NameCensus.

UK surname

Sax

A surname derived from the Old English word "seax," meaning a knife or dagger.

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Sax surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Bournemouth and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sax is 102 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 325.0%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2015

102 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sax had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Sax surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sax surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sax 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 23 #29,205
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 90 #28,793
2002 modern 90 #29,314
2003 modern 88 #29,506
2004 modern 84 #30,244
2005 modern 83 #30,486
2006 modern 84 #30,665
2007 modern 84 #31,067
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 82 #32,048
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 97 #30,798
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Sax' 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 Rother, Bournemouth, East Dorset, Camden and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Rother 003 Rother
2 Bournemouth 012 Bournemouth
3 East Dorset 005 East Dorset
4 Camden 014 Camden
5 Tunbridge Wells 012 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sax

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sax

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Sax surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Sax 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sax is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Sax 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sax 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sax 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 Sax, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sax

The surname "Sax" originated in Anglo-Saxon England, likely deriving from the Old English word "seax" meaning "knife" or "short sword". It was initially an occupational name for a maker or seller of knives or swords. The name has also been linked to the Saxon tribe, which occupied regions of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands before migrating to Britain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sax" and "Saexi". During the medieval period, variations like "Saxe", "Sache", and "Sayche" were also common.

Historically, the Sax surname was prevalent in various regions of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. Notable bearers of the name include John Sax, a 14th-century landowner in Norfolk, and William Sax, a merchant recorded in the London tax rolls of 1381.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax (1814-1894), the Belgian inventor and musician credited with creating the saxophone. His innovative work revolutionized the world of music and had a lasting impact on the development of modern instruments.

Another significant figure was Samuel Sax (1837-1898), an American entrepreneur who founded the Sax Motor Company in 1904, one of the earliest automobile manufacturers in the United States.

The Sax name also has a notable literary connection through the poet and novelist Lydia Sax (1923-2000), whose work explored themes of identity, loss, and resilience. Her acclaimed novel "The Tiny Lie" (1968) earned critical acclaim and cemented her place in American literature.

In the realm of science, Carl Sax (1892-1975) was a renowned Swedish-American botanist and plant breeder, known for his groundbreaking work on disease resistance in potatoes and the development of new crop varieties.

Throughout history, the Sax surname has been associated with various occupations, from skilled craftsmen to entrepreneurs, artists, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of its bearers across different fields and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sax families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sax 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 12 Sax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 5.13x
Surrey 11 9.65x
Lincolnshire 1 2.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 6 Sax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.17x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 6 59.17x
Fetcham 4 10000.00x
Dorking 3 389.61x
Battersea 2 23.23x
Camberwell 2 13.38x
St Giles In Fields 2 246.91x
Spitalfields London 1 56.82x
St Andrew Holborn 1 126.58x
St Pancras London 1 5.31x
Whitechapel London 1 43.29x
Worlaby By Aldford 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 3
Ellen 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Clare 1
Emma 1
Katie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Julius 1
Lewis 1
Walter 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Sax households.

FAQ

Sax surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sax surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Sax surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sax surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Sax a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Sax surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "seax," meaning a knife or dagger.

What does the Sax map show?

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