NameCensus.

UK surname

Samm

An occupational surname referring to someone involved with farming or agriculture.

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Samm surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 93, ranked #31,945, down from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Samm is 111 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 144.7%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

93

2016, ranked #31,945

Peak year

2000

111 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2006

Key insights

  • Samm had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016, ranked #31,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 56 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Samm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Samm surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Samm 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 41 #31,095
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 56 #27,216
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 102 #29,930
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 88 #32,064
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 92 #32,132
2015 modern 90 #32,245
2016 modern 93 #31,945

Geography

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Where Samms 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 Central Bedfordshire and Luton. 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 Central Bedfordshire 033 Central Bedfordshire
2 Luton 020 Luton
3 Luton 005 Luton
4 Luton 014 Luton
5 Central Bedfordshire 012 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Samm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Samm

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Samm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Samm household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Samm is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Samm 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

Samm 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 Samm is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Samm

The surname SAMM originated in Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the old German word "sambt," which means "velvet" or "velvet cloth." This suggests that early bearers of the name may have been involved in the textile trade or worked as velvet makers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SAMM can be traced back to the town of Sammt in the German state of Bavaria. Records from the 14th century mention a family bearing this surname residing in this region, indicating that they may have taken their name from the place they lived.

Another theory suggests that the SAMM surname could be a variant of the German name "Samm," which is derived from the Hebrew name "Shammah," meaning "desolation" or "ruin." This could imply that early bearers of the name may have come from an area that was devastated or ruined.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans SAMM (1520-1588) was a prominent merchant and guild leader in the city of Nuremberg, which was a major center of trade and commerce during that time.

Another historical reference to the SAMM surname can be found in the records of the German state of Saxony, where a family with this name owned a large estate in the town of Samsfeld in the 17th century.

One of the earliest known people with the SAMM surname was Johann SAMM (1645-1717), a Lutheran theologian and scholar who taught at the University of Leipzig in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, a man named Georg SAMM (1734-1804) was a renowned clockmaker and inventor from the city of Augsburg, known for his intricate and ornate timepieces.

Another notable figure with the SAMM surname was Karl SAMM (1819-1887), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag (German parliament) in the latter half of the 19th century.

In the early 20th century, a woman named Anna SAMM (1890-1965) was a celebrated opera singer and soprano who performed in major opera houses across Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Samm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Samm 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. Bedfordshire leads with 29 Samms recorded in 1881 and an index of 151.20x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 29 151.20x
Hertfordshire 6 23.50x
Middlesex 2 0.54x
Surrey 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caddington in Bedfordshire leads with 19 Samms recorded in 1881 and an index of 6785.71x.

Place Total Index
Caddington 19 6785.71x
Luton 10 301.20x
Flamstead 4 1666.67x
Bow London 1 21.19x
Hackney London 1 4.81x
Hemel Hempstead 1 86.96x
Penge 1 42.19x
Thundridge 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 4
Emily 2
Amelia 1
Blanche 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Francis 1
Hanh. 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Mary 1
Olive 1
Sarah 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Edward 3
Albert 2
Joseph 2
Wallace 2
Alfred 1
Archer 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
Lionel 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 Samm households.

FAQ

Samm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Samm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Samm surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Samm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016. That gives Samm a modern rank of #31,945.

What does the Samm surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone involved with farming or agriculture.

What does the Samm map show?

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