NameCensus.

UK surname

Sandys

A surname referring to a person living on or near sandy soil.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Sandys surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 269, ranked #15,956, down from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Westminster and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sandys is 360 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.3%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

269

2016, ranked #15,956

Peak year

1998

360 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sandys had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016, ranked #15,956.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 302 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sandys surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sandys surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sandys 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 256 #12,522
1901 historical 302 #11,592
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 348 #12,229
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 360 #12,371
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 339 #12,641
2002 modern 322 #13,354
2003 modern 302 #13,752
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 296 #13,947
2006 modern 297 #14,004
2007 modern 309 #13,760
2008 modern 302 #14,069
2009 modern 302 #14,353
2010 modern 300 #14,730
2011 modern 293 #14,834
2012 modern 286 #15,012
2013 modern 292 #15,027
2014 modern 283 #15,495
2015 modern 277 #15,622
2016 modern 269 #15,956

Geography

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Where Sandys' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Westminster, South Lakeland, Stratford-on-Avon and Mid Sussex. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 014 West Lancashire
2 Westminster 022 Westminster
3 South Lakeland 007 South Lakeland
4 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Mid Sussex 003 Mid Sussex

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sandys

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sandys

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sandys surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sandys household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sandys is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sandys 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

Sandys falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sandys

The surname Sandys originated in England, with its earliest known recording dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sand," referring to sandy soil or a sandy place. The name was likely initially used as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near a sandy area or on sandy soil.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sandys can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a Richard de Sandys is mentioned. The prefix "de" in this case indicates "of" or "from," further suggesting the name's topographic origins.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed a John de Sandys in Oxfordshire. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not include the surname Sandys, as it predates the widespread adoption of hereditary surnames in England.

The Sandys family played a significant role in British history, with several notable members bearing the name. One of the most prominent figures was Edwin Sandys (1519-1588), an influential Protestant reformer and Archbishop of York during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable bearer of the name was George Sandys (1578-1644), an English traveler, colonist, and poet who is best known for his translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. He was also one of the first English explorers to visit the Middle East and document his travels.

In the 17th century, Samuel Sandys (1616-1685) was a prominent English writer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held various government positions during the Commonwealth period.

The Sandys name has also been associated with places in England, such as the village of Sandys in Hampshire, which likely took its name from the sandy soil in the area.

Other historical figures with the surname Sandys include William Sandys (1792-1874), an English historian and biographer, and Frederick Sandys (1829-1904), a renowned English painter and illustrator associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sandys families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sandys 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 45 Sandys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 2.56x
Surrey 20 2.34x
Lancashire 16 0.77x
Essex 10 2.89x
Derbyshire 9 3.27x
Gloucestershire 8 2.32x
Kent 8 1.34x
Hampshire 7 1.95x
Hertfordshire 7 5.78x
Sussex 7 2.36x
Cheshire 6 1.55x
Cambridgeshire 4 3.60x
Lincolnshire 4 1.42x
Staffordshire 4 0.67x
Warwickshire 4 0.90x
Leicestershire 3 1.54x
Berkshire 2 1.52x
Denbighshire 2 3.02x
Devon 2 0.55x
Norfolk 2 0.74x
Somerset 2 0.71x
Anglesey 1 3.21x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.41x
Cornwall 1 0.50x
Glamorgan 1 0.33x
Midlothian 1 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 4.78x
Yorkshire 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. Hammersmith London in Middlesex leads with 13 Sandys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.06x.

Place Total Index
Hammersmith London 13 30.06x
West Ham 10 13.07x
West Derby 8 13.13x
Derby St Peter 7 79.91x
Lambeth 7 4.57x
Royston 6 582.52x
St Pancras London 6 4.25x
Thames Ditton 6 337.08x
Brighton 5 8.37x
Cheltenham 4 15.05x
Harrow On The Hill 4 113.96x
Paddington London 4 6.20x
St George Hanover 4 17.45x
Wigan 4 13.74x
Burton Coggles 3 2000.00x
Holdenhurst 3 31.78x
Kensington London 3 3.07x
Leicester St Mary 3 19.07x
Nantwich 3 66.67x
Portsea 3 4.25x
St Marylebone London 3 3.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 4.77x
Belper 2 37.52x
Birkenhead 2 6.47x
Birmingham 2 1.36x
Bristol St Michael 2 67.80x
Broadwater 2 29.46x
Chesterton 2 58.31x
East Sutton 2 869.57x
Fakenham 2 150.38x
Gravesend 2 39.45x
Hackney London 2 2.03x
Islington London 2 1.18x
Kilmersdon 2 142.86x
Leamington Priors 2 18.37x
Newington 2 3.08x
St Clement Cambridge 2 434.78x
Stoke Damerel 2 7.82x
Abenbury Fawr 1 1000.00x
Aisthorpe 1 1428.57x
Aldershot 1 8.29x
Bangor 1 14.60x
Bermondsey 1 1.91x
Bexley 1 18.87x
Blackburn 1 1.80x
Camberwell 1 0.89x
Clifton 1 5.74x
Everton 1 1.51x
Gillingham 1 8.10x
Godalming 1 18.55x
Holbeck 1 8.67x
Lewisham 1 3.13x
Liverpool 1 0.79x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 1 102.04x
Llandysilio 1 102.04x
Misterton 1 136.99x
Poplar London 1 3.02x
Queensferry 1 416.67x
Reading St Mary 1 9.47x
Richmond 1 8.34x
Rodmarton 1 434.78x
Royal Navy 1 5.59x
Sale 1 21.05x
Sandhurst 1 39.22x
St Anne Soho London 1 9.97x
St Clement Danes 1 35.21x
St Gluvias Penryn 1 62.89x
Standon 1 80.00x
Stone 1 13.19x
Streatham 1 7.67x
Ulverston 1 16.47x
Westminster St James 1 5.54x
Woolwich 1 4.52x
Ystradyfodwg 1 3.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 4
Agnes 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Marianne 2
Rose 2
Alice 1
Alicia 1
Beatrice 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cecil 1
Cecile 1
Dora 1
Ella 1
Ethel 1
F.A. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georjenia 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Katharine 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
M.A.B. 1
Margarta 1
Margert 1
Marian 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Henry 7
Edward 5
James 5
George 4
Thomas 4
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Charles 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alexr. 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Capel 1
Claude 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Marcus 1
Michael 1
Michel 1
Nichols 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Seton 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sandys surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sandys surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Sandys surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sandys surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016. That gives Sandys a modern rank of #15,956.

What does the Sandys surname mean?

A surname referring to a person living on or near sandy soil.

What does the Sandys map show?

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