NameCensus.

UK surname

Savoury

A surname derived from the French word "savour", referring to one with a reputation for cooking tasty dishes.

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Savoury surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 161, ranked #22,606, up from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Warham All Saints and St Mary and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Craven and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Savoury is 173 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 126.8%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

161

2016, ranked #22,606

Peak year

2002

173 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Savoury had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016, ranked #22,606.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Savoury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Savoury surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Savoury 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 97 #24,447
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 160 #20,616
2002 modern 173 #20,043
2003 modern 167 #20,245
2004 modern 163 #20,685
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 149 #22,318
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 161 #22,606

Geography

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Where Savourys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Warham All Saints and St Mary, London parishes, Foleshill and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Craven, Tonbridge and Malling, Mansfield and Cardiff. 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 Warham All Saints and St Mary Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Foleshill Warwickshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 012 Sheffield
2 Craven 007 Craven
3 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling
4 Mansfield 004 Mansfield
5 Cardiff 015 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Savoury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Savoury

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Savoury, 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 Savoury surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Savoury 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Savoury is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Savoury is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Savoury falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Savoury is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Savoury

The surname "Savoury" originated in England during the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "savouret", which means "well-seasoned" or "tasty". The name likely referred to someone who worked as a cook or a chef, preparing savory dishes for wealthy households or religious establishments.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Savoury" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a John Savoury was christened in 1592. Another early reference is the marriage of Thomas Savoury and Elizabeth Bowyer in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1619, the same town where William Shakespeare was born and raised.

The Savoury family can trace their roots back to the village of Savoury in Wiltshire, which was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Savria". This place name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sæfern" and "ieg", meaning "savory island" or "savory meadow".

One notable bearer of the Savoury surname was Sir John Savoury (1610-1675), a wealthy merchant and landowner from London. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King Charles II in 1662. Another prominent figure was Sir Richard Savoury (1735-1811), a British naval officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 18th century, the Savoury family established themselves in the West Country of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset and Dorset. John Savoury (1743-1822), a farmer from Yeovil, Somerset, is recorded as having 12 children, many of whom went on to carry the name to other parts of England and beyond.

Other notable individuals with the Savoury surname include:

1. William Savoury (1777-1844), an English engraver and artist known for his illustrations of architectural subjects. 2. Elizabeth Savoury (1818-1899), a British educator and founder of the Savoury Girls' School in Taunton, Somerset. 3. Thomas Savoury (1845-1916), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Winnipeg from 1891 to 1892. 4. George Savoury (1868-1941), an Australian cricketer who played for the New South Wales and South Australian teams in the late 19th century. 5. Edith Savoury (1893-1972), a British actress and singer who appeared in several West End productions in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Savoury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Savoury 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. Norfolk leads with 17 Savourys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.97x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 17 15.97x
Yorkshire 13 1.89x
Monmouthshire 6 11.99x
Warwickshire 6 3.44x
Carmarthenshire 5 17.14x
Middlesex 4 0.58x
Berkshire 3 5.77x
Gloucestershire 3 2.21x
Oxfordshire 3 7.02x
Herefordshire 2 7.04x
Surrey 2 0.59x
Cornwall 1 1.28x
Devon 1 0.69x
Dorset 1 2.20x
Durham 1 0.49x
Pembrokeshire 1 4.55x
Wiltshire 1 1.63x
Worcestershire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warham St Mary in Norfolk leads with 9 Savourys recorded in 1881 and an index of 45000.00x.

Place Total Index
Warham St Mary 9 45000.00x
Aberystruth 5 113.38x
Llanelly 5 76.10x
Middleton On Wolds 4 2666.67x
Rotherham 4 103.36x
Foleshill 3 163.04x
St Clement Danes 3 267.86x
Burghfield 2 645.16x
Gomersal 2 62.50x
Goring 2 833.33x
Holkham 2 1538.46x
Mulbarton 2 1666.67x
Sheffield 2 9.16x
Westbury On Severn East 2 65.15x
Aston 1 2.08x
Bedwellty 1 11.31x
Bellchalwell 1 2500.00x
Bermondsey 1 4.85x
Besthorpe 1 833.33x
Birmingham 1 1.72x
Bisley 1 666.67x
Eastnor 1 1111.11x
Great Yarmouth 1 11.34x
Gunthorpe 1 2000.00x
Hungerford 1 142.86x
Kentisbeare 1 500.00x
Llanstadwell 1 138.89x
Longtown 1 555.56x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 81.97x
Pillaton 1 1250.00x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 1 370.37x
Redditch 1 54.64x
Shoreditch London 1 3.33x
Swindon 1 21.05x
Thornley 1 133.33x
Warwick St Mary 1 65.79x
West Dean 1 45.25x
Yarnton 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Louisa 1
Marion 1
Marth 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 3
Daniel 2
George 2
James 2
Thos. 2
William 2
Austen 1
Charley 1
David 1
Dd. 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Giovanni 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
J.S. 1
John 1
Lewis 1
Richard 1
Roffaelo 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Theophilus 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Savoury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Savoury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Savoury surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Savoury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 161 in 2016. That gives Savoury a modern rank of #22,606.

What does the Savoury surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word "savour", referring to one with a reputation for cooking tasty dishes.

What does the Savoury map show?

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