NameCensus.

UK surname

Sage

An English occupational surname referring to a wise person or a person who grew or sold sage plants.

In the 1881 census there were 2,659 people recorded with the Sage surname, ranking it #1,669 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,496, ranked #1,939, down from #1,669 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Tendring and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sage is 3,732 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.5%.

1881 census count

2,659

Ranked #1,669

Modern count

3,496

2016, ranked #1,939

Peak year

1999

3,732 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sage had 2,659 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,669 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,496 in 2016, ranked #1,939.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,442 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sage surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sage 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 1,765 #1,636
1861 historical 1,636 #1,745
1881 historical 2,659 #1,669
1891 historical 2,729 #1,734
1901 historical 3,339 #1,674
1911 historical 3,442 #1,522
1997 modern 3,591 #1,804
1998 modern 3,705 #1,819
1999 modern 3,732 #1,818
2000 modern 3,657 #1,850
2001 modern 3,585 #1,842
2002 modern 3,652 #1,856
2003 modern 3,580 #1,842
2004 modern 3,552 #1,859
2005 modern 3,445 #1,891
2006 modern 3,395 #1,914
2007 modern 3,418 #1,918
2008 modern 3,436 #1,930
2009 modern 3,499 #1,944
2010 modern 3,603 #1,932
2011 modern 3,544 #1,940
2012 modern 3,466 #1,947
2013 modern 3,535 #1,948
2014 modern 3,572 #1,937
2015 modern 3,520 #1,938
2016 modern 3,496 #1,939

Geography

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Where Sages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Clifton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Tendring and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 1
5 Clifton Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
2 Tendring 003 Tendring
3 Bath and North East Somerset 020 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Bridgend 006 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sage

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sage

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sage surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sage 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Sage is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sage is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sage falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sage 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sage

The surname "Sage" is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "sage," meaning "wise" or "learned." This name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Sage" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Sage from Norfolk. The name may have been initially bestowed upon a person known for their wisdom, knowledge, or scholarly pursuits.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various medieval records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a John Sage. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Sayge" or "Seige."

The surname "Sage" has connections to several place names in England, such as Sage Cross and Sage Hill in Hertfordshire, which may have influenced the adoption of the name by individuals residing in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname "Sage" throughout history include:

1. John Sage (1652-1711), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. 2. Alain René Lesage (1668-1747), a French novelist and playwright best known for his picaresque novel "Gil Blas." 3. Russell Sage (1816-1906), an American financier and railroad executive who amassed a significant fortune during the Gilded Age. 4. Lorne Sage (1925-2005), a Canadian actor and playwright known for his roles in various television series and films. 5. Angie Sage (born 1952), a British author best known for her fantasy book series "Septimus Heap."

While the surname "Sage" may have evolved from different roots in various regions, its English origins and association with wisdom and learning have endured throughout history, making it a distinctive and recognizable name across generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sage 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 323 Sages recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 323 1.24x
Kent 316 3.57x
Somerset 305 7.30x
Gloucestershire 301 5.91x
Devon 208 3.85x
Suffolk 178 5.63x
Essex 175 3.42x
Surrey 135 1.07x
Yorkshire 119 0.46x
Glamorgan 85 1.88x
Lancashire 74 0.24x
Warwickshire 65 0.99x
Norfolk 61 1.53x
Monmouthshire 34 1.81x
Staffordshire 32 0.37x
Perthshire 27 2.32x
Wiltshire 21 0.91x
Hertfordshire 19 1.06x
Sussex 19 0.43x
Durham 17 0.22x
Lanarkshire 16 0.19x
Brecknockshire 15 2.89x
Hampshire 13 0.24x
Worcestershire 11 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.64x
Leicestershire 9 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.26x
Channel Islands 8 1.04x
Huntingdonshire 7 1.36x
Midlothian 7 0.20x
Berkshire 6 0.31x
Angus 5 0.21x
Dorset 4 0.23x
Cumberland 3 0.13x
Nairnshire 3 3.79x
Northamptonshire 3 0.12x
Northumberland 3 0.08x
Ayrshire 2 0.10x
Cornwall 2 0.07x
Derbyshire 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.65x
Argyllshire 1 0.14x
Caithness 1 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 73 Sages recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.23x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 73 15.23x
Bristol St Paul In 47 34.65x
Colaton Raleigh 44 659.67x
Bedminster 42 10.70x
Kensington London 38 2.63x
Clifton 35 13.60x
Sittingbourne 34 48.61x
Shoreditch London 30 2.67x
West Ham 30 2.65x
Bristol St George 29 12.32x
Timsbury 29 229.07x
Hollingbourn 28 273.70x
Liverpool 28 1.50x
East Bergholt 27 255.68x
Westbury On Trym 25 14.49x
Willesden 24 9.81x
Battersea 23 2.41x
Hackney London 23 1.58x
Wormshill 22 1157.89x
Henham 21 288.07x
Islington London 21 0.83x
Kenninghall 21 191.61x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.77x
Newington 19 1.98x
Calne 18 38.09x
Camberwell 18 1.09x
Aberdare 17 5.48x
Llanwonno 17 10.47x
Bristol St James St Paul 16 9.43x
Langham 16 268.01x
Luppitt 15 279.85x
St George Hanover 15 4.43x
St Marylebone London 15 1.08x
Ystradyfodwg 15 3.78x
Aston 14 0.78x
Minehead 14 88.72x
Plymouth Charles The 14 5.88x
Aberystruth 13 7.86x
Bermondsey 13 1.68x
Chew Stoke 13 210.36x
Coventry St Michael 13 6.18x
Frome 13 13.01x
Mistley 13 94.48x
Paddington London 13 1.36x
Paulton 13 67.96x
Perth West Church 13 23.51x
St Pancras London 13 0.62x
East Budleigh 12 47.13x
Edmonton 12 5.74x
Lambeth 12 0.53x
Quidenham 12 1153.85x
Risca 12 33.93x
Bexley 11 14.05x
Bristol St James In 11 14.69x
Bushley 11 448.98x
Charlton Next Woolwich 11 11.91x
Folkestone 11 6.40x
Ipswich St Clement 11 13.69x
Ipswich St Margaret 11 10.25x
Leeds 11 170.28x
Polstead 11 149.25x
Southwark St Saviour 11 8.25x
Westbury 11 206.77x
Birmingham 10 0.46x
Bulkington 10 70.67x
East Harptree 10 170.65x
Holy Trinity 10 1.62x
Lenham 10 56.59x
Llanelly 10 16.10x
Milton In Gravesend 10 7.53x
Skelton In Guisbrough 10 14.37x
Stockbury 10 181.16x
Stoke By Nayland 10 97.85x
Chawleigh 9 151.01x
Fulham London 9 2.39x
Halifax 9 2.38x
High Littleton 9 130.62x
Publow 9 189.08x
St Albans St Michael 9 45.02x
Wix 9 162.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 151
Elizabeth 92
Sarah 92
Jane 50
Emma 49
Eliza 48
Ellen 45
Ann 41
Emily 41
Annie 39
Alice 32
Harriet 27
Caroline 24
Hannah 24
Martha 22
Charlotte 21
Maria 21
Lucy 20
Louisa 19
Edith 17
Florence 17
Ada 15
Clara 14
Frances 14
Harriett 13
Fanny 12
Kate 12
Amelia 11
Susan 11
Anne 10
Catherine 10
Matilda 10
Rose 10
Amy 9
Agnes 8
Anna 8
Bessie 8
Beatrice 7
Julia 7
Rebecca 7
Selina 7
Susannah 7
Elizth. 6
Gertrude 6
Laura 6
Lydia 6
Margaret 6
Betsy 5
Eva 5
Rosina 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 149
John 107
George 93
James 73
Thomas 73
Charles 71
Henry 62
Alfred 45
Samuel 42
Frederick 38
Robert 30
Arthur 26
Joseph 25
Albert 20
Walter 20
Edward 19
Richard 19
Ernest 15
Edwin 12
Francis 11
Stephen 10
Benjamin 9
David 9
Frank 9
Fredk. 9
Fredrick 9
Wm. 8
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Isaac 7
Geo. 5
Percy 5
Thos. 5
Jacob 4
Jeremiah 4
Jesse 4
Jonah 4
Jonathan 4
Mark 4
Philip 4
Bertie 3
Fred 3
Josiah 3
Oliver 3
Sidney 3
Amos 2
Jonas 2
Michael 2
Moses 2
Nathaniel 2

FAQ

Sage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sage surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,659 people were recorded with the Sage surname. That placed it at #1,669 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,496 in 2016. That gives Sage a modern rank of #1,939.

What does the Sage surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a wise person or a person who grew or sold sage plants.

What does the Sage map show?

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