NameCensus.

UK surname

Sack

An occupational surname for someone who made or sold sacks, or a nickname for a large, awkward person.

In the 1881 census there were 152 people recorded with the Sack surname, ranking it #15,372 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #15,372 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Waltham Forest and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sack is 342 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.5%.

1881 census count

152

Ranked #15,372

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1911

342 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sack had 152 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,372 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Sack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sack 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 152 #15,372
1891 historical 193 #15,335
1901 historical 165 #17,085
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 123 #24,585
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Sacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, St Pancras, St Marylebone and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brent, Waltham Forest, Camden, Kensington and Chelsea and Mole Valley. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 023 Brent
2 Waltham Forest 007 Waltham Forest
3 Camden 016 Camden
4 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Mole Valley 012 Mole Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sack

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Sack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Sack 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sack is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sack 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

Sack falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sack is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sack

The surname SACK is of English origin, emerging in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "sacc," meaning a sack or bag, which was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with sacks, such as a sack maker or carrier.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname SACK dates back to the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "le Sak" in Cambridgeshire. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word "sacc."

During the 13th century, the surname SACK appeared in various medieval records, including the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279, where a William le Sak is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also list a John le Sak.

In the 14th century, the surname SACK continued to be documented in various records. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John le Sak, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1381 list a Robert Sak.

One notable early bearer of the surname SACK was John Sack, a 15th-century English scholar and theologian born around 1420. He was a member of the University of Oxford and is known for his commentary on the works of Aristotle.

Another prominent individual with the surname SACK was Sir John Sack, a 16th-century English merchant and Member of Parliament. He was born in Walthamstow, Essex, around 1530 and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1593.

In the 17th century, the surname SACK was found in various locations across England. For example, the parish records of Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, mention the baptism of William Sack in 1622, while the registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, record the marriage of John Sack and Mary Baxter in 1668.

Sackville Tufton, the 9th Earl of Thanet, born in 1733, was a notable figure with the surname SACK. He was a British peer and served as the Lord Lieutenant of Kent from 1766 until his death in 1786.

In the 19th century, the surname SACK was found in various parts of the United Kingdom. One notable bearer was John Sack, a British-born American writer and journalist who lived from 1822 to 1894. He is known for his works on American history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sack 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 66 Sacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.48x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 4.48x
Surrey 24 3.34x
Lancashire 21 1.20x
Kent 11 2.19x
Essex 8 2.75x
Suffolk 6 3.34x
Yorkshire 4 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.25x
Somerset 2 0.84x
Devon 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.33x
Hertfordshire 1 0.98x
Lanarkshire 1 0.21x
Leicestershire 1 0.61x
Royal Navy 1 5.70x
Sussex 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 15 Sacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.07x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 15 19.07x
St Pancras London 13 10.96x
Lytham 10 374.53x
Lambeth 9 7.01x
Islington London 8 5.60x
Newington 8 14.70x
Bromley London 7 21.60x
Liverpool 7 6.59x
Ipswich St Mathew 6 119.28x
Lewisham 5 18.66x
Hackney London 4 4.84x
St Anne Soho London 4 47.56x
St George In East 4 39.92x
West Ham 4 6.23x
Greenwich 3 12.79x
Kensington London 3 3.66x
Kingston On Thames 3 17.40x
Aylesbury 2 50.63x
Beddington 2 71.94x
Camberwell 2 2.13x
Gravesend 2 47.06x
Holy Trinity 2 5.70x
Leeds 2 2.43x
Martock 2 129.87x
Paddington London 2 3.69x
Rochford 2 235.29x
St George Hanover 2 10.40x
Alton 1 43.86x
Barony 1 0.83x
Chigwell 1 36.50x
Crediton 1 34.36x
Didsbury 1 43.10x
Great Bowden 1 67.11x
Hornsey 1 5.37x
Kirkdale 1 3.40x
Lancing 1 147.06x
Leyton 1 19.96x
Newington In Milton 1 192.31x
Rickmansworth 1 35.71x
Royal Navy 1 6.67x
Shadwell London 1 24.27x
Tottenham 1 4.26x
Toxteth Park 1 1.69x
Walton On Hill 1 10.56x
Whitechapel London 1 6.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alfred 8
William 7
Charles 6
John 6
Edward 4
Arthur 3
Henry 3
James 3
Augustus 2
Christopher 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Hermann 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Bernard 1
Claud 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Geoffry 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herman 1
Karl 1
Lewis 1
Myer 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Solomon 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Sack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 152 people were recorded with the Sack surname. That placed it at #15,372 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Sack a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Sack surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who made or sold sacks, or a nickname for a large, awkward person.

What does the Sack map show?

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