NameCensus.

UK surname

Sackey

Of West African origin, likely derived from the Akan language meaning "male born on Tuesday."

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Sackey surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 391, ranked #12,073, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Oxford and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sackey is 419 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5485.7%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

391

2016, ranked #12,073

Peak year

2010

419 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sackey had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016, ranked #12,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Sackey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sackey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sackey 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 7 #33,435
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 243 #15,993
1999 modern 262 #15,308
2000 modern 269 #14,983
2001 modern 274 #14,576
2002 modern 305 #13,865
2003 modern 316 #13,355
2004 modern 340 #12,707
2005 modern 340 #12,642
2006 modern 365 #12,076
2007 modern 374 #11,974
2008 modern 384 #11,851
2009 modern 396 #11,815
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 404 #11,786
2012 modern 392 #11,898
2013 modern 409 #11,714
2014 modern 406 #11,865
2015 modern 398 #11,949
2016 modern 391 #12,073

Geography

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Where Sackeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southwark, Oxford, Wandsworth and Croydon. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southwark 010 Southwark
2 Oxford 010 Oxford
3 Wandsworth 002 Wandsworth
4 Wandsworth 007 Wandsworth
5 Croydon 011 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sackey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sackey

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Sackey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sackey 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sackey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sackey 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

Sackey falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sackey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Sackey

The surname Sackey is of Ghanaian origin, tracing its roots back to the Akan people of West Africa. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century, during the height of the Ashanti Empire.

The name Sackey is derived from the Akan word "saka," which means "a wanderer" or "a traveler." It was likely given to individuals who had a nomadic lifestyle or traveled frequently for trade or other purposes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sackey can be found in the chronicles of the Ashanti Kingdom, where it is mentioned as a surname belonging to a prominent family of merchants and traders.

In the 17th century, the name Sackey appeared in Dutch trading records, as Dutch merchants and explorers interacted with the Akan people along the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana). This suggests that the name was well-established and widely recognized at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Sackey throughout history include:

1. Nana Sackey I (c. 1650 - 1717), a powerful chief and military leader of the Ashanti Empire, known for his strategic prowess and diplomacy. 2. Kwame Sackey (1892 - 1964), a Ghanaian educator and activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement. 3. Efua Sackey (1914 - 1996), a renowned Ghanaian writer, playwright, and cultural activist, known for her contributions to the preservation of Ghanaian folklore and traditions. 4. Ama Sackey (1926 - 2008), a pioneering Ghanaian politician and the first woman to be appointed as a Cabinet Minister in Ghana. 5. Kwasi Sackey (1950 - present), a Ghanaian-British businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to various charitable organizations and initiatives.

The surname Sackey has also been associated with several place names in Ghana, such as Sakeyekrom and Sakeyetorkor, which may have been named after individuals or families bearing the name.

Over time, the name Sackey has spread beyond Ghana, with individuals of Ghanaian descent carrying the surname in various parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant Ghanaian diaspora communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sackey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sackey 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. Cheshire leads with 3 Sackeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.96x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 3 19.96x
Lancashire 3 3.71x
Ayrshire 1 19.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poulton Cum Seacombe in Cheshire leads with 3 Sackeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1764.71x.

Place Total Index
Poulton Cum Seacombe 3 1764.71x
Atherton 1 344.83x
Ayr 1 416.67x
Bury 1 108.70x
Liverpool 1 20.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Annie 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1
Samuel 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 Sackey households.

FAQ

Sackey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sackey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Sackey surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sackey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016. That gives Sackey a modern rank of #12,073.

What does the Sackey surname mean?

Of West African origin, likely derived from the Akan language meaning "male born on Tuesday."

What does the Sackey map show?

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