NameCensus.

UK surname

Sabine

A surname derived from the name of the Sabine people of ancient Italy.

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Sabine surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 365, ranked #12,721, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, South Derbyshire and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sabine is 399 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.4%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

365

2016, ranked #12,721

Peak year

1999

399 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sabine had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 365 in 2016, ranked #12,721.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 387 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sabine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sabine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sabine 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 270 #12,027
1901 historical 312 #11,339
1911 historical 387 #9,511
1997 modern 379 #11,447
1998 modern 393 #11,495
1999 modern 399 #11,463
2000 modern 394 #11,520
2001 modern 386 #11,509
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 375 #11,808
2004 modern 371 #11,914
2005 modern 364 #12,008
2006 modern 352 #12,396
2007 modern 346 #12,689
2008 modern 336 #13,095
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 356 #13,071
2011 modern 359 #12,856
2012 modern 356 #12,784
2013 modern 372 #12,570
2014 modern 381 #12,426
2015 modern 371 #12,567
2016 modern 365 #12,721

Geography

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Where Sabines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, London parishes, Lambeth, Church Gresley and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, South Derbyshire, Croydon and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Church Gresley Staffordshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
2 South Derbyshire 005 South Derbyshire
3 Croydon 030 Croydon
4 Croydon 032 Croydon
5 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sabine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sabine

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sabine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sabine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sabine is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Sabine 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

Sabine 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 Sabine 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 Sabine, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sabine

The surname SABINE is of English origin, deriving from the Latin word 'Sabinus' meaning 'person from Sabine'. The Sabines were an ancient Italic people who lived in the central Apennine region of ancient Italy, near the area that is now modern-day Rome.

The name first appeared in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Norman families settled in various parts of the country. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Sabinus' in Oxfordshire.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings such as Sabin, Sabyn, and eventually SABINE. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Sir John Sabine (c. 1310 - 1385), a prominent English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Sabine (1788 - 1883), an English astronomer and geophysicist who made significant contributions to the study of terrestrial magnetism and the exploration of the Arctic regions. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1818.

The SABINE surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Sabine Farm in Buckinghamshire and Sabine Close in Gloucestershire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers with the SABINE surname.

Sir Thomas Sabine (1588 - 1672) was an English colonist and landowner in Virginia, who played a significant role in the early development of the British colonies in North America.

In literature, one of the most famous individuals with the surname SABINE was the English novelist and playwright Katharine Sabine (1843 - 1924), known for her works exploring social issues and the role of women in Victorian society.

While the SABINE surname is not as common today as some other English surnames, it has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by notable figures in various fields, including military, science, exploration, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sabine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sabine 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 117 Sabines recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.30x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 117 4.30x
Surrey 69 5.20x
Kent 33 3.55x
Warwickshire 11 1.60x
Devon 9 1.59x
Lancashire 8 0.25x
Hampshire 6 1.08x
Sussex 6 1.31x
Derbyshire 5 1.17x
Shropshire 5 2.13x
Yorkshire 5 0.19x
Essex 3 0.56x
Glamorgan 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 20 Sabines recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.58x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 20 7.58x
St Marylebone London 17 11.70x
Newington 14 13.92x
Camberwell 13 7.48x
Willesden 13 50.68x
Lambeth 12 5.06x
Chelsea London 9 10.97x
Erith 9 98.36x
Hackington St Stephen 9 1500.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 16.43x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 11.33x
Barford 8 1194.03x
Battersea 8 7.99x
Kensington London 8 5.29x
Mile End Old Town 8 18.62x
Deptford St Paul 7 9.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 16.04x
Rotherhithe 7 20.81x
Teddington London 7 113.45x
Brighton 5 5.40x
Oswestry Town 5 66.40x
Church Gresley 4 59.00x
Clerkenwell London 4 6.23x
Hammersmith London 4 5.97x
Hornsey 4 11.62x
Sopley 4 519.48x
St Clement Eastcheap 4 5000.00x
St George Hanover 4 11.26x
St Giles In Fields 4 42.60x
Aston 3 1.59x
Cleckheaton 3 30.21x
Hampton Wick London 3 150.75x
Lewisham 3 6.06x
Paddington London 3 3.00x
West Ham 3 2.53x
Leeds 2 1.31x
Southwark St John 2 24.04x
Tormoham 2 8.34x
Basingstoke 1 15.58x
Bromley 1 7.07x
Canterbury St Margaret 1 200.00x
Canterbury St Mary 1 16.05x
Caterham 1 17.06x
Clapham 1 2.94x
Eastbourne 1 4.74x
Godalming 1 11.98x
Greenwich 1 2.31x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 10.76x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.88x
Penarth 1 21.60x
Portsea 1 0.91x
Shoreditch London 1 0.85x
St Ann St Agnes 1 2000.00x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.72x
Streatham 1 4.95x
Walton On Trent 1 243.90x
Westminster St 1 9.97x
Westminster St James 1 3.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 11
Emma 8
Eliza 7
Emily 7
Mary 7
Alice 6
Hannah 6
Ann 5
Annie 5
Ellen 4
Lucy 4
Edith 3
Jane 3
Maud 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Lois 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Blanch 1
Charity 1
Fanette 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriott 1
Henrietta 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kattie 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lucretia 1
M.A. 1
Mable 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marion 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sabine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sabine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Sabine surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sabine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 365 in 2016. That gives Sabine a modern rank of #12,721.

What does the Sabine surname mean?

A surname derived from the name of the Sabine people of ancient Italy.

What does the Sabine map show?

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