NameCensus.

UK surname

Seals

An English occupational surname referring to a seal hunter or a person who worked with seals.

In the 1881 census there were 281 people recorded with the Seals surname, ranking it #10,175 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 307, ranked #14,508, down from #10,175 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Pleasley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley and Erewash.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seals is 321 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.3%.

1881 census count

281

Ranked #10,175

Modern count

307

2016, ranked #14,508

Peak year

2014

321 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seals had 281 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,175 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016, ranked #14,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Seals surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seals surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seals 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 230 #10,611
1881 historical 281 #10,175
1891 historical 299 #11,140
1901 historical 277 #12,281
1911 historical 312 #11,130
1997 modern 279 #14,175
1998 modern 282 #14,472
1999 modern 286 #14,412
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 280 #14,364
2002 modern 280 #14,660
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 258 #15,386
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 264 #15,170
2007 modern 273 #14,959
2008 modern 281 #14,782
2009 modern 286 #14,910
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 299 #14,631
2012 modern 303 #14,415
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 321 #14,150
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 307 #14,508

Geography

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Where Seals' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Pleasley, Stanton-by-Dale and Parwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley, Erewash and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
3 Pleasley Nottinghamshire
4 Stanton-by-Dale Derbyshire
5 Parwick Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
2 Amber Valley 001 Amber Valley
3 Erewash 001 Erewash
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 017 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Amber Valley 002 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seals

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seals

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Seals is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Seals 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

Seals falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Seals

The surname SEALS is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "seolh," which means "seal" and refers to the marine mammal. This surname likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked with seals or had some physical resemblance to the animal.

The earliest known record of the SEALS surname dates back to the late 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, compiled between 1273 and 1276, there is a mention of a person named Roger Sele, which is believed to be an early variant of the SEALS surname.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Selle, Sele, and Seel, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. One notable example is John Sele, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1334.

In the 15th century, the surname began to take on its more modern form, with the "s" added to the end. One of the earliest recorded instances of the SEALS spelling can be found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the influential Paston family in Norfolk, where a person named William Seals is mentioned in a letter dated around 1472.

Over the centuries, the SEALS surname has been associated with several notable individuals. In the 16th century, there was John Seals (c. 1520 - c. 1590), an English landowner and farmer from Gloucestershire. In the 17th century, Samuel Seals (1640 - 1702) was a prominent merchant and philanthropist in London.

Moving into the 18th century, we find Thomas Seals (1708 - 1784), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. In the 19th century, Henry Seals (1830 - 1905) was a renowned English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Seals (1860 - 1942), an American educator and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement and the establishment of several educational institutions in the United States.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the SEALS surname. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a proud part of many family histories and has left its mark on various fields and endeavors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seals families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seals 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. Derbyshire leads with 89 Seals' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.81x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 89 20.81x
Norfolk 36 8.57x
Middlesex 32 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 30 8.15x
Lancashire 20 0.62x
Yorkshire 17 0.63x
Surrey 10 0.75x
Aberdeenshire 9 3.56x
Hampshire 9 1.61x
Cheshire 7 1.16x
Durham 7 0.86x
Somerset 5 1.14x
Dorset 2 1.12x
Leicestershire 2 0.66x
Devon 1 0.18x
Kent 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.22x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brassington in Derbyshire leads with 43 Seals' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6615.38x.

Place Total Index
Brassington 43 6615.38x
Binham 14 3111.11x
Parwich 13 2954.55x
Stanton By Dale 13 2241.38x
Snenton 12 82.99x
Pleasley 11 1018.52x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 17.04x
Whitechapel London 9 33.43x
Wiggenhall St Mary 9 1384.62x
Newark Upon Trent 8 60.47x
Pendleton In Salford 8 20.72x
Tottenham 7 16.09x
Clapham 6 17.57x
Scarborough 6 24.40x
Aldershot 5 26.67x
Bedminster 5 12.10x
Byers Green 4 174.67x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 7.27x
Portsea 4 3.65x
Salford 4 4.20x
St Marylebone London 4 2.74x
St Pancras London 4 1.82x
Wigan 4 8.83x
Basford 3 17.68x
Duffield 3 89.02x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 23.79x
Littleover 3 410.96x
Monks Coppenhall 3 13.19x
Spitalfields London 3 14.61x
Sporle With Palgrave 3 441.18x
Stapleford 3 100.33x
Westoe 3 6.51x
Worsley 3 15.02x
Bermondsey 2 2.46x
Breaston 2 266.67x
Clarborough 2 72.73x
East Dereham 2 37.66x
Fordington 2 51.81x
Macclesfield 2 7.46x
Stockport 2 6.45x
Stow Bardolph 2 160.00x
York St Mary 2 17.84x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 14.25x
Beckenham 1 8.21x
Beeston 1 23.64x
Burnley 1 3.66x
Claypole 1 158.73x
Crigglestone 1 38.31x
Eastbourne 1 4.72x
Edgbaston 1 4.68x
Fakenham 1 48.31x
Falsgrave 1 25.06x
Harrow 1 23.98x
Hopton 1 909.09x
Kensington London 1 0.66x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.13x
New Malton 1 30.86x
Paddington London 1 1.00x
Radford 1 5.35x
Scalford 1 156.25x
Sheffield 1 1.16x
Sidbury 1 81.97x
St Giles In Fields 1 10.62x
Wells Next Sea 1 40.82x
Westminster St 1 9.93x
Wiggenhall St German 1 200.00x
Woking 1 12.47x
York Marygate St Olave 1 96.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 20
George 16
Thomas 14
Henry 8
Joseph 7
James 6
Charles 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 2
Francis 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfread 1
Alfred 1
Bernard 1
Eddy 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Michael 1
Reuben 1

FAQ

Seals surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seals surname in 1881?

In 1881, 281 people were recorded with the Seals surname. That placed it at #10,175 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seals surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016. That gives Seals a modern rank of #14,508.

What does the Seals surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a seal hunter or a person who worked with seals.

What does the Seals map show?

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