NameCensus.

UK surname

Sabiston

A surname derived from an occupational name for a maker of sabots or wooden shoes.

In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Sabiston surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, down from #15,838 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rousay and Egilsay, South Ronaldsay and Burray and Evie and Rendall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Mainland, West Kirkwall and East Kirkwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sabiston is 179 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.5%.

1881 census count

145

Ranked #15,838

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

1891

179 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sabiston had 145 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,838 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sabiston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sabiston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sabiston 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 145 #15,838
1891 historical 179 #16,198
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 20 #31,288
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Sabistons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rousay and Egilsay, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Evie and Rendall, Stromness and Birsay and Harray. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Mainland, West Kirkwall, East Kirkwall, North Tyneside and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Rousay and Egilsay Orkney
2 South Ronaldsay and Burray Orkney
3 Evie and Rendall Orkney
4 Stromness Orkney
5 Birsay and Harray Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Mainland Orkney Islands
2 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
3 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands
4 North Tyneside 010 North Tyneside
5 Redcar and Cleveland 001 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sabiston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sabiston

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

Spacious Rural Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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, Sabiston 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

Sabiston 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

Sabiston 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 Sabiston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sabiston

The surname Sabiston originates from Scotland, where it first appeared in the early 16th century. It is derived from the Old English words "sæbæt" and "stan," which together mean "stone dwelling place by the sea." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided in a coastal area near the sea.

The Sabiston name can be traced back to the Lowlands region of Scotland, particularly the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. In the early 1500s, records show variations of the spelling, such as "Sabaston" and "Sabastoun," which eventually evolved into the modern form of "Sabiston."

One of the earliest known references to the Sabiston name can be found in the "Exchequer Rolls of Scotland" from 1535, which mentions a "John Sabiston" who was a landowner in the parish of Kilwinning, Ayrshire. This document provides valuable insight into the historical presence of the Sabiston family in Scotland during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Sabiston name appears in various Scottish parish records and legal documents. A notable individual from this era was James Sabiston, born in 1625 in Renfrewshire, who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland and was known for his scholarly works on theology.

The 18th century saw the Sabiston family continue to establish itself in Scotland, with several members achieving prominence in various fields. One such individual was Robert Sabiston (1720-1799), a successful merchant and landowner in Ayrshire, who played a significant role in the local community.

As the Sabiston name spread throughout Scotland and beyond, it gained recognition in different spheres. In the 19th century, John Sabiston (1817-1892), a Scottish-born engineer and inventor, made notable contributions to the development of early steam engines and agricultural machinery.

Another prominent figure with the Sabiston surname was Sir William Sabiston (1845-1921), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He amassed a considerable fortune through his successful textile manufacturing company and was known for his generous support of educational and charitable causes in Scotland.

While the Sabiston name has its roots firmly planted in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as Scottish immigrants sought new opportunities in these regions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sabiston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sabiston 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. Orkney leads with 107 Sabistons recorded in 1881 and an index of 687.66x.

County Total Index
Orkney 107 687.66x
Lancashire 10 0.60x
Aberdeenshire 9 6.87x
Kent 9 1.87x
Angus 4 3.05x
Northumberland 4 1.90x
Inverness-shire 1 2.37x
Midlothian 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. Walls Flotta in Orkney leads with 35 Sabistons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4794.52x.

Place Total Index
Walls Flotta 35 4794.52x
Sandwick 25 4310.34x
Rousay Egilshay 14 2592.59x
Birsay Harray 12 1061.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 32.91x
Gravesend 9 220.05x
Liverpool 9 8.83x
South Ronaldshay 8 496.89x
Stromness 8 683.76x
Dundee 4 8.18x
Tynemouth 4 35.49x
Kirkwall St Ola 2 85.84x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.31x
Everton 1 1.87x
Evie Rendall 1 151.52x
Firth Stenness 1 149.25x
Holm 1 192.31x
Inverness 1 9.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Colina 2
Emily 2
Mary 2
Bella 1
Edith 1
Ethel 1
Jane 1
M.C. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
William 2
Alex. 1
Alexander 1
Colin 1
David 1
H... 1
Herbert 1
Jane 1
Malcolm 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Sabiston households.

FAQ

Sabiston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sabiston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Sabiston surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sabiston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Sabiston a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Sabiston surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupational name for a maker of sabots or wooden shoes.

What does the Sabiston map show?

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