NameCensus.

UK surname

Sarr

A surname of Senegalese origin referring to a person of noble or royal descent.

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Sarr surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Birmingham and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sarr is 229 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 4480.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

2016

229 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sarr had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 82 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Sarr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sarr surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sarr 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 65 #28,660
1901 historical 17 #32,146
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 55 #32,114
1998 modern 59 #32,027
1999 modern 71 #31,036
2000 modern 68 #31,380
2001 modern 69 #31,098
2002 modern 87 #29,644
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 201 #19,387
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 194 #19,932
2014 modern 204 #19,439
2015 modern 219 #18,406
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Sarrs 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 Manchester, Birmingham, Newham and Sandwell. 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 Manchester 015 Manchester
2 Birmingham 071 Birmingham
3 Newham 023 Newham
4 Birmingham 043 Birmingham
5 Sandwell 026 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sarr

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sarr

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

Sarr 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

Sarr falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sarr 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Sarr

The surname "SARR" originates from France, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "sarre," which means "boundary" or "border." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a territorial boundary or border region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Sarre," which was likely the Norman French spelling at the time.

In the 12th century, the surname appeared in various manuscripts and records across Northern France and the regions that are now part of Belgium and the Netherlands. One notable example is Raoul de Sarr, a nobleman from the Picardy region who was mentioned in a charter from 1167.

During the 13th century, the name took on different spellings, such as "Sarre," "Sarres," and "Sarr," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. One prominent figure with this surname was Guillaume de Sarr, a French knight who participated in the Eighth Crusade in the late 1200s.

In the 14th century, the surname spread to other parts of Europe, including England and Germany. Records from this period show variations like "Sarre," "Sarre," and "Sahr." One notable individual was Robert Sarr, an English merchant who was involved in the wool trade and mentioned in records from the city of London in the 1360s.

By the 15th century, the surname had become more widely established across Europe. One notable example is Jean de Sarr, a French theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Paris in the early 1400s.

Over the centuries, the surname "SARR" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, soldiers, merchants, and artists. While not an exhaustive list, some other notable figures with this surname include François Sarr, a French painter active in the 17th century, and Johann Sarr, a German composer and organist from the 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sarr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sarr 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 3 Sarrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 7.72x
Surrey 1 5.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 1 Sarrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.93x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 1 69.93x
Chelsea London 1 85.47x
Islington London 1 26.53x
St Pancras London 1 31.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Annette 1
Kathleen 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 Sarr households.

FAQ

Sarr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sarr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Sarr surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sarr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Sarr a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Sarr surname mean?

A surname of Senegalese origin referring to a person of noble or royal descent.

What does the Sarr map show?

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