UK surname
A surname of English origin meaning "identical".
In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Sames surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #24,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, St Pancras and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sames is 119 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.5%.
1881 census count
62
Ranked #24,843
Modern count
89
2016, ranked #32,297
Peak year
1901
119 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sames surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sames surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 38 | #26,502 |
| 1861 | historical | 114 | #19,011 |
| 1881 | historical | 62 | #24,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 112 | #22,291 |
| 1901 | historical | 119 | #20,624 |
| 1911 | historical | 116 | #20,850 |
| 1997 | modern | 95 | #27,638 |
| 1998 | modern | 95 | #28,303 |
| 1999 | modern | 93 | #28,711 |
| 2000 | modern | 94 | #28,573 |
| 2001 | modern | 94 | #28,246 |
| 2002 | modern | 90 | #29,314 |
| 2003 | modern | 91 | #29,121 |
| 2004 | modern | 81 | #30,569 |
| 2005 | modern | 92 | #29,271 |
| 2006 | modern | 86 | #30,425 |
| 2007 | modern | 88 | #30,515 |
| 2008 | modern | 94 | #29,950 |
| 2009 | modern | 93 | #30,682 |
| 2010 | modern | 95 | #31,000 |
| 2011 | modern | 92 | #31,301 |
| 2012 | modern | 97 | #30,798 |
| 2013 | modern | 96 | #31,381 |
| 2014 | modern | 93 | #32,025 |
| 2015 | modern | 89 | #32,325 |
| 2016 | modern | 89 | #32,297 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, St Pancras, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings Norton | Worcestershire |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Blackburn | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sames surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sames, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Sames surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sames household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Sames is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sames is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sames, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Sames is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sam," which means "half" or "semi." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who was of mixed heritage or who lived on the border between two regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sames appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Samuele de Sames in the county of Yorkshire.
In the 13th century, the name Sames appeared in various medieval records and documents, often spelled as "Samys" or "Sammes." During this time, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many families with the surname Sames lived and owned land.
One notable figure from this era was Sir John Sames, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in 1380 in Yorkshire and died in 1442.
In the 16th century, the Sames family established themselves in the village of Samesbury, near Preston in Lancashire. This place name is believed to be derived from the surname Sames, suggesting that the family had a long-standing presence in the area.
Another prominent individual with the surname Sames was Sir William Sames (1550-1628), a wealthy landowner and member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of Lancashire in 1607.
During the 17th century, several members of the Sames family emigrated to the American colonies, particularly to Virginia and Massachusetts. One such individual was Thomas Sames (1620-1692), who arrived in Virginia in 1638 and became a successful tobacco planter.
In the 18th century, the surname Sames was found throughout England, with concentrated populations in the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One notable figure from this time was Captain John Sames (1725-1798), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sames surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 23 Sames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.80x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holbeck in Yorkshire leads with 10 Sames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 251.89x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Holbeck | 10 | 251.89x |
| St Pancras London | 7 | 14.38x |
| Bermondsey | 6 | 33.33x |
| Islington London | 6 | 10.24x |
| Southwark St Saviour | 6 | 192.93x |
| Tollesbury | 6 | 2000.00x |
| Mile End Old Town | 5 | 52.36x |
| Aberdare | 3 | 41.49x |
| Blackburn | 2 | 10.48x |
| Bromley London | 2 | 15.04x |
| Colchester St Botolph | 2 | 196.08x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 4.59x |
| Burnham | 1 | 227.27x |
| Christ Church Newgate | 1 | 357.14x |
| Finchley | 1 | 43.10x |
| Meare | 1 | 344.83x |
| Shoreditch London | 1 | 3.82x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sames surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Sames surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Sames households.
FAQ
In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Sames surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Sames a modern rank of #32,297.
A surname of English origin meaning "identical".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sames bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.