NameCensus.

UK surname

Sacre

A French surname meaning "sacred" or "blessed", derived from the Latin word "sacratus".

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Sacre surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 263, ranked #16,210, up from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Charton-next-Woolwich and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, North Hertfordshire and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sacre is 274 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 171.1%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

263

2016, ranked #16,210

Peak year

2010

274 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sacre had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016, ranked #16,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sacre surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sacre surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sacre 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 256 #15,436
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 262 #15,034
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 251 #15,563
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 247 #15,763
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 253 #15,776
2008 modern 257 #15,777
2009 modern 267 #15,661
2010 modern 274 #15,705
2011 modern 271 #15,708
2012 modern 251 #16,467
2013 modern 263 #16,232
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 263 #16,210

Geography

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Where Sacres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Charton-next-Woolwich, St Marylebone, Merthyr Dovan, Highlight and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, North Hertfordshire, Bridgend and Dartford. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Charton-next-Woolwich London (South Districts)
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Merthyr Dovan, Highlight Glamorganshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
2 North Hertfordshire 015 North Hertfordshire
3 Bridgend 006 Bridgend
4 Barnsley 005 Barnsley
5 Dartford 010 Dartford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sacre

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sacre

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Sacre surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sacre household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sacre 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

Sacre is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sacre 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 Sacre 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sacre

The surname Sacre originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "sacré," meaning "sacred" or "consecrated." This term was often used to refer to religious or ecclesiastical figures, suggesting that the name may have initially been associated with members of the clergy or individuals who held sacred positions within the church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sacre surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions a landowner named Radulfus Sacre, indicating that the name had already spread to England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Sacre family was particularly prominent in the region of Normandy, France. Several members of the family held positions of significance, such as Guillaume Sacre, who served as a knight and participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under King Richard I of England.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Jean Sacre (c. 1320-1390) was a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Paris. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and was highly regarded for his intellectual contributions.

Another prominent individual with the Sacre surname was Pierre Sacre (1550-1628), a French architect and engineer who is credited with designing several notable buildings and fortifications in Paris and other parts of France during the Renaissance period.

In the 18th century, the Sacre family gained further distinction with the birth of Jacques-Louis Sacre (1718-1793), a French military officer who served in the French Army during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant General and played a crucial role in several battles against the British forces.

It's worth noting that the Sacre surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout France, such as the village of Sacré-Coeur in the Normandy region, which may have influenced the development and spread of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sacre families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sacre 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. Kent leads with 45 Sacres recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.94x.

County Total Index
Kent 45 13.94x
Sussex 19 11.91x
Middlesex 11 1.16x
Surrey 10 2.17x
Lancashire 6 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 3 5.25x
Cheshire 3 1.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 13 Sacres recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.40x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 13 40.40x
Brookland 12 8571.43x
Ashford 7 222.93x
Bermondsey 7 24.86x
Charlton Next Woolwich 6 178.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 28.04x
Clerkenwell London 5 22.39x
Warehorne 5 2941.18x
Broadwater 4 109.29x
Halstead 4 2500.00x
St Marylebone London 4 7.92x
Bowdon 3 361.45x
Lydd 3 434.78x
Staplegate 3 3750.00x
Steeple Claydon 3 1071.43x
Hampstead London 2 13.58x
Lambeth 2 2.42x
Burmarsh 1 1666.67x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 32.05x
Eastbourne 1 13.62x
Folkestone 1 15.97x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 29.41x
Penge 1 16.56x
Walmer 1 71.43x
Wavertree 1 27.86x
Woodchurch 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Margaret 5
Ellen 4
Amy 2
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adeline 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Besse 1
Charlott 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henriette 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Minnie 1
Sara 1
Susanna 1
Sybil 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
William 5
Charles 3
George 3
James 2
Melford 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Augusta 1
Augustus 1
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
John 1
Lionel 1
Mary 1
Patrick 1
Samuel 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Sacre surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sacre surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Sacre surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sacre surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016. That gives Sacre a modern rank of #16,210.

What does the Sacre surname mean?

A French surname meaning "sacred" or "blessed", derived from the Latin word "sacratus".

What does the Sacre map show?

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