NameCensus.

UK surname

Seabright

A surname denoting someone who lived by the sea or beach.

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Seabright surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 352, ranked #13,104, down from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tewkesbury, New Forest and Wyre Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seabright is 388 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.7%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

352

2016, ranked #13,104

Peak year

2002

388 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seabright had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 352 in 2016, ranked #13,104.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Seabright surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seabright surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seabright 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 165 #12,053
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 227 #13,629
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 348 #12,229
1998 modern 366 #12,148
1999 modern 371 #12,101
2000 modern 368 #12,130
2001 modern 361 #12,102
2002 modern 388 #11,689
2003 modern 367 #11,988
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 342 #12,652
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 342 #12,933
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 359 #12,856
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 339 #13,477
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 346 #13,284
2016 modern 352 #13,104

Geography

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Where Seabrights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tewkesbury, New Forest, Wyre Forest and Herefordshire. 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 Ringwood Hampshire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tewkesbury 003 Tewkesbury
2 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
3 New Forest 010 New Forest
4 Wyre Forest 005 Wyre Forest
5 Herefordshire 005 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seabright

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seabright

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

Seabright is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Seabright

The surname SEABRIGHT has its origins in England, dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from a geographic location or occupational reference, likely related to a person's proximity to the sea or involvement in maritime activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the parish records of St. Botolph's Church in Aldgate, London, where a Thomas Seabright was baptized in 1564. This suggests that the name may have initially taken root in the coastal regions of southern England.

In the late 16th century, a William Seabright was noted as a merchant and ship owner based in Bristol, a major port city at the time. This connection to maritime trade and commerce further reinforces the plausible link between the surname and occupations related to the sea.

During the 17th century, the SEABRIGHT surname appears in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662, where a John Seabright is listed as a resident of Dorset. This county's coastal location and maritime heritage lend credence to the theory that the name may have originated in such seaside communities.

Notably, a Robert Seabright, born in 1692, was a renowned shipwright and naval architect who designed several notable vessels for the Royal Navy in the early 18th century. His contributions to shipbuilding during this era further solidify the association between the SEABRIGHT name and maritime pursuits.

Another prominent figure bearing this surname was Sir John Seabright, a British politician and Member of Parliament for Thetford, who lived from 1744 to 1816. His family's longstanding ties to the coastal regions of Norfolk and Suffolk further underscore the name's potential geographic origins.

As the centuries progressed, the SEABRIGHT surname continued to be found in various regions of England, particularly in areas with strong maritime traditions and coastal communities. While the name's exact derivation remains subject to speculation, its enduring presence in historical records and its apparent connections to the sea and seafaring activities have become an integral part of its legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seabright families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seabright 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 57 Seabrights recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 57 2.85x
Gloucestershire 46 11.73x
Hampshire 21 5.12x
Lancashire 12 0.51x
Worcestershire 12 4.60x
Devon 10 2.40x
Somerset 9 2.80x
Staffordshire 9 1.33x
Surrey 8 0.82x
Kent 5 0.73x
Lanarkshire 5 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.74x
Yorkshire 2 0.10x
Cheshire 1 0.23x
Derbyshire 1 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 1 2.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.73x
Leicestershire 1 0.45x
Sussex 1 0.30x
Wiltshire 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 24 Seabrights recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.63x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 24 27.63x
Winchcomb 20 1025.64x
Pendleton In Salford 12 42.45x
Aldershot 10 72.83x
Ringwood 9 343.51x
Tewkesbury 9 257.14x
Cheltenham 7 23.13x
Yeovil 7 107.03x
Longhope 6 895.52x
Mile End Old Town 6 19.01x
St George In East 6 44.12x
St Pancras London 6 3.73x
Walsall Foreign 6 17.21x
Wolborough 6 114.07x
Milton In Gravesend 5 48.88x
Worcester St Peter 5 101.21x
Barony 4 2.44x
Farnham 4 52.77x
Islington London 4 2.06x
Mile End New Town 4 146.52x
Westminster St John 4 16.43x
Lambeth 3 1.72x
Rushall 3 75.57x
Severn Stoke 3 625.00x
Broadway 2 178.57x
Butleigh 2 377.36x
Holy Trinity 2 229.89x
Kempsey 2 202.02x
Ashburton 1 50.25x
Battersea 1 1.36x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 14.75x
Brighton 1 1.47x
Claylane 1 22.99x
Coberley 1 454.55x
Devizes St Mary 1 55.87x
Devonport 1 20.92x
Dukinfield 1 4.90x
Duntisbourne Abbotts 1 500.00x
Gedling 1 227.27x
Glasgow 1 0.87x
Hertford St John 1 48.78x
Holdenhurst 1 9.30x
Hornsea 1 79.37x
Leckhampton 1 41.32x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.85x
Lochmaben 1 51.55x
Mitcheldean 1 204.08x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.43x
Paddington London 1 1.36x
Ruislip 1 100.00x
Selborne 1 120.48x
Westminster St 1 13.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Emily 8
Elizabeth 5
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Harriet 4
Laura 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Harriett 3
Rose 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Edith 2
Helena 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Kathrine 2
Susan 2
Winifred 2
Ada 1
Albertina 1
Amy 1
Catherina 1
Cecelia 1
Delia 1
Dorothy 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Flor. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hariet 1
Helen 1
Jesse 1
Keturih 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Roda 1
Tabitha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 11
George 9
Edward 5
Henry 5
Charles 4
Harry 4
James 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Joseph 3
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Jacob 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archer 1
Art. 1
Charle 1
Clem 1
Clement 1
Cliff 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Elyah 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Hubert 1
Jessie 1
Louis 1
Philip 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Seabright surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seabright surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Seabright surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seabright surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 352 in 2016. That gives Seabright a modern rank of #13,104.

What does the Seabright surname mean?

A surname denoting someone who lived by the sea or beach.

What does the Seabright map show?

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