name Ansell has its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the combination of two words: "ons" meaning "grace" or "favor" and "ell" signifying "vigor" or "strength." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals with a perceived sense of graceful strength or favored vigor.
In the early Middle Ages, the name held prominence among the Anglo-Saxon populations inhabiting modern-day England. Its spelling variations included Ansell, Ansel, and Ansill, reflecting the fluid nature of written language during that era. The name's earliest recorded instances can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
One notable historical figure bearing the name was Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), a Benedictine monk who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is renowned for his influential philosophical and theological works, particularly his ontological argument for the existence of God.
In the 13th century, Ansell de Gurney (c. 1235-1293) was an English knight and landowner who served as Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. His name is documented in various contemporary records, including the Hundred Rolls and the Inquisitions Post Mortem.
During the Renaissance period, Ansell Radford (c. 1530-1585) was an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral. He played a significant role in the religious debates of the time and was a notable figure within the Church of England.
In the 17th century, Ansell Greaves (c. 1640-1702) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lichfield. He was involved in the legal proceedings surrounding the Popish Plot, a fictitious Catholic conspiracy that fueled anti-Catholic hysteria in England.
Another historical figure was Ansell Bourne (1744-1809), an English philosopher and dissenting minister known for his work on personal identity and the famous case of amnesia he experienced. His writings on consciousness and self-awareness influenced subsequent philosophical discourse.
These examples illustrate the enduring presence of the name Ansell across various historical periods and its association with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including religious leaders, nobility, legal professionals, and philosophers.
People
Ansell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ansell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ansell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ansell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ansell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Ansell a common name?
We classify Ansell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ansell most popular?
The single biggest year for Ansell was 1933, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ansell is about 88 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ansell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ansell a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ansell in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ansell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ansell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ansell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Ansell?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Ansell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.