NameCensus.

UK surname

Sagan

An occupational surname denoting a sawmill or lumber worker.

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Sagan surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Bishopbriggs West and Cadder and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sagan is 103 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 910.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

2014

103 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sagan had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 48 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Sagan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sagan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sagan 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 8 #33,289
1911 historical 11 #32,463
1997 modern 18 #36,053
1998 modern 20 #35,885
1999 modern 22 #35,725
2000 modern 17 #36,207
2001 modern 17 #36,053
2002 modern 21 #35,798
2003 modern 22 #35,740
2004 modern 23 #35,786
2005 modern 28 #35,510
2006 modern 47 #34,335
2007 modern 44 #34,760
2008 modern 59 #33,827
2009 modern 65 #33,611
2010 modern 64 #33,946
2011 modern 70 #33,465
2012 modern 80 #32,877
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Sagans 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 Enfield, Bishopbriggs West and Cadder, Sandwell, Kelvingrove and University and Boston. 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 Enfield 036 Enfield
2 Bishopbriggs West and Cadder East Dunbartonshire
3 Sandwell 026 Sandwell
4 Kelvingrove and University Glasgow City
5 Boston 002 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sagan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sagan

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sagan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sagan 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

Sagan falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sagan 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Sagan

The surname SAGAN is believed to have originated in Poland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old Polish word "sagan," which means "soot-covered" or "blackened by smoke." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who worked in a profession that involved exposure to soot or smoke, such as a blacksmith or chimney sweep.

The earliest recorded instance of the SAGAN surname can be found in the Teki Dworzaczka, a collection of Polish court records from the 14th century. One entry mentions a man named "Stanislaw Sagan" who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

In the 15th century, the surname SAGAN appears in the records of the town of Krakow, which was a major center of trade and commerce in medieval Poland. One notable bearer of the name was Jan Sagan, a merchant who lived in Krakow in the late 1400s and was known for his successful business dealings.

The SAGAN surname also has connections to several place names in Poland, such as the village of Sagany in the Silesian region. It is possible that the name originated as a designation for someone who lived near or came from this area.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname SAGAN. One of the most famous was Carl Sagan (1934-1996), an American astronomer, cosmologist, and science communicator who popularized the study of the cosmos through his writings and television appearances. His book "Cosmos" and the accompanying TV series of the same name were hugely influential in sparking public interest in space exploration and scientific inquiry.

Another significant figure was Françoise Sagan (1935-2004), a French novelist and playwright who achieved literary stardom at a young age with her debut novel "Bonjour Tristesse" in 1954. Her works often explored themes of disillusionment and moral ambiguity in modern society.

In the field of mathematics, Mark Sagan (1945-1995) was an American mathematician and computer scientist best known for his contributions to the study of combinatorics and graph theory. His research helped establish connections between these areas and other branches of mathematics.

Historically, the SAGAN surname has also been associated with notable individuals in the military and political spheres. For example, Stanislaw Sagan (1711-1781) was a Polish general and statesman who served as a member of the Permanent Council, a governing body in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Overall, the surname SAGAN has a rich and diverse history, with roots stretching back to medieval Poland and connections to various professions, locations, and notable figures across different fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sagan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sagan 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. Lancashire leads with 3 Sagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3 2.60x
Northumberland 3 20.73x
Ayrshire 2 27.47x
Middlesex 1 1.03x
Suffolk 1 8.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornton In Fylde in Lancashire leads with 3 Sagans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1200.00x.

Place Total Index
Thornton In Fylde 3 1200.00x
Wooler 3 6000.00x
Maybole 2 909.09x
Hackney London 1 18.35x
Lowestoft 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Isabella 2
Mary 2
Jane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
John 1
William 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 Sagan households.

FAQ

Sagan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sagan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Sagan surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sagan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Sagan a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Sagan surname mean?

An occupational surname denoting a sawmill or lumber worker.

What does the Sagan map show?

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