NameCensus.

UK surname

Sayell

In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Sayell surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #21,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mentmore, Stanton Bury and Watford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Aylesbury Vale and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sayell is 164 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.7%.

1881 census count

86

Ranked #21,449

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

1911

164 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2006

Key insights

  • Sayell had 86 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 164 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sayell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sayell surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sayell 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 86 #21,449
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 107 #21,955
1911 historical 164 #16,879
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 98 #27,988
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Sayells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mentmore, Stanton Bury, Watford, Aylesbury, Bierton with Broughton and Ivinghoe, Cheddington, Slapton, Pitstone (Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire), Eddlesborough, Little Gadde. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Aylesbury Vale, Sevenoaks, Three Rivers and Pembrokeshire. 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 Mentmore Bedfordshire
2 Stanton Bury Buckinghamshire
3 Watford Hertfordshire
4 Aylesbury, Bierton with Broughton Buckinghamshire
5 Ivinghoe, Cheddington, Slapton, Pitstone (Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire), Eddlesborough, Little Gadde Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Aylesbury Vale 012 Aylesbury Vale
3 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
4 Three Rivers 002 Three Rivers
5 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sayell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sayell

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Sayell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sayell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Sayell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Sayell 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

Sayell falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sayell 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.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Sayell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sayell 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 57 Sayells recorded in 1881 and an index of 113.73x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 57 113.73x
Bedfordshire 16 37.27x
Staffordshire 5 1.79x
Middlesex 4 0.48x
Hertfordshire 2 3.50x
Kent 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheddington in Buckinghamshire leads with 27 Sayells recorded in 1881 and an index of 12857.14x.

Place Total Index
Cheddington 27 12857.14x
Slapton 13 16250.00x
Leighton Buzzard 8 432.43x
Billington 7 5833.33x
Mentmore 7 7777.78x
Wing 6 1304.35x
Pelsall 5 602.41x
Aylesbury 4 180.18x
Tottenham 3 22.73x
Watford 2 45.15x
Bexley 1 40.00x
Chalgrave 1 400.00x
Enfield 1 18.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Martha 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Mary 2
Florance 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Lois 1
Lucy 1
Phebe 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sayell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sayell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Sayell surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sayell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Sayell a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Sayell map show?

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