NameCensus.

UK surname

Sandwell

Location surname derived from Sandwell, a town near Birmingham, England.

In the 1881 census there were 241 people recorded with the Sandwell surname, ranking it #11,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, down from #11,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ash-near-Sandwich, Margate and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thanet, Rotherham and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sandwell is 375 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.9%.

1881 census count

241

Ranked #11,374

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

1911

375 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sandwell had 241 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 375 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sandwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sandwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sandwell 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 241 #11,374
1891 historical 312 #10,744
1901 historical 343 #10,583
1911 historical 375 #9,747
1997 modern 285 #13,981
1998 modern 309 #13,612
1999 modern 301 #13,926
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 297 #13,816
2002 modern 291 #14,275
2003 modern 263 #15,109
2004 modern 275 #14,717
2005 modern 273 #14,708
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 280 #14,823
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 302 #14,661
2011 modern 292 #14,863
2012 modern 290 #14,838
2013 modern 287 #15,224
2014 modern 296 #14,982
2015 modern 294 #14,971
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

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Where Sandwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ash-near-Sandwich, Margate, St John Hackney, Preston and Ramsgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thanet, Rotherham, Medway, Hinckley and Bosworth and South Oxfordshire. 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 Ash-near-Sandwich Kent
2 Margate Kent
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Ramsgate Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thanet 005 Thanet
2 Rotherham 033 Rotherham
3 Medway 018 Medway
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 South Oxfordshire 006 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sandwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sandwell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Sandwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sandwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sandwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sandwell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sandwell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sandwell

The surname Sandwell is of English origin, originating in the medieval county of Staffordshire, England, in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "sand" and "well," referring to a sandy spring or well. The name likely originated from a specific location named Sandwell, which no longer exists as a distinct place.

The earliest known record of the name Sandwell appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1189, where a person named William de Sandwell is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various forms, such as Sandewell, Sandewelle, and Sandwelle, reflecting the evolution of spelling over time. These variations indicate that the name was pronounced similarly to its modern form.

One notable figure bearing the Sandwell surname was John Sandwell, a 14th-century English ecclesiastic who served as the Bishop of Worcester from 1321 to 1349. He played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of the time.

Another prominent individual was Richard Sandwell, born in 1512, who was a wealthy landowner and merchant in Nottinghamshire. His family's wealth and influence contributed to the establishment of the Sandwell name in the region.

In the 16th century, the Sandwell name appeared in various historical records, including the parish registers of Staffordshire and neighboring counties. One example is Thomas Sandwell, born in 1567, who was a prosperous farmer and landowner in the village of Kinver.

During the 17th century, the Sandwell name gained further recognition with the birth of Edward Sandwell in 1620. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on various subjects, including philosophy, theology, and literature.

Another notable figure was William Sandwell, born in 1695, who was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in London. He donated a significant portion of his wealth to establish educational institutions for underprivileged children.

While the Sandwell surname has its roots in Staffordshire, it has since spread across England and other parts of the world due to migration and global expansion. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the county of Staffordshire, where it first emerged as a distinct surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sandwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sandwell 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. Kent leads with 93 Sandwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.59x.

County Total Index
Kent 93 11.59x
Middlesex 48 2.04x
Lancashire 44 1.58x
Yorkshire 15 0.64x
Sussex 8 2.02x
Surrey 5 0.44x
Essex 4 0.86x
Glamorgan 4 0.98x
Warwickshire 4 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.11x
Channel Islands 3 4.31x
Suffolk 3 1.05x
Hampshire 2 0.42x
Herefordshire 2 2.07x
Denbighshire 1 1.13x
Flintshire 1 1.58x
Northamptonshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Margate St John Baptist in Kent leads with 29 Sandwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 197.41x.

Place Total Index
Margate St John Baptist 29 197.41x
Preston 16 21.44x
Ash Next Sandwich 13 734.46x
Ramsgate 13 99.31x
Ulverston 12 147.60x
Hackney London 10 7.59x
Clerkenwell London 8 14.42x
Birchington 7 625.00x
Nether Wyresdale 7 1428.57x
South Bersted 7 207.72x
Barrow In Furness 6 15.81x
Fulham London 6 17.60x
Northowram 6 36.74x
Newington 5 5.76x
St Anne Soho London 5 37.26x
Woodnesborough 5 684.93x
Ashford 4 51.22x
Coventry St Michael 4 21.01x
Dalton In Huddersfield 4 76.63x
Deptford St Paul 4 6.47x
Hillingdon 4 53.40x
Hornsey 4 13.45x
Huddersfield 4 11.79x
Maidstone 4 16.74x
St Lawrence 4 72.60x
Swansea Town 4 11.92x
Buckingham 3 103.81x
Lowestoft 3 22.17x
Shoreditch London 3 2.94x
St Anne 3 241.94x
St Peters 3 80.86x
Ashford 2 107.53x
Eastry 2 180.18x
Kington 2 83.68x
Kirkham 2 54.20x
Poplar London 2 4.51x
Sandwich St Peter 2 238.10x
St Pauls Cray 2 327.87x
Walthamstow 2 11.98x
Westminster St John 2 6.99x
Alverstoke 1 5.73x
Bowling 1 4.33x
Chelsea London 1 1.41x
Grays Thurrock 1 23.20x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 11.82x
Heybridge 1 74.07x
Holywell 1 12.61x
Lewisham 1 2.34x
Little Eccleston With 1 625.00x
Llanrhydd 1 142.86x
Northampton St Giles 1 11.88x
Ryde 1 9.66x
St Stephen Coleman 1 158.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 12
George 11
John 11
Stephen 7
James 6
Charles 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Herbert 3
Alfred 2
Bernard 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Eugene 2
Jas. 2
Jethro 2
Reginald 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Cyrus 1
David 1
Fd.Wm. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Mockett 1
Percy 1
Roger 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Sandwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sandwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 241 people were recorded with the Sandwell surname. That placed it at #11,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sandwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Sandwell a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Sandwell surname mean?

Location surname derived from Sandwell, a town near Birmingham, England.

What does the Sandwell map show?

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