NameCensus.

UK surname

Saunderson

An Anglicized version of the French patronymic "Sanderson" meaning "son of Saunder."

In the 1881 census there were 695 people recorded with the Saunderson surname, ranking it #5,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,010, ranked #5,761, down from #5,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Arlsey and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Cumnock South and Craigens and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Saunderson is 1,238 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.3%.

1881 census count

695

Ranked #5,215

Modern count

1,010

2016, ranked #5,761

Peak year

1901

1,238 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Saunderson had 695 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016, ranked #5,761.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,238 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Saunderson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Saunderson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Saunderson 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 579 #4,401
1861 historical 518 #5,049
1881 historical 695 #5,215
1891 historical 1,067 #3,939
1901 historical 1,238 #4,002
1911 historical 885 #5,032
1997 modern 1,009 #5,464
1998 modern 1,029 #5,547
1999 modern 1,060 #5,437
2000 modern 1,052 #5,462
2001 modern 1,005 #5,559
2002 modern 1,031 #5,560
2003 modern 1,024 #5,491
2004 modern 1,014 #5,531
2005 modern 1,005 #5,526
2006 modern 995 #5,589
2007 modern 990 #5,651
2008 modern 1,002 #5,644
2009 modern 1,025 #5,655
2010 modern 1,039 #5,697
2011 modern 1,032 #5,675
2012 modern 987 #5,806
2013 modern 1,007 #5,785
2014 modern 1,041 #5,673
2015 modern 1,025 #5,698
2016 modern 1,010 #5,761

Geography

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Where Saundersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Arlsey, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Cumnock South and Craigens, Central Bedfordshire, Bedford and Cumnock Rural. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Arlsey Bedfordshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire
2 Cumnock South and Craigens East Ayrshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 014 Central Bedfordshire
4 Bedford 004 Bedford
5 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Saunderson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Saunderson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Saunderson, 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 Saunderson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Saunderson 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Saunderson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Saunderson is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Saunderson 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 Saunderson 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 Saunderson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Saunderson

The surname Saunderson originated from England in the 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "saun" meaning sand and "dere" meaning worker, referring to someone who worked with sand or lived on sandy soil.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Saunderson". It was also mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1303 as "Sanderson".

The Saundersons were particularly prominent in the county of Yorkshire, where they held lands and were documented in various historical records. The name was also found in other regions such as Lancashire, Lincolnshire, and Northumberland.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Henry Saunderson (1516-1592) was a prominent lawyer and member of the Middle Temple in London. He served as Recorder of Coventry and was appointed Queen's Sergeant in 1583.

Another notable Saunderson was Nicholas Saunderson (1682-1739), a renowned English mathematician and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. Despite being blinded at the age of one, he made significant contributions to the fields of optics and algebra.

In the 18th century, James Saunderson (1713-1783) was a Scottish mathematician and teacher who published several works, including "The Elements of Algebra" and "A Treatise on Algebra".

William Saunderson (1822-1892) was an English architect who designed numerous churches, schools, and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style. He was also a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Robert Saunderson (1855-1934) was a British politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for Norwood and later as a Judge of the High Court of Justice.

The Saunderson name has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Saunderson's Green in Oxfordshire and Saunderson's Farm in Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Saunderson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Saunderson 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 101 Saundersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.49x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 101 1.49x
Bedfordshire 96 27.35x
Yorkshire 84 1.25x
Lancashire 50 0.62x
Lincolnshire 45 4.15x
Cambridgeshire 37 8.62x
Durham 34 1.69x
Nottinghamshire 26 2.85x
Surrey 26 0.79x
Derbyshire 25 2.36x
Hertfordshire 21 4.49x
Kent 15 0.65x
Midlothian 13 1.43x
Ayrshire 10 1.97x
Hampshire 10 0.72x
Leicestershire 10 1.33x
East Lothian 9 10.02x
Sussex 8 0.70x
Essex 7 0.52x
Northamptonshire 6 0.94x
Somerset 6 0.55x
Glamorgan 5 0.42x
Lanarkshire 5 0.23x
Warwickshire 5 0.29x
Angus 4 0.64x
Clackmannanshire 4 7.14x
Devon 4 0.28x
Fife 3 0.75x
Northumberland 3 0.30x
Stirlingshire 3 1.20x
Cumberland 2 0.34x
Merionethshire 2 1.61x
Perthshire 2 0.66x
Suffolk 2 0.24x
Wiltshire 2 0.33x
Anglesey 1 0.83x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.67x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.74x
Isle of Man 1 0.79x
Monmouthshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stotfold in Bedfordshire leads with 29 Saundersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 431.55x.

Place Total Index
Stotfold 29 431.55x
Great Grimsby 28 40.70x
Wrestlingworth 16 1059.60x
Liverpool 15 3.07x
Basford 13 30.86x
Biggleswade 11 95.65x
Holy Trinity 11 6.81x
Sculcoates 11 10.33x
Tottenham 11 10.19x
Auckinleck 10 63.65x
Castleford 10 40.88x
Claylane 10 67.75x
Grantchester 10 374.53x
Islington London 10 1.52x
Toxteth Park 10 3.67x
Chester Le Street 9 58.10x
Enderby 9 231.36x
Kimberworth 9 24.14x
St Pancras London 9 1.65x
Camberwell 8 1.85x
Monk Hesleden 8 142.35x
Shepperton 8 267.56x
Southill 8 280.70x
Bromley London 7 4.69x
Chesterfield 7 17.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.92x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 7 284.55x
Southwark St John 7 33.75x
St Andrewthe Less 7 14.27x
Haddington 6 45.25x
Potton 6 128.76x
Snenton 6 16.71x
St Andrew Holborn 6 26.11x
Steeple Morden 6 262.01x
Weston 6 71.51x
Ardsley 5 64.60x
Arlesey 5 112.87x
Bromley 5 14.18x
Cockayne Hatley 5 2000.00x
Darlington 5 6.42x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 5 26.70x
Guilden Morden 5 219.30x
Kirkby 5 153.37x
Nuthampstead 5 1000.00x
Poplar London 5 3.91x
Sandon 5 282.49x
Southwark St Saviour 5 14.35x
St Martin Lincoln 5 49.70x
St Nicholas Lincoln 5 48.26x
Tunstall 5 49.80x
Walthamstow 5 10.38x
Wheathampstead 5 92.59x
Wootton Wawen 5 92.76x
Aveton Gifford 4 196.08x
Barton Seagrave 4 754.72x
Bow London 4 4.63x
Burdon 4 1666.67x
Cardiff St Mary 4 6.15x
Chelsea London 4 1.96x
Colinton 4 39.49x
Dalton In Furness 4 12.88x
Dundee 4 1.71x
Hackney London 4 1.05x
Hasland 4 37.00x
Hoyland Nether 4 24.27x
Manchester 4 1.11x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.74x
Spitalfields London 4 7.84x
St Stephen Coleman 4 220.99x
Sutton On Trent 4 178.57x
Tempsford 4 322.58x
Barony 3 0.54x
Clapham 3 3.54x
Easingwold 3 63.29x
Gillingham 3 6.29x
Harlington 3 84.03x
Hastings Holy Trinity 3 35.63x
Kensington London 3 0.80x
Lowick 3 85.47x
Watford 3 8.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Sarah 31
Elizabeth 28
Jane 12
Annie 11
Emma 11
Emily 8
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Hannah 7
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Margaret 6
Alice 5
Ruth 5
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Matilda 3
May 3
Susan 3
Beatrice 2
Catharine 2
Daisy 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Gertrude 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Cathrine 1
Elinor 1
Elizh. 1
Elzbth. 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Helen 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 35
George 19
James 17
Henry 15
Thomas 14
Robert 12
Edward 11
Joseph 11
Herbert 10
Richard 9
Alfred 8
Charles 8
Arthur 7
Frederick 6
Edwin 5
Philip 4
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Cornelius 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Edgar 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jonathan 2
Robt.L. 2
Wm. 2
Azariah 1
Benjamine 1
Colliss 1
Duncan 1
Elijah 1
Elliott 1
Ernest 1
Finlay 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
G.A. 1
Jos. 1
Joshua 1
Kenwith 1
Lionel 1
Mason 1
Mathew 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Saunderson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Saunderson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 695 people were recorded with the Saunderson surname. That placed it at #5,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Saunderson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016. That gives Saunderson a modern rank of #5,761.

What does the Saunderson surname mean?

An Anglicized version of the French patronymic "Sanderson" meaning "son of Saunder."

What does the Saunderson map show?

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