NameCensus.

UK surname

Seely

Derived from a Middle English nickname meaning "happy" or "blessed," from the Old English word "sēlig."

In the 1881 census there were 292 people recorded with the Seely surname, ranking it #9,912 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, down from #9,912 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House and Finingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Isle of Wight and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seely is 292 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.3%.

1881 census count

292

Ranked #9,912

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

1881

292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seely had 292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,912 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 292 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Seely surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seely surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seely 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 227 #9,448
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 292 #9,912
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 207 #14,803
1911 historical 279 #12,018
1997 modern 255 #15,077
1998 modern 273 #14,803
1999 modern 275 #14,789
2000 modern 256 #15,510
2001 modern 251 #15,483
2002 modern 253 #15,677
2003 modern 258 #15,293
2004 modern 250 #15,695
2005 modern 245 #15,857
2006 modern 229 #16,748
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 243 #16,742
2010 modern 242 #17,138
2011 modern 238 #17,188
2012 modern 230 #17,479
2013 modern 233 #17,606
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 229 #17,846
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Seelys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House, Finingham, Bedlington and Sall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Isle of Wight, Bexley, Norwich and Maldon. 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 Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House Lincolnshire
3 Finingham Suffolk
4 Bedlington Northumberland
5 Sall Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 006 South Norfolk
2 Isle of Wight 013 Isle of Wight
3 Bexley 009 Bexley
4 Norwich 011 Norwich
5 Maldon 001 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seely

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seely

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Seely, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Seely surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Seely household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Seely 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

Seely 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

Seely falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Seely

The surname Seely is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sæli," which means "happy" or "blessed," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for a cheerful or fortunate person.

The earliest known record of the surname Seely can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Sely." Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, such as Seely, Seeley, Sealy, and Ceely, reflecting regional variations and differences in pronunciation.

In the 14th century, the Seely surname was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where it appeared as "Sely." This indicates that the name was well-established in the southern counties of England during this period.

One notable early bearer of the Seely surname was William Seely, who was born around 1480 in Buckinghamshire, England. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a church warden in the town of Chesham.

The Seely name also has connections to several place names in England. For instance, the village of Seely in Derbyshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "sæl" and "leah," meaning "happy meadow" or "blessed clearing," suggesting a possible link to the surname's origin.

In the 16th century, the Seely family gained prominence in Norfolk, where they were landowners and influential members of the gentry. One famous bearer of the name was Sir John Seely, who was born in 1594 and served as a member of Parliament for Norfolk in the early 17th century.

Another notable figure with the Seely surname was Robert Seely, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1619 to 1675. He was a prominent Puritan minister and wrote several theological works, including "The Covenant of Grace" and "The Heavenly Conversation."

In the 18th century, the Seely family continued to hold influential positions in various parts of England. One such individual was John Seely, who was born in 1720 and served as the Mayor of Winchester, a historic city in Hampshire, in 1773.

Throughout history, the Seely surname has also been associated with various trades and professions. For instance, in the 17th century, there was a family of Seely weavers in the village of Stalbridge in Dorset, while in the 19th century, the Seely family was known for their involvement in the brewing industry in Nottinghamshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seely families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seely 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. Suffolk leads with 85 Seelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.42x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 85 24.42x
Norfolk 49 11.15x
Middlesex 36 1.26x
Lincolnshire 19 4.16x
Surrey 14 1.01x
Kent 10 1.03x
Nottinghamshire 10 2.60x
Oxfordshire 10 5.67x
Lancashire 8 0.24x
Northumberland 8 1.88x
Yorkshire 8 0.28x
Midlothian 7 1.83x
Glamorgan 5 1.00x
Essex 4 0.71x
Staffordshire 4 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.66x
Cheshire 2 0.32x
Fife 2 1.18x
Somerset 2 0.43x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.76x
Northamptonshire 1 0.37x
Royal Navy 1 2.94x
Shropshire 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hargrave in Suffolk leads with 26 Seelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6341.46x.

Place Total Index
Hargrave 26 6341.46x
Hundon 20 2298.85x
Finningham 18 4390.24x
St Paul Lincoln 9 1125.00x
Norwich St Augustine 8 451.98x
Reepham With Kerdiston 8 1538.46x
Carlton Colville 7 546.88x
South Leith 7 16.25x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 7 108.86x
Newington 6 5.68x
Sall 6 3157.89x
Arnold 5 88.97x
Aston Cum Aughton 5 215.52x
Bexley 5 58.00x
Catton 5 684.93x
Charterhouse London 5 370.37x
Chirton 5 51.98x
Clapham 5 13.99x
Hailey 5 403.23x
Newark Upon Trent 5 36.10x
Roath 5 22.12x
Shoreditch London 5 4.04x
Bury St Edmunds St James 4 43.01x
Hevingham 4 533.33x
Mile End Old Town 4 8.87x
Toxteth Park 4 3.48x
Witney 4 135.59x
Barking 3 166.67x
Boughton Under Blean 3 184.05x
Cheetham 3 11.86x
Downham 3 156.25x
Harborne 3 9.70x
High Low Highlaws 3 3333.33x
Kensington London 3 1.89x
Langham 3 967.74x
Old Artillery Ground 3 121.95x
Stansfield 3 731.71x
Wroxham 3 810.81x
Aylsham 2 76.34x
Barking 2 12.11x
Cawston 2 185.19x
Dunfermline 2 7.69x
Fakenham Alethorpe 2 370.37x
Glastonbury 2 53.33x
Hyde 2 10.74x
Lambeth 2 0.80x
Middlesbrough 2 5.42x
St Maryle Wigford 2 56.34x
St Pancras London 2 0.87x
Uxbridge 2 61.16x
Whitechapel London 2 7.10x
Biddulph 1 18.38x
Brimington 1 29.41x
Bristol St James In 1 12.14x
Chelsea London 1 1.16x
Dingley 1 833.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.74x
Epwell 1 400.00x
Glemsford 1 40.98x
Great Paxton 1 384.62x
Great Ryburgh 1 147.06x
Hackney London 1 0.62x
Harrow On The Hill 1 17.51x
Hornsey 1 2.77x
Irstead 1 714.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 7.58x
Long Melford 1 30.86x
North Walsham 1 31.55x
Portsmouth 1 7.41x
Royal Navy 1 3.44x
Sprowston 1 51.55x
St George In East 1 5.14x
St Marylebone London 1 0.66x
St Peterat Arches 1 192.31x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.49x
Stretford 1 5.36x
Swanton Morley 1 147.06x
West Ham 1 0.80x
Woodchurch 1 82.64x
Woolwich 1 2.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 15
William 15
John 13
James 9
Walter 9
Alfred 7
Thomas 6
Robert 5
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Alexander 2
Barnabas 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Aaron 1
Adolphus 1
Austin 1
Authur 1
Benjamin 1
Boaz 1
Chas. 1
Chs. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
J.K.Pratt 1
Jack 1
Lancestor 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
Otto 1
Samson 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Seely surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seely surname in 1881?

In 1881, 292 people were recorded with the Seely surname. That placed it at #9,912 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seely surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Seely a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Seely surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname meaning "happy" or "blessed," from the Old English word "sēlig."

What does the Seely map show?

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