NameCensus.

UK surname

Sawyer

An occupational surname for one who saws wood, such as a carpenter or woodcutter.

In the 1881 census there were 5,516 people recorded with the Sawyer surname, ranking it #805 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,408, ranked #901, down from #805 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, Wiltshire and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sawyer is 8,249 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.3%.

1881 census count

5,516

Ranked #805

Modern count

7,408

2016, ranked #901

Peak year

1999

8,249 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sawyer had 5,516 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #805 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,408 in 2016, ranked #901.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,696 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sawyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sawyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sawyer 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 3,649 #777
1861 historical 3,549 #793
1881 historical 5,516 #805
1891 historical 5,924 #795
1901 historical 7,041 #785
1911 historical 7,696 #676
1997 modern 7,883 #816
1998 modern 8,174 #820
1999 modern 8,249 #818
2000 modern 8,072 #829
2001 modern 7,893 #831
2002 modern 8,014 #839
2003 modern 7,829 #834
2004 modern 7,719 #843
2005 modern 7,515 #862
2006 modern 7,449 #871
2007 modern 7,484 #875
2008 modern 7,444 #887
2009 modern 7,614 #889
2010 modern 7,764 #889
2011 modern 7,646 #889
2012 modern 7,478 #890
2013 modern 7,589 #890
2014 modern 7,600 #895
2015 modern 7,498 #896
2016 modern 7,408 #901

Geography

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Where Sawyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras and North Meols. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, Wiltshire, Lincoln, Bromley and Reading. 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 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 North Meols Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 010 Horsham
2 Wiltshire 013 Wiltshire
3 Lincoln 010 Lincoln
4 Bromley 023 Bromley
5 Reading 017 Reading

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sawyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sawyer

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

Sawyer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Sawyer

The surname Sawyer is an occupational name that originated in England. It derives from the Old English word 'sagere' or 'sawere,' which means 'a sawyer' or someone who sawed wood for a living. This occupation was crucial in medieval times when timber was a valuable resource used for construction and fuel.

The earliest known record of the surname Sawyer dates back to the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as 'le Sawiere.' This document was a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I. The name was also recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 as 'Sauger.'

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Sawyer, who was born around 1450 in Wycliffe, Yorkshire, England. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Sawyer (1633-1692), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General for England and Wales during the reign of King James II.

The Sawyer surname was also prominent in the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers was Thomas Sawyer, who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. His descendants include the famous American author Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910), whose middle name 'Langhorne' was derived from his ancestor, John Sawyer of Lancashire, England.

Another notable Sawyer was Philander Chase Sawyer (1824-1900), an American businessman and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin. In the literary world, Charles Sawyer (1887-1979) was an English novelist and short story writer best known for his works set in the West Country of England.

The Sawyer surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Sawyers Hill in Gloucestershire and Sawyers Close in Warwickshire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the occupational surname who lived or worked in those areas.

Overall, the surname Sawyer has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England and the important occupation of sawing timber. It has since spread across the globe, with notable bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sawyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sawyer 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 982 Sawyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 982 1.82x
Surrey 675 2.57x
Suffolk 398 6.06x
Yorkshire 367 0.69x
Kent 325 1.77x
Lancashire 323 0.51x
Wiltshire 264 5.54x
Hampshire 210 1.90x
Essex 195 1.83x
Berkshire 183 4.53x
Staffordshire 154 0.85x
Sussex 133 1.46x
Buckinghamshire 121 3.71x
Lincolnshire 105 1.22x
Oxfordshire 101 3.04x
Somerset 88 1.01x
Worcestershire 87 1.24x
Warwickshire 76 0.56x
Durham 69 0.43x
Gloucestershire 65 0.62x
Hertfordshire 61 1.64x
Norfolk 56 0.68x
Bedfordshire 51 1.83x
Derbyshire 49 0.58x
Devon 46 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 43 1.26x
Huntingdonshire 42 3.93x
Northumberland 35 0.44x
Dorset 30 0.85x
Cumberland 27 0.58x
Northamptonshire 20 0.39x
Glamorgan 19 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 18 0.25x
Shropshire 18 0.39x
Herefordshire 16 0.72x
Cheshire 12 0.10x
Leicestershire 10 0.17x
Royal Navy 8 1.25x
Brecknockshire 6 0.56x
Midlothian 6 0.08x
Channel Islands 5 0.31x
Lanarkshire 4 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.14x
Westmorland 3 0.25x
Cardiganshire 2 0.15x
Denbighshire 2 0.10x
Isle of Man 2 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.26x
Monmouthshire 2 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.06x
Perthshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 138 Sawyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.94x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 138 2.94x
Hackney London 94 3.11x
Camberwell 75 2.18x
Battersea 63 3.18x
Kensington London 63 2.10x
Portsea 62 2.86x
Brighton 61 3.33x
Tottenham 61 7.11x
West Ham 59 2.51x
Islington London 56 1.07x
Hammersmith London 54 4.07x
Croydon 52 3.57x
Birkdale 51 31.53x
Leeds 47 1.56x
Bethnal Green London 45 1.92x
St Pancras London 44 1.01x
Shoreditch London 41 1.76x
Newington 40 2.01x
Stoke Upon Trent 39 2.02x
Aston 38 1.02x
North Meols 35 5.59x
Chelsea London 34 2.09x
Paddington London 34 1.72x
Reading St Giles 34 8.57x
Bermondsey 32 2.00x
Hasbury 32 69.55x
Woodbridge 32 38.15x
Downe 31 304.52x
Swindon 31 8.39x
Southampton All Sts 30 15.83x
Sutton 29 102.51x
Clapham 27 4.01x
Lewisham 27 2.75x
Tunstall 27 237.68x
Birmingham 26 0.57x
Bow London 26 3.79x
Lichfield St Michael 26 45.55x
St Marylebone London 26 0.90x
Corsham 25 35.96x
Formby 25 34.54x
Mile End Old Town 25 2.94x
Sheffield 25 1.47x
Ipswich St Peter 24 27.17x
Long Crendon 24 110.09x
South Hinksey 24 136.13x
St Luke London 24 2.78x
Enfield 23 6.51x
Sevenoaks 23 15.43x
Southwark St George Martyr 23 2.12x
Cuddesdon 22 242.02x
Horsley 22 47.00x
Hougham 22 20.13x
Otley 22 187.55x
Rotherhithe 22 3.30x
Bradford On Avon 21 13.77x
Holy Trinity 21 1.64x
Kings Norton 21 3.33x
Kingston On Thames 21 3.33x
Bishopwearmouth 20 1.45x
Hunslet 20 2.40x
Bedminster 19 2.33x
Nettleham 19 107.53x
Plumstead 19 3.10x
Putney 19 7.74x
St George Hanover 19 2.70x
Whitechapel London 19 3.58x
Worminghall 19 339.89x
Barking 18 5.78x
Fulham London 18 2.30x
Great Marlow 18 20.48x
Luton 18 3.73x
Mildenhall 18 215.05x
Bexley 17 10.46x
Clerkenwell London 17 1.34x
Hampton London 17 19.20x
Leyton Low 17 7.86x
Sculcoates 17 2.01x
Wandsworth 17 3.28x
Peterborough 16 4.36x
Stewkley 16 64.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 318
Elizabeth 230
Sarah 165
Alice 113
Jane 105
Eliza 94
Ellen 88
Emma 86
Ann 85
Annie 84
Emily 74
Hannah 53
Louisa 46
Ada 42
Fanny 38
Martha 38
Caroline 34
Margaret 34
Maria 33
Charlotte 32
Florence 31
Harriet 30
Lucy 30
Susan 30
Anne 29
Edith 29
Clara 26
Harriett 25
Kate 23
Rose 21
Amelia 20
Agnes 18
Esther 17
Sophia 16
Eleanor 15
Ruth 15
Ethel 14
Matilda 14
Bessie 13
Catherine 13
Frances 13
Lydia 13
Isabella 12
Amy 11
Rebecca 11
Bertha 10
Laura 10
Elizth. 9
Lily 9
Rosa 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 369
John 290
George 202
James 180
Thomas 156
Henry 128
Charles 118
Alfred 94
Edward 84
Joseph 74
Frederick 71
Arthur 68
Walter 58
Robert 57
Samuel 51
Richard 46
Harry 43
Albert 34
Ernest 25
Frank 25
Herbert 25
Fred 19
Daniel 18
Francis 16
Benjamin 14
David 14
Wm. 13
Edwin 12
Edmund 10
Jesse 10
Tom 10
Percy 8
Thos. 8
Fredk. 7
Isaac 7
Sidney 7
Alexander 6
Chas. 6
Eli 6
W. 6
Willm. 6
Geo. 5
Jno. 5
Job 5
Simon 5
Willie 5
Ezekiel 4
Jonathan 4
Lewis 4
Louis 4

FAQ

Sawyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sawyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,516 people were recorded with the Sawyer surname. That placed it at #805 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sawyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,408 in 2016. That gives Sawyer a modern rank of #901.

What does the Sawyer surname mean?

An occupational surname for one who saws wood, such as a carpenter or woodcutter.

What does the Sawyer map show?

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