NameCensus.

UK surname

Sabin

An English occupational surname for a sawyer or woodcutter, derived from the Old English "sagin" meaning "sawing."

In the 1881 census there were 710 people recorded with the Sabin surname, ranking it #5,119 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,062, ranked #5,497, down from #5,119 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Swalcliffe and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Cherwell and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sabin is 1,121 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.6%.

1881 census count

710

Ranked #5,119

Modern count

1,062

2016, ranked #5,497

Peak year

1999

1,121 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sabin had 710 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,119 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016, ranked #5,497.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 985 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sabin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sabin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sabin 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 419 #5,808
1861 historical 381 #6,712
1881 historical 710 #5,119
1891 historical 745 #5,342
1901 historical 824 #5,486
1911 historical 985 #4,600
1997 modern 1,065 #5,214
1998 modern 1,108 #5,225
1999 modern 1,121 #5,216
2000 modern 1,103 #5,257
2001 modern 1,074 #5,271
2002 modern 1,099 #5,279
2003 modern 1,082 #5,254
2004 modern 1,074 #5,294
2005 modern 1,053 #5,318
2006 modern 1,037 #5,408
2007 modern 1,035 #5,456
2008 modern 1,033 #5,503
2009 modern 1,080 #5,405
2010 modern 1,098 #5,444
2011 modern 1,094 #5,401
2012 modern 1,059 #5,456
2013 modern 1,065 #5,534
2014 modern 1,086 #5,464
2015 modern 1,069 #5,480
2016 modern 1,062 #5,497

Geography

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Where Sabins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Swalcliffe, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Leamington Priors and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Cherwell, Doncaster and Barnsley. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Swalcliffe Oxfordshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Leamington Priors Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Cherwell 009 Cherwell
3 Doncaster 009 Doncaster
4 Stratford-on-Avon 013 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Barnsley 029 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sabin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sabin

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sabin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sabin 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sabin 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

Sabin is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sabin falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sabin 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 Sabin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sabin

The surname Sabin is believed to have originated in France, where it was derived from the Latin name Sabinus, which means "a Sabine". The Sabines were an ancient Italic people who inhabited the central Apennine region of ancient Italy. The name was likely adopted by early settlers in France with roots or ancestry traced back to the Sabine region.

The earliest known record of the Sabin surname in France dates back to the 12th century. It appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholders commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Sabin was Robert Sabin, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He was later granted lands in Sussex, England, for his service.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Sabin, who lived in the 14th century and was a distinguished knight and landowner in Gloucestershire, England. He was known for his valor and military exploits during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various records in the form of Sabyn or Sabine, reflecting the French influence on the spelling. One prominent figure from this era was John Sabyn, a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, England, who played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce.

During the 16th century, the surname Sabin became more widely adopted across Europe, with notable individuals such as Sir Erasmus Sabin, an English diplomat and courtier who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his diplomatic skills and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties with other European nations.

In the 17th century, the surname Sabin gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of George Sabin, an English poet and playwright. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of English drama and his collaborations with other renowned playwrights of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sabin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sabin 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. Warwickshire leads with 201 Sabins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.56x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 201 11.56x
Northamptonshire 91 14.03x
Middlesex 53 0.77x
Oxfordshire 48 11.27x
Nottinghamshire 39 4.20x
Staffordshire 38 1.63x
Lancashire 34 0.42x
Worcestershire 33 3.66x
Leicestershire 31 4.05x
Yorkshire 31 0.45x
Derbyshire 24 2.22x
Surrey 16 0.48x
Gloucestershire 9 0.67x
Kent 9 0.38x
Hampshire 8 0.57x
Shropshire 8 1.34x
Berkshire 5 0.97x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.14x
Essex 5 0.37x
Sussex 5 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.96x
Hertfordshire 4 0.84x
Cornwall 2 0.26x
Westmorland 2 1.32x
Channel Islands 1 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 53 Sabins recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.14x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 53 9.14x
Leicester St Margaret 30 16.09x
Aston 28 5.85x
Long Buckby 22 366.67x
Leamington Priors 19 44.40x
East Haddon 18 1016.95x
West Bromwich 18 13.51x
Swalcliffe Sibford Gower 17 1666.67x
Oldbury 15 33.85x
Chalcombe 14 1320.75x
Hoyland Nether 13 77.57x
St Pancras London 12 2.16x
Warwick St Nicholas 12 94.12x
Rusholme 10 45.81x
Alfreton 9 27.44x
Long Itchington 9 330.88x
Wardington 9 616.44x
Basford 8 18.67x
Blockley 8 157.17x
Ilmington 8 427.81x
Warwick St Mary 8 52.98x
Bodicote 7 432.10x
Bulwell 7 34.64x
Camberwell 7 1.59x
Cheltenham 7 6.71x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 5.38x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 13.48x
Kenilworth 7 71.43x
Milton 7 198.86x
St George Bloomsbury 7 17.69x
Stretton On Dunsmore 7 440.25x
Worthen 7 110.58x
Annesley 6 171.43x
Culworth 6 545.45x
Doncaster 6 12.02x
Hammersmith London 6 3.53x
Mansfield 6 18.65x
Stapenhill 6 37.34x
Ashton In Makerfield 5 21.46x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.73x
Daventry 5 54.47x
Islington London 5 0.75x
Kimberworth 5 13.18x
Kings Norton 5 6.19x
St Martin In Fields 5 12.11x
Stean 5 5000.00x
Stratford On Avon 5 51.81x
Tottenham 5 4.55x
Upper Boddington 5 704.23x
Wolstanton 5 7.07x
Wood Ditton 5 136.99x
Aspull 4 20.78x
Bermondsey 4 1.95x
Bloxham 4 95.69x
Castle Church 4 28.59x
Church Gresley 4 23.28x
Edgbaston 4 7.42x
Ladbrooke 4 677.97x
Lambeth 4 0.67x
Lewisham 4 3.19x
Neithrop 4 27.95x
North Mimms 4 133.78x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 12.12x
Orpington 4 55.56x
Swalcliffe 4 270.27x
Wellesbourne Mountford 4 240.96x
West Ham 4 1.33x
Findern 3 312.50x
Gorton 3 3.90x
Hackney London 3 0.78x
Hamstall Ridware 3 333.33x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 12.09x
Kilsby 3 212.77x
Kineton 3 120.48x
Lytham 3 24.02x
Marton 3 340.91x
Northampton Priory St 3 7.71x
Snenton 3 8.21x
Stone 3 10.07x
St Luke London 2 1.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 50
John 45
Thomas 27
George 24
James 20
Joseph 15
Arthur 13
Edward 13
Henry 13
Charles 11
Richard 9
Walter 8
Alfred 7
Harry 7
Albert 6
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Edwin 4
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Caleb 2
Chas. 2
Fredk. 2
Howard 2
Sidney 2
Archibald 1
Auther 1
Bertie 1
Brsendo 1
Charls 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
F.H. 1
Fred 1
Fredk.W. 1
Geo. 1
Humphr 1
Jane 1
Jonathan 1
Lionel 1
Luther 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Michl. 1
Peter 1
R.T. 1
Reuben 1

FAQ

Sabin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sabin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 710 people were recorded with the Sabin surname. That placed it at #5,119 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sabin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016. That gives Sabin a modern rank of #5,497.

What does the Sabin surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a sawyer or woodcutter, derived from the Old English "sagin" meaning "sawing."

What does the Sabin map show?

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