Surname Bagnall - Meaning and Origin

Bagnall: What does the surname Bagnall mean?

The surname Bagnall (sometimes spelled Bagnall, Bagnael, Bagnal, etc.) is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word ‘baegn’ meaning ‘barley’. The last name is believed to have initially referred to an individual who grew or sold barley, with the ‘all’ part of the surname denoting ‘belonging to’. Alternatively, it may have referred to someone who lived by a bagna or enclosure on a hill. There are records of a Roger Bagnall, mentioned in the 1167 Feudal Aids of Yorkshire text as a knight. Later on, the family name was recorded as a branch of the feudal barony of Bagnall, which was located between Lancashire and Cheshire from Norman times.

The name is also found in Scotland, where it may have been a reduced form of the surname Begnal, which was an occupational name for a creature drover, derived from the old Gaelic word ‘begnal’, meaning cattle.

People with the Bagnall surname can today be found all over the world, with the largest concentrations being in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and Canada. The most notable individuals who share the surname include American actor (and former professional wrestler) Paul Bagnall, British poet David Bagnall, Australian-born cricketer Dean Bagnall, and Emily Bagnall, a painter from Scotland.

Bagnall: Where does the name Bagnall come from?

The last name Bagnall can be found in many countries today, but is most common in both Ireland and England. It is a relatively rare name, with a 2020 population of only 1,230 people.

In Ireland, the surname is found mainly in the Ulster province, particularly in the Tyrone and Fermanagh counties. In Scotland, the Bagnall name is rarely encountered.

In England, the surname is mainly found in the North West region, particularly in Cheshire, Northumberland, and to some extent, Lancashire. It is also present in some parts of East Anglia, along the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, and also in the Midlands such as Worcestershire and Shropshire.

The Bagnall name is thought to have originated from the Old English term ‘Bagnaell’, which means ‘bag a man’. As such, it may have originally referred to someone who made or sold bags. The surname was likely brought to the British Isles by the Anglo-Saxons, who invaded Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries.

Today, the last name Bagnall still appears in many countries, but is mainly found in Ireland and England. It is a relatively rare name, suggesting that it has not spread far over the centuries.

Variations of the surname Bagnall

The surname Bagnall has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Bagnell, Bagnill and Bagnol.

The spelling of Bagnall is believed to have been derived from the French poitevin word bagnal, which means a banker. In England, this word was adopted to refer to those who held a job as a money lender. The English translation of this word then became Bagnall.

The surnames Bagnell, Bagnill and Bagnol originate from other spellings of the same French poitevin word. Bagnell is a common spelling simply due to an incorrect pronunciation over time, and Bagnill and Bagnol are two alternate spellings arising from British or monarchy pronunciations.

Other names with similar origins include Bagot, Bevan, Bagley and Bagshaw. Bagot has an unclear origin, but Bevan comes from a Cambro-Norman surname which derived from a Welsh nickname. Bagley is derived from a place-name in Yorkshire and Bagshaw is thought to derive from Old English terms meaning ‘brook’ or ‘enclosure’.

There are of course many different suffixes added to the root Bagnall, like -s, -es, -etts, -ings, etc. These suffixes were added to denote a patronym or patronymic, which could indicate that an ancestor was the son or descent of a person with the Bagnall surname.

Famous people with the name Bagnall

• Shameem Bagnall: Australian actress known for roles in Neighbours, Home & Away, Ja'mie: Private School Girl, and many more.
• Mark Bagnall: British TV presenter and environmental campaigner.
• Stephen Bagnall: British-New Zealand actor best known for his roles in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
• Nina Bagnall: British writer and director, best known for her work on M.I. High, The Tangled Web, and Genie in the House.
• Rachel Bagnall: British digital media executive who previously served as a managing director at The Telegraph Media Group.
• Rob Bagnall: British professional cricketer who has had played at the highest level for over twenty years.
• Dean Bagnall: British football manager who has managed Watford F.C. from 1995 to 1997.
• James Alfred Bagnall: Canadian soldier and Victoria Cross recipient who served in World War II.
• Jack Bagnall: Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda Football Club from 1929 to 1939.
• Charles Bagnall: British architect and planner, known for his work on many residential projects in London.

Other surnames

Bagnal