NameCensus.

UK surname

Scaife

A topographic surname referring to someone living on a ridge or cliff.

In the 1881 census there were 1,328 people recorded with the Scaife surname, ranking it #3,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,028, ranked #3,176, down from #3,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, County Durham and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scaife is 2,120 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.7%.

1881 census count

1,328

Ranked #3,091

Modern count

2,028

2016, ranked #3,176

Peak year

1999

2,120 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scaife had 1,328 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,028 in 2016, ranked #3,176.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,831 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Scaife surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scaife surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scaife 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 616 #4,192
1861 historical 726 #3,748
1881 historical 1,328 #3,091
1891 historical 1,433 #3,054
1901 historical 1,738 #2,983
1911 historical 1,831 #2,692
1997 modern 2,029 #3,023
1998 modern 2,106 #3,031
1999 modern 2,120 #3,036
2000 modern 2,089 #3,061
2001 modern 2,057 #3,034
2002 modern 2,107 #3,038
2003 modern 2,045 #3,058
2004 modern 2,021 #3,089
2005 modern 1,997 #3,095
2006 modern 1,989 #3,108
2007 modern 1,993 #3,135
2008 modern 2,036 #3,096
2009 modern 2,096 #3,088
2010 modern 2,064 #3,192
2011 modern 2,046 #3,179
2012 modern 2,000 #3,197
2013 modern 2,053 #3,175
2014 modern 2,065 #3,175
2015 modern 2,042 #3,172
2016 modern 2,028 #3,176

Geography

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Where Scaifes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Hull Holy Trinity, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to York, County Durham, Bradford, Hambleton and Harrogate. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 009 York
2 County Durham 059 County Durham
3 Bradford 004 Bradford
4 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
5 Harrogate 014 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scaife

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scaife

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Scaife 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

Scaife is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Scaife

The surname Scaife originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "skeif," which means a stretch of land or a ridge, or the Old English word "sceaf," meaning a sheaf or bundle of grain. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a ridge or worked on a farm.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Scayf, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199. The name also appeared in various spellings, such as Schayfe, Scheyfe, and Scayfe, in medieval records across northern England.

In the 13th century, the Scaife surname was found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where it was spelled as Scheyfe. This record from 1273 suggests that the name had spread to other parts of the country by that time.

The Scaifes were particularly prominent in Yorkshire, where they owned lands and held positions of importance. One notable figure was Thomas Scaife, who served as the Mayor of Leeds in 1619. Another was Sir Henry Scaife, a wealthy landowner and merchant from Hull, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

During the English Civil War, a Royalist officer named John Scaife fought for King Charles I and was involved in the defense of York in 1644. He later immigrated to Virginia, becoming one of the earliest Scaifes in North America.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the family was Richard Scaife (1732-1806), a successful merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He was known for his philanthropic works and donated funds for the establishment of schools in his hometown.

The Scaife name also gained recognition in the literary world with the poet and writer John Scaife (1789-1845), who was born in Yorkshire and wrote several works on local history and folklore.

Throughout its history, the Scaife surname has been associated with various places in northern England, particularly in Yorkshire. Some examples include Scaife Hill, a location near the town of Boroughbridge, and Scaife Abbey, which was a former monastery near Wetherby.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scaife families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scaife 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 808 Scaifes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 808 6.29x
Durham 156 4.05x
Lancashire 94 0.61x
Cumberland 62 5.56x
Middlesex 41 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 40 13.98x
Northumberland 17 0.88x
Westmorland 16 5.62x
Surrey 11 0.17x
Norfolk 10 0.50x
Staffordshire 10 0.23x
Gloucestershire 9 0.35x
Ayrshire 6 0.62x
Hampshire 6 0.23x
Lincolnshire 5 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.97x
Wigtownshire 4 2.33x
Cheshire 3 0.10x
Derbyshire 3 0.15x
Midlothian 3 0.17x
Sussex 3 0.14x
Cornwall 2 0.14x
Devon 2 0.07x
Essex 2 0.08x
Kent 2 0.05x
Suffolk 2 0.13x
Angus 1 0.08x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 41 Scaifes recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.66x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 41 5.66x
Darlington 34 22.85x
Hunslet 27 13.49x
Holy Trinity 26 8.42x
Keighley 22 16.08x
Pocklington 22 181.52x
Helperby 20 706.71x
Ripon 18 60.44x
Annan 17 69.16x
Manningham 16 10.12x
York St Margaret 16 201.01x
Batley 15 12.30x
Beverley St Nicholas 15 142.45x
Nether Hallam 15 8.64x
Gateshead 14 4.85x
Snilesworth 13 2826.09x
Caldewgate 12 19.64x
Headingley Cum Burley 12 14.52x
Hoddam 12 173.91x
Stockton On Tees 12 6.46x
York St Cuthbert 12 102.13x
Barrow In Furness 11 5.26x
Elloughton Cum Brough 11 278.48x
High Low Bishopside 11 96.58x
Knaresborough 11 54.56x
Stillington 11 413.53x
Asenby 10 1315.79x
Barmby On Moor 10 515.46x
Clapham 10 6.17x
Crosby Ravensworth 10 287.36x
Everton 10 2.04x
Gomersal 10 16.69x
Morton In Keighley 10 99.21x
St Cuthbert W O 10 18.39x
Stranton 10 7.71x
Clifton In York 9 33.52x
Esh 9 32.09x
Frettenham 9 909.09x
Horfield 9 35.20x
Hulme 9 2.80x
Scotton In 9 697.67x
Skipton 9 22.28x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 1.94x
West Derby 9 2.00x
York Minster Yard W 9 302.01x
York St Maurice 9 37.24x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 6.69x
Birtley 8 50.86x
Bow London 8 4.85x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.18x
Burton Leonard 8 418.85x
Everingham 8 683.76x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 8 170.21x
Heeley 8 20.51x
Helmsley 8 116.28x
Hunmanby 8 133.56x
Liverpool 8 0.86x
Lower Booths 8 29.05x
Middlebie 8 93.24x
Rudston 8 298.51x
Beverley St Martin 7 32.66x
Castle Eden 7 179.03x
Colne 7 15.29x
Cottingham 7 25.30x
Crosscanonby 7 18.98x
Eldon 7 114.57x
Farnley Tyas 7 256.41x
Ingleton 7 642.20x
Otley 7 22.46x
Rastrick 7 19.63x
Stonegrave 7 1044.78x
Swinton With 7 1044.78x
Westoe 7 3.20x
York All Sts North 7 110.24x
York St Nicholas In 7 96.95x
Dalry 6 13.15x
Market Weighton Arras 6 71.94x
Mirfield 6 8.51x
Stainburn 6 779.22x
Wombwell 6 16.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 120
Elizabeth 57
Sarah 49
Jane 38
Annie 33
Ann 27
Hannah 24
Alice 20
Emma 19
Margaret 16
Ada 13
Martha 11
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Emily 8
Anne 7
Clara 7
Maria 7
Caroline 6
Catherine 6
Isabella 6
Rachel 6
Amy 5
Edith 5
Esther 5
Frances 5
Lucy 5
Agnes 4
Charlotte 4
Harriet 4
Jessie 4
Louisa 4
Rebecca 4
Eleanor 3
Gertrude 3
Kate 3
Mabel 3
Margt. 3
Polly 3
Annis 2
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Cecilia 2
Dorothy 2
Elizh. 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Lilly 2
Maggie 2
Susannah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 102
William 80
Thomas 57
George 39
Robert 34
James 28
Charles 24
Joseph 24
Henry 18
Arthur 14
Christopher 12
Samuel 12
Alfred 9
Walter 9
Francis 7
Frederick 7
Edward 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Matthew 5
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Harold 3
Lewis 3
Sam 3
Tom 3
Arther 2
Edgar 2
Geo. 2
Joe 2
Martin 2
Thompson 2
Amos 1
B. 1
Barker 1
Benjamin 1
Cristp. 1
Cyrus 1
David 1
Dosdill 1
Earnest 1
Edw.Chas. 1
H.J.W. 1
Hardy 1
Hector 1
Holden 1

FAQ

Scaife surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scaife surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,328 people were recorded with the Scaife surname. That placed it at #3,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scaife surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,028 in 2016. That gives Scaife a modern rank of #3,176.

What does the Scaife surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living on a ridge or cliff.

What does the Scaife map show?

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