NameCensus.

UK surname

Samuels

A patronymic surname derived from the Biblical male given name Samuel, meaning "name of God" or "God has heard."

In the 1881 census there were 1,272 people recorded with the Samuels surname, ranking it #3,204 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,645, ranked #1,465, up from #3,204 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Wrexham and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Samuels is 4,694 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 265.2%.

1881 census count

1,272

Ranked #3,204

Modern count

4,645

2016, ranked #1,465

Peak year

2010

4,694 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Samuels had 1,272 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,204 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,645 in 2016, ranked #1,465.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,168 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Samuels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Samuels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Samuels 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 512 #4,886
1861 historical 572 #4,606
1881 historical 1,272 #3,204
1891 historical 1,439 #3,041
1901 historical 2,056 #2,606
1911 historical 2,168 #2,321
1997 modern 3,969 #1,633
1998 modern 4,162 #1,623
1999 modern 4,210 #1,617
2000 modern 4,174 #1,622
2001 modern 4,077 #1,618
2002 modern 4,165 #1,619
2003 modern 4,115 #1,590
2004 modern 4,141 #1,588
2005 modern 4,170 #1,560
2006 modern 4,233 #1,544
2007 modern 4,300 #1,536
2008 modern 4,399 #1,512
2009 modern 4,594 #1,487
2010 modern 4,694 #1,492
2011 modern 4,569 #1,507
2012 modern 4,559 #1,481
2013 modern 4,640 #1,484
2014 modern 4,670 #1,478
2015 modern 4,631 #1,476
2016 modern 4,645 #1,465

Geography

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Where Samuels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and Willesden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Wrexham and Manchester. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
2 Wolverhampton 035 Wolverhampton
3 Wrexham 005 Wrexham
4 Manchester 024 Manchester
5 Wrexham 017 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Samuels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Samuels

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Samuels surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Samuels 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Samuels is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Samuels 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

Samuels falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Samuels 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 Samuels, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Samuels

The surname Samuels has its origins in the Middle Ages, deriving from the Hebrew personal name Samuel, meaning "name of God" or "heard by God." The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East, likely in ancient Israel, and was later carried to various parts of Europe by Jewish communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Samuels can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, from the year 1195, where a certain Samuel de Gloucestre is mentioned. This indicates that the name had already taken root in England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Samuels appears in various records across Europe, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in England (1275), where a William Samuels is listed. During this period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Samuell, Samwell, and Samwyll.

The name Samuels has also been linked to certain place names, such as Samuelston in Scotland and Samuelsdorf in Germany, suggesting that some individuals with this surname may have taken their names from these locations or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Samuels throughout history include:

1. Sir Philip Samuels (1592-1654), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1644. 2. Ralph Samuels (1696-1764), an English philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of optics. 3. Nathaniel Samuels (1768-1842), an American Revolutionary War soldier and farmer from Massachusetts. 4. Mary Samuels (1827-1902), an English philanthropist and social reformer who worked to improve the living conditions of factory workers. 5. Walter Samuels (1870-1936), an Australian cricketer who played Test matches for the national team in the late 19th century.

The surname Samuels has been carried across continents by various waves of migration, and it is now found in many countries around the world, particularly in areas with significant Jewish or Christian populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Samuels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Samuels 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 471 Samuels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 471 3.81x
Lancashire 117 0.80x
Surrey 89 1.48x
Denbighshire 59 12.64x
Yorkshire 48 0.39x
Warwickshire 40 1.28x
Essex 37 1.52x
Durham 36 0.98x
Kent 34 0.81x
Hertfordshire 33 3.87x
Lanarkshire 33 0.83x
Glamorgan 30 1.39x
Berkshire 28 3.02x
Hampshire 27 1.07x
Shropshire 24 2.25x
Monmouthshire 23 2.57x
Cheshire 19 0.70x
Devon 17 0.66x
Cornwall 12 0.86x
Derbyshire 10 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.15x
Gloucestershire 9 0.37x
Northamptonshire 8 0.69x
Westmorland 8 2.95x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.42x
Flintshire 5 1.50x
Sussex 5 0.24x
Brecknockshire 4 1.62x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.54x
Staffordshire 4 0.10x
Ayrshire 3 0.32x
Bedfordshire 3 0.47x
Lincolnshire 3 0.15x
Cumberland 2 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.35x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 0.61x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x
Worcestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town in Middlesex leads with 47 Samuels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.09x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 47 24.09x
Spitalfields London 43 46.26x
Bethnal Green London 37 6.89x
St Marylebone London 37 5.61x
Richmond 32 37.92x
St Pancras London 32 3.22x
St George In East 29 34.50x
Whitechapel London 27 22.16x
Kensington London 25 3.64x
Shoreditch London 24 4.48x
Lambeth 23 2.13x
Barony 21 2.08x
Bromley London 21 7.72x
Everton 21 4.49x
Camberwell 20 2.53x
Darlington 19 13.38x
Paddington London 18 3.96x
Leeds 17 2.46x
Wrexham Regis 17 49.03x
Chelsea London 16 4.30x
Liverpool 16 1.80x
West Ham 14 2.60x
Newbury 13 43.74x
Rusholme 13 33.23x
Thatcham 13 90.91x
Bersham 12 60.27x
Milton In Gravesend 12 18.98x
Ruabon 12 18.69x
St Giles In Fields 12 28.15x
Horsforth 11 40.97x
Islington London 11 0.92x
Southampton All Sts 11 25.30x
St Woollos 11 11.03x
Aldenham 10 129.03x
Broughton 10 54.50x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 10.74x
Gorbals 10 42.14x
Haughton 10 46.75x
Monken Hadley 10 202.43x
Radyr 10 454.55x
Staveley 10 29.11x
Aston 9 1.05x
Dawley 9 23.17x
Michaelstone Super Avon 9 38.63x
Brougham 8 640.00x
Chepstow 8 52.60x
Linthorpe 8 10.95x
Monks Coppenhall 8 7.77x
Newlyn 8 134.00x
Northampton St Giles 8 18.07x
Poplar London 8 3.43x
Sawbridgeworth 8 62.02x
Shadwell London 8 23.13x
Tranmere 8 7.98x
Bow London 7 4.45x
Hackney London 7 1.01x
Mountnessing 7 189.19x
Stockton On Tees 7 3.95x
Sutton Coldfield 7 21.37x
Westbury On Trym 7 8.52x
Westoe 7 3.36x
Wombridge 7 53.11x
Hatfield 6 34.74x
Limehouse London 6 4.42x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.39x
Portsea 6 1.21x
Salford 6 1.39x
Allington 5 143.27x
Broughton In Salford 5 3.73x
Cardiff St John 5 7.11x
Church Lawford 5 442.48x
Greenwich 5 2.54x
Hampstead London 5 2.60x
Oswestry Town 5 14.62x
Rawmarsh 5 11.56x
Shenley 5 88.97x
South Stoneham 5 9.10x
St Luke London 5 2.52x
Toxteth Park 5 1.01x
Widford 5 393.70x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 54
George 29
Thomas 28
Charles 27
Henry 27
Joseph 26
Samuel 26
James 20
Frederick 16
Alfred 13
Arthur 12
David 12
Edward 11
Jacob 11
Benjamin 7
Harry 7
Isaac 7
Edwin 6
Richard 6
Robert 6
Wm. 6
Abraham 5
Chas. 5
Herbert 5
Lewis 5
Morris 5
Walter 5
Michael 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Evan 3
Frank 3
Hyman 3
Mark 3
Philip 3
Phillip 3
Simon 3
Chs. 2
Davied 2
Edwd. 2
Godfrey 2
Harold 2
Jabez 2
Nathan 2
Seth 2
Solomon 2
Thos. 2
W. 2

FAQ

Samuels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Samuels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,272 people were recorded with the Samuels surname. That placed it at #3,204 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Samuels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,645 in 2016. That gives Samuels a modern rank of #1,465.

What does the Samuels surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the Biblical male given name Samuel, meaning "name of God" or "God has heard."

What does the Samuels map show?

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