NameCensus.

UK surname

Saunder

A surname derived from the Norman form of the name Alexander, meaning "defender of men".

In the 1881 census there were 248 people recorded with the Saunder surname, ranking it #11,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #11,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, Camden and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Saunder is 1,004 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 58.9%.

1881 census count

248

Ranked #11,140

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1861

1,004 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Saunder had 248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,004 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Saunder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Saunder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Saunder 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 398 #6,057
1861 historical 1,004 #2,779
1881 historical 248 #11,140
1891 historical 911 #4,532
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 367 #9,914
1997 modern 83 #29,216
1998 modern 79 #30,080
1999 modern 82 #29,933
2000 modern 90 #29,068
2001 modern 78 #30,168
2002 modern 75 #30,950
2003 modern 73 #31,186
2004 modern 75 #31,233
2005 modern 76 #31,267
2006 modern 77 #31,510
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 90 #30,567
2009 modern 97 #30,076
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Saunders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Portsmouth, Portsea, St John Hackney 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 Malvern Hills, Camden and Croydon. 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 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 010 Malvern Hills
2 Malvern Hills 004 Malvern Hills
3 Malvern Hills 011 Malvern Hills
4 Camden 022 Camden
5 Croydon 018 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Saunder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Saunder

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Saunder, 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 Saunder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Saunder 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Saunder is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Saunder 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

Saunder falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Saunder

The surname "SAUNDER" is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Sandor" or "Saunder", which means "defender" or "warrior". This name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Saunders" and "Saundres". This medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror provides valuable insights into the distribution and variations of surnames during that period.

In the 13th century, the surname "SAUNDER" was often associated with place names such as Saunders Hill in Gloucestershire and Saunders Green in Buckinghamshire. These place names may have contributed to the adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.

Historically significant individuals with the surname "SAUNDER" include:

1. Nicholas Saunder (c. 1325 - 1397), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1384 until his death. 2. Sir Edmund Saunder (c. 1440 - 1504), a prominent English judge and legal scholar during the reign of Henry VII. 3. Francis Saunder (1575 - 1628), an English Jesuit priest and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of optics and astronomy. 4. Edward Saunder (1670 - 1739), a wealthy English merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses in London. 5. Richard Saunder (1807 - 1876), a British botanist and horticulturist who specialized in the cultivation of orchids and wrote several influential works on the subject.

The surname "SAUNDER" has also been recorded with various spellings throughout history, such as "Saunders", "Sanders", and "Sanderson". These variations often reflected regional dialects and the personal preferences of individuals or families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Saunder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Saunder 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 47 Saunders recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 1.94x
Surrey 37 3.14x
Devon 28 5.56x
Lancashire 22 0.77x
Sussex 20 4.90x
Hampshire 10 2.02x
Essex 7 1.47x
Cornwall 6 2.19x
Leicestershire 6 2.24x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.84x
Aberdeenshire 5 2.23x
Hertfordshire 5 3.00x
Northamptonshire 5 2.20x
Buckinghamshire 4 2.73x
Gloucestershire 4 0.84x
Norfolk 4 1.08x
Kent 3 0.36x
Monmouthshire 3 1.72x
Somerset 3 0.77x
Wiltshire 3 1.40x
Worcestershire 3 0.95x
Glamorgan 2 0.47x
Suffolk 2 0.68x
Warwickshire 2 0.33x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Ayrshire 1 0.55x
Berkshire 1 0.55x
Cumberland 1 0.48x
Flintshire 1 1.54x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.08x
Lanarkshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.67x
Staffordshire 1 0.12x
Westmorland 1 1.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 10 Saunders recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.29x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 10 10.29x
Kensington London 9 6.69x
Landkey 8 1632.65x
Plymouth Charles The 8 36.07x
Bethnal Green London 7 6.66x
Whalley 7 167.46x
Battersea 6 6.74x
Dalton In Furness 6 54.15x
Sompting 6 1071.43x
St Marylebone London 6 4.65x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 11.93x
Aylestone 5 236.97x
Brighton 5 6.08x
Lambeth 5 2.37x
Newhaven 5 151.06x
Nottingham St Mary 5 5.93x
Peterborough 5 30.36x
West Ham 5 4.74x
Albury 4 769.23x
Camberwell 4 2.59x
Caterham 4 76.78x
Ealing 4 18.50x
East Looe 4 360.36x
Hackney London 4 2.95x
Heanton Punchardon 4 1081.08x
Aberystruth 3 19.46x
Britford 3 212.77x
Hammersmith London 3 5.03x
Ibstone Stokenchurch 3 1111.11x
Mitcham 3 40.27x
Newington 3 3.36x
South Bersted 3 86.46x
Southwark St John 3 40.54x
St Anne Soho London 3 21.71x
St Pancras London 3 1.54x
Tottington Lower End 3 21.99x
Bedminster 2 5.47x
Bermondsey 2 2.78x
Birkdale 2 27.55x
Blakeney 2 303.03x
Bristol St Paul In 2 15.82x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 25.41x
Chelsea London 2 2.74x
Clapham 2 6.61x
Leyton Low 2 20.60x
Marhamchurch 2 444.44x
Mathon 2 215.05x
Morchard Bishop 2 190.48x
St George Hanover 2 6.33x
Banham 1 105.26x
Birmingham 1 0.49x
Bishopsteignton 1 105.26x
Charlbury 1 59.52x
Charlwood 1 88.50x
Cwmdu 1 19.49x
Dorking 1 12.64x
East Budleigh 1 42.19x
East Cowton 1 312.50x
Edgbaston 1 5.29x
Gravesend 1 14.31x
Great Stanmore 1 91.74x
Hardingham 1 232.56x
Holme Pierrepont 1 555.56x
Hornsey 1 3.27x
Kilmarnock 1 4.64x
Kings Walden 1 106.38x
Manchester 1 0.77x
Maryhill 1 6.53x
Newchurch 1 4.26x
Northam 1 27.25x
Ramsey 1 25.97x
Rastrick 1 15.02x
Richmond 1 6.05x
Shoreditch London 1 0.95x
Sidbury 1 92.59x
Somerby 1 227.27x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.84x
West Hatch 1 285.71x
Westbury On Trym 1 6.22x
Willesden 1 4.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 21
George 9
John 8
Thomas 7
James 6
Richard 6
Ernest 4
Henry 4
Alexander 3
Charles 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Archibald 1
Ashley 1
Augustus 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Emmanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Forbes 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Laura 1
Leanard 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Levison 1
Mathew 1
Phillip 1
Seckariah 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Chas. 1

FAQ

Saunder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Saunder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 248 people were recorded with the Saunder surname. That placed it at #11,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Saunder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Saunder a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Saunder surname mean?

A surname derived from the Norman form of the name Alexander, meaning "defender of men".

What does the Saunder map show?

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