UK surname

Savvas

An Anglicized form of the Greek surname Savvidis, derived from the given name Savvas.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Kingston upon Thames and Torbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Savvas is 142 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

2014

142 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Map

Savvas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Savvas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Savvas 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
1911	historical	1	#34,332
1997	modern	106	#26,057
1998	modern	113	#25,731
1999	modern	115	#25,620
2000	modern	110	#26,248
2001	modern	111	#25,767
2002	modern	116	#25,632
2003	modern	131	#23,553
2004	modern	128	#24,117
2005	modern	125	#24,398
2006	modern	121	#25,133
2007	modern	123	#25,208
2008	modern	130	#24,695
2009	modern	129	#25,314
2010	modern	130	#25,775
2011	modern	133	#25,177
2012	modern	130	#25,559
2013	modern	140	#24,779
2014	modern	142	#24,734
2015	modern	141	#24,723
2016	modern	142	#24,625

Geography

Where Savvas' 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 North Warwickshire, Kingston upon Thames, Torbay, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Barnet. 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	North Warwickshire 001	North Warwickshire
2	Kingston upon Thames 014	Kingston upon Thames
3	Torbay 004	Torbay
4	Nuneaton and Bedworth 007	Nuneaton and Bedworth
5	Barnet 012	Barnet

Forenames

First names often paired with Savvas

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Maria Christina Loukia Karen Diane Andrea Jane Sophie Despina Claire

Recent male names

Anthony Nicholas Andreas Michael Peter Adam Savva Christopher Alexander Simon

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Savvas

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Savvas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Savvas household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Savvas is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Savvas 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Savvas falls in decile 7 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Savvas 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Other

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Savvas

The surname SAVVAS originated in Greece and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Greek word "savvas," which means "venerable" or "honorable." The name was likely given to individuals who were respected members of their community or held positions of authority.

The earliest known record of the SAVVAS surname appears in a manuscript from the Byzantine era, which mentions a nobleman named Ioannis SAVVAS who lived in the city of Thessaloniki. This document suggests that the name was already well-established in the region during that time period.

Over the centuries, the SAVVAS name has been associated with several notable individuals, including St. Savvas the Sanctified (439-532 AD), a Palestinian monk who founded several monasteries in the Judean Desert. Another prominent figure was Michael SAVVAS (1492-1556), a Greek Renaissance scholar and philosopher who taught at the University of Padua.

In the 18th century, Dimitrios SAVVAS (1732-1804) was a Greek merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of schools and libraries in his hometown of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). A century later, Konstantinos SAVVAS (1841-1923) was a renowned Greek painter and educator who helped establish the School of Fine Arts in Athens.

One of the most famous bearers of the SAVVAS surname was Angelos SAVVAS (1890-1972), a Greek politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1935 to 1936. He was also a member of the International Olympic Committee and played a key role in the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern era.

While the SAVVAS name has its roots in Greece, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. Over time, the spelling has evolved to include variations like SAVAS and SAVVA, reflecting local language influences and naming traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Savvas surname: questions and answers

How common is the Savvas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Savvas a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Savvas surname mean?