NameCensus.

UK surname

Sandilands

A surname referring to someone living on or near sandy lands or soil.

In the 1881 census there were 686 people recorded with the Sandilands surname, ranking it #5,272 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 825, ranked #6,734, down from #5,272 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inveresk, Abernethy and Lanark. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Strathaven South, Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sandilands is 873 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.3%.

1881 census count

686

Ranked #5,272

Modern count

825

2016, ranked #6,734

Peak year

1901

873 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sandilands had 686 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,272 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 825 in 2016, ranked #6,734.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 873 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sandilands surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sandilands surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sandilands 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 426 #5,735
1861 historical 456 #5,692
1881 historical 686 #5,272
1891 historical 756 #5,271
1901 historical 873 #5,251
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 735 #6,979
1998 modern 747 #7,124
1999 modern 743 #7,198
2000 modern 784 #6,887
2001 modern 759 #6,927
2002 modern 796 #6,805
2003 modern 775 #6,831
2004 modern 784 #6,784
2005 modern 788 #6,681
2006 modern 774 #6,813
2007 modern 785 #6,799
2008 modern 800 #6,743
2009 modern 795 #6,929
2010 modern 807 #6,976
2011 modern 793 #7,003
2012 modern 785 #6,957
2013 modern 801 #6,945
2014 modern 804 #6,976
2015 modern 807 #6,881
2016 modern 825 #6,734

Geography

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Where Sandilands' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Inveresk, Abernethy, Lanark, Edinburgh and Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Strathaven South, Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood, Rochdale and Selkirk. 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 Inveresk Edinburgh
2 Abernethy Perth
3 Lanark Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho Peebles

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Strathaven South South Lanarkshire
2 Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood South Lanarkshire
3 Rochdale 010 Rochdale
4 Rochdale 005 Rochdale
5 Selkirk Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sandilands

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sandilands

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Sandilands surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sandilands household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sandilands 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

Sandilands is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sandilands falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sandilands

The surname Sandilands originated in Scotland, deriving from a place name referring to lands located near sandy areas. It likely emerged during the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive name denoting someone who lived near sandy terrain or dunes.

One of the earliest known records of the Sandilands name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it is spelled as "de Sandelandis." This document listed Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The Sandilands family held lands in West Lothian, Scotland, from the 13th century onwards. In 1349, Sir James Sandilands obtained a charter for the lands of Calder. His descendants became Lords of Calder and later took on the title of Lord Torphichen.

A notable member of the family was James Sandilands, 1st Lord Torphichen (c.1500-1579), who fought for Scotland during the Rough Wooing and was made a Lord of Parliament in 1564. Another prominent figure was James Sandilands, 7th Lord Torphichen (1635-1696), who served as a Scottish judge and politician.

In the 16th century, the Sandilands surname also spread to Ireland, where it was anglicized to Sandlands or Sandlands. One of the earliest recorded Irish bearers was Sir James Sandlands, who was appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1606.

Other notable individuals with the Sandilands surname include Robert Sandilands (1718-1785), a Scottish merchant and politician, and John Sandilands (1769-1826), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

Overall, the Sandilands name has a long and distinguished history in Scotland and Ireland, with many members of the family playing significant roles in politics, law, and military affairs throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sandilands families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sandilands 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. Midlothian leads with 180 Sandilands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.87x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 180 20.87x
Lanarkshire 132 6.34x
Middlesex 59 0.92x
Surrey 34 1.08x
Berwickshire 30 38.48x
Peeblesshire 29 95.77x
Lancashire 24 0.31x
Perthshire 22 7.61x
East Lothian 21 24.62x
Angus 20 3.35x
Selkirkshire 18 30.90x
Renfrewshire 15 3.01x
Fife 12 3.15x
Kent 11 0.50x
Yorkshire 11 0.17x
Derbyshire 7 0.69x
Warwickshire 5 0.31x
Durham 4 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 4.29x
Stirlingshire 4 1.68x
Royal Navy 3 3.91x
Worcestershire 3 0.36x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.21x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.70x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.58x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Roxburghshire 1 0.86x
Shropshire 1 0.18x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 79 Sandilands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.77x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 79 22.77x
Lesmahagow 37 168.03x
South Leith 29 29.88x
Abernethy 22 582.01x
Inveresk 20 85.65x
Lanark 17 101.49x
Dundee 14 6.29x
Lambeth 14 2.49x
Channelkirk 12 895.52x
Dunfermline 12 20.48x
Cambusnethan 11 23.79x
Dirleton 10 298.51x
Paisley Low Church 10 63.33x
Govan 9 1.75x
Avondale 8 65.74x
Barony 8 1.52x
Dalserf 8 38.50x
Edinburgh Greenside 8 70.18x
Hampstead London 8 7.98x
Kilbucho 8 1739.13x
Liberton 8 60.11x
Middlesbrough 8 9.63x
St Pancras London 8 1.54x
Westminster St John 8 10.20x
Barnes 7 52.75x
Drumelzier 7 1521.74x
Fairfield 7 103.86x
Yarrow 7 496.45x
Bermondsey 6 3.13x
Bolton 6 810.81x
Bothwell 6 10.63x
Covington 6 612.24x
Duddingston 6 34.66x
Eccles 6 175.44x
Lauder 6 139.21x
Melrose 6 40.93x
Newlands 6 331.49x
St George Hanover 6 7.14x
Stow 6 135.44x
West Derby 6 2.68x
Biggar 5 106.16x
Birmingham 5 0.92x
Everton 5 2.05x
Greenwich 5 4.88x
Hamilton 5 8.61x
Monifieth 5 23.73x
Wimbledon 5 14.20x
Culter 4 317.46x
Eastwood 4 13.02x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 19.61x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 18.22x
Galashiels 4 18.58x
Greenlaw 4 144.93x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 4.82x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.94x
Poplar London 4 3.29x
Stobo 4 380.95x
Tonge 4 24.95x
Walton On Hill 4 9.66x
Westminster St James 4 6.04x
Broughton 3 600.00x
Chelsea London 3 1.55x
Colinton 3 31.19x
Paddington London 3 1.27x
Toxteth Park 3 1.16x
Tranent 3 26.04x
Urr 3 24.75x
Willesden 3 4.94x
Carluke 2 10.58x
Corstorphine 2 42.02x
Edinburgh St Andrews 2 28.09x
Fala Soutra 2 289.86x
Falkirk 2 3.60x
Folkestone 2 4.69x
Kingston On Thames 2 2.65x
Liverpool 2 0.43x
Ripple 2 125.79x
Roath 2 3.93x
Royal Navy 2 3.05x
St Martin In Fields 2 5.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 6
Jane 6
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Mary 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Helen 3
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Margt. 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Barbra 1
Bertha 1
Bethia 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Emilie 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Janet 1
Jean 1
Jeanette 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Minna 1
Nannie 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 11
William 11
John 9
Henry 5
Charles 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Hugh 2
Alan 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alexr. 1
Allan 1
Ann 1
Archibald 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Isaiah 1
Jas.W. 1
Prescott 1
Samuel 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sandilands surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sandilands surname in 1881?

In 1881, 686 people were recorded with the Sandilands surname. That placed it at #5,272 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sandilands surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 825 in 2016. That gives Sandilands a modern rank of #6,734.

What does the Sandilands surname mean?

A surname referring to someone living on or near sandy lands or soil.

What does the Sandilands map show?

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