NameCensus.

UK surname

Segal

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a legal scribe or rabbi skilled in Jewish law.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Segal surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 722, ranked #7,525, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Christ Church Spitalfields and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Segal is 799 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36000.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

722

2016, ranked #7,525

Peak year

1999

799 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Segal had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 722 in 2016, ranked #7,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 438 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Segal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Segal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Segal 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
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 50 #30,253
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 438 #8,684
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 785 #6,864
1999 modern 799 #6,799
2000 modern 766 #6,986
2001 modern 738 #7,073
2002 modern 767 #6,999
2003 modern 739 #7,090
2004 modern 735 #7,129
2005 modern 736 #7,061
2006 modern 733 #7,113
2007 modern 714 #7,322
2008 modern 728 #7,264
2009 modern 732 #7,380
2010 modern 757 #7,330
2011 modern 726 #7,491
2012 modern 699 #7,616
2013 modern 731 #7,485
2014 modern 738 #7,476
2015 modern 732 #7,463
2016 modern 722 #7,525

Geography

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Where Segals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Christ Church Spitalfields, Willesden, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet and Redbridge. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 028 Barnet
2 Barnet 037 Barnet
3 Barnet 033 Barnet
4 Redbridge 035 Redbridge
5 Redbridge 036 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Segal

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Segal

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Segal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Segal 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Segal is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Segal is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Segal 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 Segal 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 - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Segal, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Segal

The surname Segal originates from the Jewish Ashkenazi communities of Germany and Eastern Europe. It is derived from the Hebrew word "segan," which means "deputy" or "assistant." The name likely emerged as a descriptive occupational surname for those who served as assistants or deputies to important officials or religious leaders.

In the early Middle Ages, the name was often spelled as "Segan" or "Seegan" in Jewish communities across Germany and Poland. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Memorbuch (memorial book) of the Jewish community of Nuremberg, Germany, which mentions a "Moyses Segan" in the late 14th century.

As the Jewish communities migrated eastward into Poland, Russia, and other parts of Eastern Europe, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Segal," "Siegel," and "Sigl." By the 16th century, the spelling "Segal" had become prevalent in many Jewish communities across Eastern Europe.

One notable bearer of the Segal name was Rabbi Yom Tov Lipmann Heller (1579-1654), a renowned Talmudic scholar and author of the influential work "Tosafot Yom Tov." He was born in Wallerstein, Germany, and later served as the Chief Rabbi of Prague.

Another prominent individual with the Segal surname was Sir Benjamin Segal (1776-1831), a British businessman and philanthropist born in Amsterdam. He played a significant role in supporting Jewish education and welfare initiatives in London.

In the 19th century, the name Segal was associated with several notable figures in the Jewish intellectual and literary circles. Isaac Leib Segal (1833-1908) was a Russian-Jewish author and translator who contributed to the revival of Hebrew literature. Moses Segal (1827-1901) was a renowned Hebrew scholar and educator who served as the Principal of the Jews' Free School in London.

The name Segal also has ties to the early Zionist movement. Naham Segal (1808-1888) was a prominent banker and supporter of the early Zionist cause, and his son, Jacob Segal (1850-1896), was a prominent Zionist activist and writer.

Throughout its history, the Segal surname has been borne by various notable individuals across various fields, from religion and literature to business and activism, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Jewish Ashkenazi communities to the societies they lived in.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Segal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Segal 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. Angus leads with 1 Segals recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.87x.

County Total Index
Angus 1 55.87x
Lancashire 1 4.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheetham in Lancashire leads with 1 Segals recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.

Place Total Index
Cheetham 1 588.24x
Dundee 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Henrietta 1

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 Segal households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 1

FAQ

Segal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Segal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Segal surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Segal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 722 in 2016. That gives Segal a modern rank of #7,525.

What does the Segal surname mean?

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a legal scribe or rabbi skilled in Jewish law.

What does the Segal map show?

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