NameCensus.

UK surname

Savill

A locational surname derived from Savill, a place in Surrey, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,420 people recorded with the Savill surname, ranking it #2,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,723, ranked #3,622, down from #2,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chigwell, London parishes and Wendens Ambo. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Havering and Gravesham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Savill is 1,880 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.3%.

1881 census count

1,420

Ranked #2,926

Modern count

1,723

2016, ranked #3,622

Peak year

1999

1,880 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Savill had 1,420 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,723 in 2016, ranked #3,622.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,845 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Savill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Savill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Savill 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 1,023 #2,733
1861 historical 995 #2,801
1881 historical 1,420 #2,926
1891 historical 1,356 #3,206
1901 historical 1,486 #3,441
1911 historical 1,845 #2,675
1997 modern 1,829 #3,285
1998 modern 1,878 #3,339
1999 modern 1,880 #3,353
2000 modern 1,860 #3,360
2001 modern 1,804 #3,386
2002 modern 1,825 #3,416
2003 modern 1,796 #3,401
2004 modern 1,790 #3,412
2005 modern 1,737 #3,473
2006 modern 1,738 #3,482
2007 modern 1,756 #3,482
2008 modern 1,757 #3,505
2009 modern 1,785 #3,531
2010 modern 1,796 #3,573
2011 modern 1,794 #3,544
2012 modern 1,742 #3,566
2013 modern 1,793 #3,542
2014 modern 1,780 #3,572
2015 modern 1,748 #3,598
2016 modern 1,723 #3,622

Geography

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Where Savills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chigwell, London parishes, Wendens Ambo and Albury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Havering, Gravesham, Cornwall and Harlow. 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 Chigwell Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wendens Ambo Essex
5 Albury Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
2 Havering 009 Havering
3 Gravesham 006 Gravesham
4 Cornwall 055 Cornwall
5 Harlow 004 Harlow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Savill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Savill

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Savill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Savill 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Savill is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Savill is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Savill

The surname Savill is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "saef" meaning willow, and "hyll" meaning hill, suggesting it referred to someone who lived near a willow-covered hill or a place with a similar name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Savill name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Savehille" in connection with landholdings in Berkshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms such as Savill, Savell, and Saville, reflecting the shifting spellings and pronunciations of the time. It is likely that the Savill surname originated among the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of southern England, particularly in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire.

Notable individuals with the Savill surname include Sir Henry Savill (1679-1768), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. Another prominent figure was Sir George Savile (1633-1695), an English politician and writer who played a significant role in the Exclusion Crisis during the reign of Charles II.

In the literary realm, Douglas Savile (1836-1910) was a British writer and journalist who published several novels and works of historical fiction. The name can also be found in the annals of architecture, with Sir Reginald Savill (1858-1949), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Savill surname in the United States dates back to the 17th century, when John Savill arrived in Virginia in 1635. This suggests that the name was carried over to the American colonies by early English settlers.

Throughout its history, the Savill surname has maintained a strong association with England, particularly in the southern counties where it is believed to have originated. While its precise etymology remains a subject of scholarly debate, the name's roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, reflecting the rich tapestry of England's linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Savill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Savill 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. Essex leads with 644 Savills recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.57x.

County Total Index
Essex 644 23.57x
Middlesex 286 2.07x
Hertfordshire 139 14.57x
Surrey 74 1.10x
Kent 46 0.97x
Yorkshire 44 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 41 4.68x
Lancashire 39 0.24x
Durham 30 0.73x
Hampshire 11 0.39x
Bedfordshire 10 1.40x
Sussex 9 0.39x
Lincolnshire 6 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.32x
Worcestershire 6 0.33x
Northamptonshire 5 0.38x
Gloucestershire 4 0.15x
Glamorgan 3 0.12x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.95x
Berkshire 2 0.19x
Herefordshire 2 0.35x
Norfolk 2 0.09x
Suffolk 2 0.12x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Saffron Walden in Essex leads with 51 Savills recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.65x.

Place Total Index
Saffron Walden 51 176.65x
Great Dunmow 38 266.85x
West Ham 38 6.30x
Hurworth 30 416.09x
Albury 27 909.09x
Edmonton 27 24.21x
Chigwell 26 100.81x
Furneux Pelham 26 959.41x
Hackney London 26 3.35x
Witham 25 177.68x
Walthamstow 23 23.39x
Enfield 22 24.22x
Islington London 21 1.57x
Broxted 19 575.76x
Bishop Stortford 18 56.48x
Brentwood 17 102.04x
Farnham 17 714.29x
Wendens Ambo 17 971.43x
Great Warley 16 258.48x
St Pancras London 16 1.44x
Lambeth 15 1.24x
St Marylebone London 14 1.89x
Barking 13 16.26x
Harlow 13 110.45x
South Ockendon 13 229.68x
Thaxted 13 143.33x
Great Sampford 12 409.56x
St Andrew Holborn 12 25.57x
Great Waltham 11 98.83x
Newington 11 2.15x
Otford 11 166.92x
Rayne 11 572.92x
Tottenham 11 4.99x
Acton 10 12.32x
East Ham 10 19.72x
Kensington London 10 1.30x
Manuden 10 292.40x
Matching 10 353.36x
Mile End Old Town 10 4.58x
Butterworth 9 22.49x
Chelsea London 9 2.16x
Childerditch 9 857.14x
Clavering 9 181.82x
Great Amwell 9 94.04x
Langley 9 473.68x
Romford 9 20.84x
South Weald 9 38.46x
St Andrewthe Less 9 8.98x
Waltham Holy Cross 9 35.24x
Heston 8 17.40x
Little Baddow 8 310.08x
Nuthampstead 8 776.70x
Sculcoates 8 3.68x
Sheffield 8 1.83x
Standon 8 81.47x
Woolwich 8 4.59x
Battersea 7 1.37x
Bromley London 7 2.30x
Great Burstead 7 70.35x
Hammersmith London 7 2.05x
Hatfield Peverel 7 118.64x
Hornchurch 7 52.28x
Littlebury 7 185.68x
Liverpool 7 0.70x
Maldon St Peter 7 50.29x
North Benfleet 7 721.65x
Northfleet 7 16.82x
Slaithwaite 7 49.02x
Whittlesford 7 174.13x
Woodford 7 22.63x
Woodham Mortimer 7 443.04x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.00x
Bury 6 3.20x
Fulham London 6 2.99x
Heydon 6 491.80x
Lye 6 19.95x
Newton 6 4.74x
Paddington London 6 1.18x
Stanford Rivers 6 129.87x
Wandsworth 6 4.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 63
George 58
Charles 49
James 38
Alfred 36
Joseph 30
Thomas 27
Arthur 26
Henry 25
Walter 23
Frederick 21
David 16
Albert 13
Edward 11
Frank 10
Benjamin 9
Harry 9
Ernest 8
Richard 7
Herbert 6
Robert 6
Philip 5
Samuel 5
Jonathan 4
Leonard 4
Stanley 4
Stephen 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Chas. 3
Elijah 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Alexander 2
B. 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Emanuel 2
Emily 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Martin 2
Peter 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Savill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Savill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,420 people were recorded with the Savill surname. That placed it at #2,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Savill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,723 in 2016. That gives Savill a modern rank of #3,622.

What does the Savill surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Savill, a place in Surrey, England.

What does the Savill map show?

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