NameCensus.

UK surname

Searle

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of shirts or other clothing.

In the 1881 census there were 5,970 people recorded with the Searle surname, ranking it #738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,268, ranked #793, down from #738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Gosport and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Searle is 8,977 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.5%.

1881 census count

5,970

Ranked #738

Modern count

8,268

2016, ranked #793

Peak year

1999

8,977 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Searle had 5,970 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,268 in 2016, ranked #793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,467 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Searle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Searle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Searle 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 3,493 #815
1861 historical 3,080 #941
1881 historical 5,970 #738
1891 historical 6,018 #774
1901 historical 7,808 #687
1911 historical 8,467 #587
1997 modern 8,659 #726
1998 modern 8,908 #737
1999 modern 8,977 #737
2000 modern 8,872 #743
2001 modern 8,608 #749
2002 modern 8,754 #751
2003 modern 8,478 #761
2004 modern 8,426 #764
2005 modern 8,251 #772
2006 modern 8,177 #778
2007 modern 8,212 #780
2008 modern 8,163 #795
2009 modern 8,398 #791
2010 modern 8,542 #793
2011 modern 8,426 #795
2012 modern 8,202 #798
2013 modern 8,394 #791
2014 modern 8,358 #799
2015 modern 8,313 #791
2016 modern 8,268 #793

Geography

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Where Searles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Gosport, Fenland, Mid Devon and Sedgemoor. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 005 East Devon
2 Gosport 001 Gosport
3 Fenland 005 Fenland
4 Mid Devon 010 Mid Devon
5 Sedgemoor 008 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Searle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Searle

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

Searle is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Searle

The surname Searle originates from England, first appearing in records during the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sār", meaning a wound or sore, and the suffix "-le", which was a diminutive form. Together, the name likely referred to someone who had a distinguishing scar or wound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Searle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Searl" and "Serlone", suggesting variations in spelling were common from the beginning.

In the 13th century, records show a William Searle who was a landowner in Somerset, England. Around the same time, a Robert Searle was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230.

During the 14th century, the name Searle was associated with various place names, such as Searle's Green in Hertfordshire and Searle's Court in Kent. This suggests that some Searle families held land or had influence in those areas.

One notable individual with the surname Searle was John Searle, a 16th-century English lawyer and Member of Parliament who lived from around 1505 to 1568. He served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Thomas Searle (1626-1698) was a prominent English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises, including one on the treatment of smallpox.

Another individual of note was Humphrey Searle (1915-1982), a British composer and conductor who was known for his avant-garde works and collaborations with renowned artists like Benjamin Britten.

The surname Searle has also been associated with notable figures in the United States, such as Ralph Searle (1920-1998), an American civil rights activist and co-founder of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE).

Throughout its history, the surname Searle has maintained a strong presence in England, with various spellings and variations emerging over time, reflecting the diverse origins and histories of the families who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Searle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Searle 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 1,058 Searles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,058 1.80x
Devon 954 7.81x
Surrey 788 2.75x
Cornwall 452 6.80x
Sussex 378 3.82x
Essex 292 2.52x
Hampshire 264 2.19x
Cambridgeshire 237 6.37x
Kent 226 1.13x
Berkshire 146 3.31x
Somerset 138 1.46x
Yorkshire 132 0.23x
Gloucestershire 127 1.10x
Lancashire 122 0.18x
Hertfordshire 112 2.77x
Warwickshire 65 0.44x
Lincolnshire 55 0.59x
Durham 51 0.29x
Dorset 47 1.22x
Glamorgan 42 0.41x
Norfolk 35 0.39x
Royal Navy 30 4.29x
Huntingdonshire 26 2.23x
Northamptonshire 25 0.45x
Suffolk 24 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 23 0.29x
Leicestershire 21 0.32x
Worcestershire 21 0.27x
Wiltshire 20 0.39x
Channel Islands 18 1.03x
Derbyshire 18 0.20x
Lanarkshire 12 0.06x
Monmouthshire 9 0.21x
Staffordshire 9 0.05x
Bedfordshire 7 0.23x
Cheshire 7 0.05x
Herefordshire 6 0.25x
Oxfordshire 5 0.14x
Shropshire 5 0.10x
Cumberland 4 0.08x
Cardiganshire 2 0.14x
Renfrewshire 2 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Northumberland 1 0.01x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 116 Searles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.27x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 116 2.27x
Camberwell 102 2.72x
Islington London 101 1.77x
St Pancras London 86 1.82x
Deptford St Paul 84 5.44x
Plymouth St Andrew 76 8.07x
Stoke Damerel 76 8.88x
Whittlesey St Mary St 75 57.74x
West Ham 67 2.62x
Newington 62 2.86x
Newport 52 258.19x
Plymouth Charles The 52 9.66x
Broadwater 51 22.46x
Bethnal Green London 48 1.88x
Hornsey 48 6.46x
Madron Penzance 48 19.86x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 46 4.24x
Hackney London 46 1.40x
Battersea 44 2.04x
Crediton 44 37.99x
Kensington London 44 1.35x
St George Hanover 43 5.61x
Brighton 42 2.10x
Hampstead London 42 4.59x
Tottenham 42 4.49x
Paddington London 41 1.90x
Birmingham 40 0.81x
Portsea 40 1.70x
Walton On Thames 40 30.45x
Chelsea London 38 2.15x
Bermondsey 37 2.12x
Mile End Old Town 37 3.99x
St Marylebone London 37 1.18x
Tiverton 37 17.57x
Shoreditch London 33 1.30x
Clapham 31 4.22x
Hammersmith London 30 2.07x
Royal Navy 30 5.02x
Seaton 30 63.68x
Tormoham 30 5.80x
Amberley 29 197.41x
Stoke Climsland 29 68.32x
Comberton 28 241.80x
Lewisham 28 2.62x
Storrington 27 99.45x
Bedminster 26 2.93x
Bishop Stortford 26 19.23x
Brixham 26 18.36x
Bromley London 25 1.94x
Chertsey 25 13.52x
Egham 25 14.23x
Kingston On Thames 25 3.64x
Ryde 25 9.67x
Lyme Regis 24 52.00x
Newlyn 24 84.57x
Croydon 23 1.45x
Taunton St Mary 23 13.26x
Reading St Giles 22 5.09x
St Luke London 22 2.34x
Toxteth Park 22 0.93x
Reigate Foreign 21 6.78x
East Stonehouse 20 8.31x
Froxfield 20 143.99x
Lanivet 20 96.62x
Littleham 20 22.38x
Poplar London 20 1.80x
St Blazey 20 34.26x
Staverton 20 133.24x
Stoke Newington London 20 4.37x
West Derby 20 0.98x
Bridgewater 19 7.41x
Limehouse London 19 2.95x
Ottery St Mary 19 23.70x
Sheffield 19 1.03x
Yateley 19 83.44x
Exeter St David 18 17.24x
Exeter St Sidwell 18 6.43x
Harlow 18 36.04x
Luppitt 18 148.51x
Probus 18 66.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 365
Elizabeth 226
Sarah 167
Emma 115
Jane 111
Eliza 109
Emily 109
Ellen 95
Annie 94
Ann 90
Alice 83
Louisa 57
Caroline 52
Susan 51
Charlotte 47
Fanny 47
Edith 42
Hannah 42
Florence 41
Maria 39
Kate 38
Harriet 34
Ada 33
Harriett 32
Martha 32
Clara 29
Catherine 28
Lucy 26
Anne 24
Margaret 23
Amelia 22
Rose 21
Frances 20
Grace 17
Jessie 17
Laura 17
Amy 16
Lydia 15
Minnie 15
Agnes 14
Esther 14
Isabella 14
Rebecca 14
Ruth 14
Bessie 13
Francis 13
Susannah 13
Elizth. 12
Sophia 12
Julia 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 382
John 264
George 244
James 194
Thomas 170
Henry 165
Charles 143
Alfred 83
Frederick 82
Arthur 67
Edward 67
Richard 56
Joseph 55
Walter 53
Samuel 50
Robert 49
Albert 45
Harry 45
Francis 35
Edwin 34
Ernest 32
Frank 32
Wm. 28
Herbert 23
Stephen 16
Benjamin 14
Chas. 14
Fred 13
Daniel 9
Percy 9
Earnest 8
Isaac 8
Tom 8
David 7
Reuben 7
Sydney 7
Willm. 7
Edgar 6
Edmund 6
Harold 6
J. 6
Sidney 6
Andrew 5
Fredk. 5
Fredrick 5
Maurice 5
Christopher 4
Geo. 4
Mark 4
Richd. 4

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Searle households.

FAQ

Searle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Searle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,970 people were recorded with the Searle surname. That placed it at #738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Searle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,268 in 2016. That gives Searle a modern rank of #793.

What does the Searle surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of shirts or other clothing.

What does the Searle map show?

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