NameCensus.

UK surname

Sayles

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of rope or cord.

In the 1881 census there were 448 people recorded with the Sayles surname, ranking it #7,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 750, ranked #7,292, up from #7,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Doncaster, Crowle and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Rotherham and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sayles is 816 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.4%.

1881 census count

448

Ranked #7,339

Modern count

750

2016, ranked #7,292

Peak year

2010

816 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sayles had 448 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016, ranked #7,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 649 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Sayles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sayles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sayles 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 310 #7,434
1861 historical 304 #8,340
1881 historical 448 #7,339
1891 historical 481 #7,664
1901 historical 585 #7,209
1911 historical 649 #6,449
1997 modern 764 #6,783
1998 modern 776 #6,925
1999 modern 798 #6,805
2000 modern 777 #6,934
2001 modern 767 #6,863
2002 modern 792 #6,833
2003 modern 762 #6,921
2004 modern 784 #6,784
2005 modern 777 #6,756
2006 modern 758 #6,930
2007 modern 774 #6,883
2008 modern 773 #6,944
2009 modern 797 #6,912
2010 modern 816 #6,904
2011 modern 806 #6,895
2012 modern 776 #7,033
2013 modern 791 #7,032
2014 modern 777 #7,165
2015 modern 774 #7,125
2016 modern 750 #7,292

Geography

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Where Sayles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Doncaster, Crowle, Sheffield, Tickhill (Wadworth, Stancil with Wellingley and Wilsick), Braithwell (Bramley), Stainton with Hellab and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Rotherham, Wakefield, North Lincolnshire and Amber Valley. 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 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Crowle Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Tickhill (Wadworth, Stancil with Wellingley and Wilsick), Braithwell (Bramley), Stainton with Hellab Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
3 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
4 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire
5 Amber Valley 002 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sayles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sayles

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Sayles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sayles 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sayles 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

Sayles is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sayles falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sayles

The surname SAYLES is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sæl", meaning a hall or manor house. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or was associated with a particular hall or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Hugo de la Sale". This entry provides evidence of the name's early spelling variations, which include Sale, Sayle, and Saylle.

The SAYLES surname is also linked to various place names in England, such as Sawley in Yorkshire, Salley in Norfolk, and Salehurst in Sussex. These place names may have influenced the development and spelling variations of the surname over time.

Notable historical figures with the SAYLES surname include John Sayles (1556-1631), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. Another prominent individual was Sir John Sayles (1617-1683), an English politician and judge who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

During the 17th century, the SAYLES name appeared in the New World, with records indicating the presence of individuals such as Thomas Sayles, who settled in Virginia in 1623. In 1635, Robert Sayles arrived in Massachusetts, becoming one of the early settlers in the American colonies.

Other notable bearers of the SAYLES surname include John Sayles (born 1950), an American independent film director, writer, and actor known for his critically acclaimed works such as "Matewan" and "Lone Star". Additionally, there was Charles Sayles (1901-1964), an American baseball player who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1920s.

The SAYLES name has also been associated with various professions throughout history, including military service. One example is Major General Wilton B. Sayles (1914-1989), a United States Air Force officer who served during World War II and the Vietnam War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sayles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sayles 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. Yorkshire leads with 336 Sayles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.81x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 336 7.81x
Lancashire 29 0.56x
Derbyshire 23 3.38x
Lincolnshire 14 2.02x
Surrey 8 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 6 2.29x
Hertfordshire 6 2.01x
Durham 5 0.39x
Middlesex 5 0.12x
Gloucestershire 4 0.47x
Westmorland 3 3.14x
Worcestershire 2 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.31x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Cumberland 1 0.27x
Warwickshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 38 Sayles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.75x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 38 27.75x
Crowle 31 734.60x
Ecclesfield 24 76.09x
Brightside Bierlow 20 23.71x
Barrow In Furness 13 18.56x
Laughton En Le Morthen 13 1313.13x
Brampton Bierlow 12 217.79x
Huddersfield 11 17.55x
Crich 10 225.23x
Doncaster 10 31.82x
Ashover 9 266.27x
Dewsbury 9 20.40x
Little Smeaton In 9 2093.02x
Lockwood 9 58.14x
Nether Hallam 9 15.46x
Rastrick 9 75.31x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 8 155.95x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 9.14x
Hoyland Nether 8 75.83x
Thorpe In Balne 8 2962.96x
Bentley Cum Arksey 7 311.11x
Braithwell 7 1296.30x
Dalton In Rotherham 7 1147.54x
Epworth 7 216.05x
Greasbrough 7 123.24x
Toxteth Park 7 4.01x
Wadworth 7 823.53x
Battersea 6 3.76x
Brodsworth 6 1153.85x
Burnham 6 179.64x
Bushey 6 84.27x
Bramley In Rotherham 5 833.33x
Clayton Cum Frickley 5 1041.67x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 5 46.08x
Stockton On Tees 5 8.03x
Derby St Peter 4 18.48x
Frampton Cotterell 4 133.78x
Heck 4 1176.47x
Hulme 4 3.72x
Whiston 4 193.24x
Bampton 3 370.37x
Barnsley 3 6.76x
Chelsea London 3 2.29x
Rawmarsh 3 19.74x
Stainforth In Thorne 3 272.73x
Tickhill 3 109.49x
West Butterwick With 3 280.37x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 4.99x
Bassingham 2 185.19x
Carr House Elm Field 2 5000.00x
Liverpool 2 0.64x
Skellow 2 833.33x
St Martin Lincoln 2 31.06x
Thrybergh 2 645.16x
Wath On Dearne 2 23.31x
Welland 2 153.85x
Askern 1 123.46x
Barwick In Elmet 1 30.30x
Batley 1 2.45x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.53x
Cadeby 1 250.00x
Cheetham 1 2.60x
Congleton 1 6.04x
Croydon 1 0.85x
Crumpsall 1 8.24x
Goole 1 13.87x
Halifax 1 1.58x
Holy Trinity 1 0.97x
Kimberworth 1 4.19x
Leamington Priors 1 3.71x
Letcombe Regis 1 158.73x
Loversall 1 384.62x
Low Bolton 1 105.26x
Metham 1 1111.11x
Oldham 1 0.60x
Rawcliffe In Goole 1 40.82x
Rawdon 1 19.72x
Routh 1 416.67x
St Pancras London 1 0.29x
Wandsworth 1 2.39x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 22
George 21
Thomas 19
Joseph 11
Charles 9
Robert 8
Arthur 7
James 7
Frank 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Benjamin 5
Henry 5
Harry 4
Wm. 4
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Chas. 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Joe 2
Luke 2
Reuben 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Ben 1
Chester 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Garvis 1
Geo.L. 1
Jim 1
Jno. 1
Johathan 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Malcolm 1
Mark 1
Morrison 1

FAQ

Sayles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sayles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 448 people were recorded with the Sayles surname. That placed it at #7,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sayles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 750 in 2016. That gives Sayles a modern rank of #7,292.

What does the Sayles surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of rope or cord.

What does the Sayles map show?

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