NameCensus.

UK surname

Seaman

An occupational surname referring to a mariner or sailor.

In the 1881 census there were 2,323 people recorded with the Seaman surname, ranking it #1,913 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,579, ranked #1,894, up from #1,913 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, Redcar and Cleveland and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seaman is 3,958 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.1%.

1881 census count

2,323

Ranked #1,913

Modern count

3,579

2016, ranked #1,894

Peak year

1999

3,958 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seaman had 2,323 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,913 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,579 in 2016, ranked #1,894.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,509 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Seaman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seaman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seaman 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 1,544 #1,854
1861 historical 1,654 #1,733
1881 historical 2,323 #1,913
1891 historical 2,170 #2,159
1901 historical 3,061 #1,826
1911 historical 3,509 #1,488
1997 modern 3,811 #1,703
1998 modern 3,954 #1,713
1999 modern 3,958 #1,723
2000 modern 3,903 #1,735
2001 modern 3,853 #1,717
2002 modern 3,930 #1,723
2003 modern 3,828 #1,738
2004 modern 3,816 #1,742
2005 modern 3,680 #1,774
2006 modern 3,668 #1,782
2007 modern 3,699 #1,786
2008 modern 3,691 #1,795
2009 modern 3,746 #1,816
2010 modern 3,816 #1,823
2011 modern 3,698 #1,859
2012 modern 3,595 #1,871
2013 modern 3,689 #1,858
2014 modern 3,675 #1,877
2015 modern 3,615 #1,885
2016 modern 3,579 #1,894

Geography

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Where Seamans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, Redcar and Cleveland, South Norfolk, Middlesbrough and Breckland. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 005 Norwich
2 Redcar and Cleveland 009 Redcar and Cleveland
3 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
4 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
5 Breckland 011 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seaman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seaman

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Seaman 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

Seaman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Seaman

The surname SEAMAN originated in England and is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "sæ" meaning sea and "mann" meaning man. It referred to someone who worked as a sailor or mariner on ships.

The earliest recorded instances of the SEAMAN surname date back to the late 12th century in various county records across England. In the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, a Richard le Seman is mentioned. The surname also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273 as Seman.

Throughout the medieval period, the SEAMAN name was prevalent in coastal regions of England, particularly in counties such as Devon, Dorset, and Somerset. This aligns with the occupation's connection to maritime activities and proximity to the sea.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the SEAMAN surname was Sir John Seaman (c. 1350-1418), a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1390 and 1395. He was also a prominent landowner and held the manor of Wrington in Somerset.

Another early record of the name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 for Gloucestershire, which lists a William le Seman. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era.

In the 16th century, the SEAMAN surname is documented in various records, including the baptismal register of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, which mentions a John Seaman in 1558.

A notable figure from the 17th century was Richard Seaman (1600-1654), an English Puritan clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly. He was a prominent religious leader during the English Civil War era.

During the 18th century, the SEAMAN name appeared in various parish records across England, such as the baptism of Joseph Seaman in 1726 at St. Botolph's Church in Aldgate, London.

One of the most famous individuals with the SEAMAN surname was the British explorer and writer Owen Seaman (1861-1936). He was a renowned traveler and author who wrote extensively about his adventures in Africa and Asia.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the SEAMAN surname in England, with its origins rooted in the maritime occupations of early English society. The name has persisted throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring connection to the seafaring heritage of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seaman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seaman 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. Norfolk leads with 622 Seamans recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.86x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 622 17.86x
Middlesex 283 1.25x
Yorkshire 240 1.07x
Suffolk 204 7.39x
Essex 166 3.71x
Surrey 114 1.03x
Somerset 91 2.50x
Lancashire 71 0.26x
Staffordshire 68 0.89x
Kent 50 0.65x
Warwickshire 45 0.79x
Hampshire 44 0.95x
Lincolnshire 36 0.99x
Cheshire 30 0.60x
Devon 26 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 25 1.74x
Gloucestershire 25 0.56x
Dorset 23 1.55x
Derbyshire 20 0.56x
Huntingdonshire 19 4.22x
Hertfordshire 13 0.83x
Lanarkshire 12 0.16x
Flintshire 11 1.81x
Glamorgan 11 0.28x
Sussex 10 0.26x
Durham 9 0.13x
Shropshire 9 0.46x
Worcestershire 8 0.27x
Berkshire 7 0.41x
Fife 5 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.16x
Cornwall 4 0.16x
Leicestershire 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.15x
Northamptonshire 2 0.09x
Roxburghshire 2 0.49x
Channel Islands 1 0.15x
Denbighshire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 0.24x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Lynn St Margaret in Norfolk leads with 47 Seamans recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.95x.

Place Total Index
Kings Lynn St Margaret 47 44.95x
West Ham 38 3.85x
Heigham 36 19.26x
Islington London 33 1.50x
Camberwell 32 2.21x
Chelsea London 32 4.69x
East Lexham 31 2094.59x
Darlaston 29 27.45x
Milverton 28 208.18x
Sheffield 26 3.64x
Great Yarmouth 24 8.32x
Bethnal Green London 23 2.34x
Foulsham 22 298.91x
Birmingham 21 1.10x
Deptford St Paul 20 3.36x
Hackney London 20 1.57x
Sedgeford 20 339.56x
St Pancras London 20 1.10x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 19 9.09x
Little Chesterford 19 1144.58x
Mile End Old Town 19 5.31x
Shoreditch London 19 1.94x
Ipswich St Margaret 18 19.23x
Marske In Guisbrough 18 45.16x
Hepworth 17 413.63x
Southcoates 17 13.64x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 2.10x
Linthorpe 16 11.94x
South Creake 16 202.28x
Sprowston 16 104.10x
Lakenham 15 30.32x
Lambeth 15 0.76x
Sandbach 15 35.18x
Stanton 15 229.36x
Brightside Bierlow 14 3.18x
Hackford In Forehoe 14 903.23x
Hopton 14 205.28x
Metfield 14 309.05x
Norwich St James 14 51.24x
Tharston 14 481.10x
Brampton 13 921.99x
Godmanchester 13 76.43x
Norwich St Clement 13 32.20x
Paddington London 13 1.56x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 2.85x
Brightlingsea 12 46.97x
Burslem 12 5.48x
Clerkenwell London 12 2.24x
Crompton 12 15.68x
Kensington London 12 0.95x
Middlesbrough 12 4.11x
Norwich St Paul 12 57.55x
Bridgewater 11 11.11x
Docking 11 100.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 2.41x
Everton 11 1.28x
Portsea 11 1.21x
Skelton In Guisbrough 11 18.12x
Taunton St Mary 11 16.44x
Greenstead 10 153.61x
Grimston 10 113.64x
Holy Trinity 10 1.85x
Ipswich St Mathew 10 12.93x
Kempstone 10 2777.78x
Little Walsingham 10 126.90x
Rickinghall Inferior 10 350.88x
Wyke Regis 10 46.88x
Dickleburgh 9 139.97x
Greenwich 9 2.50x
Halesworth 9 46.01x
Shifnal 9 16.94x
West Derby 9 1.14x
Birkenhead 8 2.01x
Colchester St Giles 8 18.11x
Old Monkland 8 2.75x
Saffron Walden 8 16.93x
Selby 8 17.05x
St Marylebone London 8 0.66x
Stowmarket 8 25.09x
Sutton St Mary 8 23.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 147
Elizabeth 97
Sarah 91
Ann 40
Alice 39
Jane 33
Eliza 32
Martha 32
Ellen 31
Emma 31
Florence 25
Charlotte 22
Annie 21
Emily 21
Hannah 20
Harriet 20
Maria 19
Edith 18
Louisa 15
Caroline 14
Susan 14
Agnes 13
Fanny 13
Lucy 13
Kate 12
Ada 11
Frances 11
Matilda 11
Anna 9
Esther 9
Harriett 9
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Julia 8
Sophia 8
Margaret 7
Minnie 7
Rebecca 7
Rose 7
Beatrice 6
Eleanor 6
Lydia 6
Susannah 6
Ethel 5
Laura 5
Selina 5
Elizth. 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 131
John 109
George 85
Charles 74
James 59
Henry 52
Robert 50
Thomas 42
Walter 37
Arthur 29
Joseph 28
Samuel 27
Alfred 22
Frederick 22
Albert 19
Edward 19
Harry 19
Richard 15
Benjamin 12
David 12
Francis 11
Ernest 8
Frank 8
Herbert 8
Wm. 8
Edwin 7
Peter 7
Frederic 6
Isaac 6
Philip 6
Stephen 6
Tom 6
Daniel 5
Fred 5
Fredrick 4
Geo. 4
Harold 4
Jacob 4
Robt. 4
Anthony 3
Horace 3
Lewis 3
Luke 3
Matthew 3
R. 3
Fred. 2
Lambert 2
Lee 2
Leo 2
Saul 2

FAQ

Seaman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seaman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,323 people were recorded with the Seaman surname. That placed it at #1,913 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seaman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,579 in 2016. That gives Seaman a modern rank of #1,894.

What does the Seaman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a mariner or sailor.

What does the Seaman map show?

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