NameCensus.

UK surname

Selfe

From the Old English meaning "himself" or "herself," referring to self-identity or self-knowledge.

In the 1881 census there were 320 people recorded with the Selfe surname, ranking it #9,298 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 546, ranked #9,334, down from #9,298 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge and Lewisham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hart, Havering and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Selfe is 596 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.6%.

1881 census count

320

Ranked #9,298

Modern count

546

2016, ranked #9,334

Peak year

1998

596 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Selfe had 320 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,298 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 546 in 2016, ranked #9,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 558 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Selfe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Selfe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Selfe 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 154 #12,668
1861 historical 161 #14,392
1881 historical 320 #9,298
1891 historical 415 #8,610
1901 historical 558 #7,458
1911 historical 552 #7,264
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 596 #8,434
1999 modern 581 #8,622
2000 modern 565 #8,761
2001 modern 565 #8,627
2002 modern 569 #8,751
2003 modern 568 #8,637
2004 modern 551 #8,845
2005 modern 545 #8,842
2006 modern 533 #9,044
2007 modern 527 #9,193
2008 modern 523 #9,316
2009 modern 548 #9,201
2010 modern 566 #9,158
2011 modern 570 #9,019
2012 modern 563 #9,023
2013 modern 564 #9,139
2014 modern 570 #9,123
2015 modern 552 #9,277
2016 modern 546 #9,334

Geography

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Where Selfes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge, Lewisham, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hart, Havering, St Edmundsbury and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 Lewisham London (South Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hart 004 Hart
2 Havering 028 Havering
3 Hart 006 Hart
4 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
5 Tonbridge and Malling 014 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Selfe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Selfe

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Selfe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Selfe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Selfe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Selfe is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Selfe falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Selfe

The surname Selfe has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. This name is thought to derive from the Old English word "self," which means "self" or "the same." Alternatively, some historians suggest it may have evolved from an Old English occupational name for a seller or trader.

Early records indicate that the name Selfe was first found in Northamptonshire, where the family held a seat from ancient times. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention John le Selfe, one of the earliest recorded bearers of this surname. Other early spellings include Sulf, Sulfe, and Sylfe.

In the 14th century, the Selfe family held estates in Bedfordshire, and their name is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of that county from 1309. Richard Selfe, born in 1395 in Bedfordshire, is considered one of the earliest known individuals with this surname.

The Selfe name can also be traced to the village of Selfhill in Norfolk, which may have contributed to the surname's origins. William Selfe of Selfhill is recorded in the Norfolk Pipe Rolls of 1166, indicating the name's early presence in this region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Selfe. John Selfe (1588-1641) was an English Puritan clergyman and author, known for his work "The Retvrne Home to Poverty and Truth." Another prominent figure was William Selfe (1611-1671), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ludgershall during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Henry Selfe (1733-1795) was a notable English writer and poet, while John Selfe (1738-1817) was a prominent naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. More recently, Norman Selfe (1839-1911) was an Australian politician and barrister who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Selfe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Selfe 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. Wiltshire leads with 46 Selfes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.48x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 46 17.48x
Surrey 42 2.90x
Kent 39 3.84x
Middlesex 37 1.24x
Lancashire 26 0.74x
Somerset 23 4.80x
Sussex 15 2.99x
Norfolk 12 2.62x
Essex 11 1.87x
Warwickshire 9 1.20x
Gloucestershire 8 1.37x
Hampshire 6 0.98x
Berkshire 5 2.24x
Northumberland 5 1.13x
Glamorgan 4 0.77x
Dorset 3 1.54x
Lincolnshire 3 0.63x
Suffolk 3 0.83x
Worcestershire 3 0.77x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.53x
Cornwall 1 0.30x
Oxfordshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lewisham in Kent leads with 17 Selfes recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.41x.

Place Total Index
Lewisham 17 31.41x
Lyncombe Widcombe 17 135.57x
Lambeth 15 5.78x
Shoreditch London 14 10.86x
Brighton 11 10.87x
Pewsey 10 518.13x
Great Bedwin 9 481.28x
Clapham 8 21.51x
Market Lavington 8 563.38x
St Pancras London 8 3.34x
Trowbridge 8 68.79x
Gorton 6 18.08x
Greenwich 6 12.67x
Yealand Conyers 6 1935.48x
Aston 5 2.42x
East Chevington 5 340.14x
Feltwell 5 561.80x
Little Bolton 5 11.02x
Northfleet 5 55.93x
Swaffham 5 134.41x
Bow London 4 10.56x
Bristol Temple 4 104.17x
St George Hanover 4 10.30x
St John Winchester 4 312.50x
Sutton 4 38.13x
Woodford 4 60.15x
Aubourn 3 1363.64x
Bath St James 3 60.00x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 15.42x
Erith 3 30.00x
Farnham 3 26.62x
Great Lever 3 80.00x
Hastings St Mary 3 24.04x
Leamington Priors 3 16.25x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 51.55x
Salisbury St Edmund 3 71.09x
Southwark Christchurch 3 21.52x
West Ham 3 2.31x
Whistones 3 106.76x
Bermondsey 2 2.26x
Bridgewater 2 15.38x
Camberwell 2 1.05x
Darcy Lever 2 98.52x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.55x
East Bradenham 2 606.06x
Ebbesborne Wake 2 714.29x
Great Faringdon 2 62.31x
Heap 2 10.68x
Kingston On Thames 2 5.74x
Lee 2 13.57x
Ludgershall 2 400.00x
Manningham 2 5.51x
Middle Hulton 2 95.69x
Milton In Gravesend 2 13.14x
Poole St James 2 27.25x
Shellingford 2 769.23x
Walthamstow 2 9.46x
Weston 2 740.74x
Acton 1 5.73x
Bampton 1 70.42x
Bathwick 1 18.87x
Broadwater 1 8.69x
Bromley London 1 1.53x
Clifton 1 3.39x
Devizes St John 1 50.51x
Dover St James 1 22.47x
Garford 1 285.71x
Hackney London 1 0.60x
Heston 1 10.12x
Holbrook 1 126.58x
Honington 1 434.78x
Hythe St Leonard 1 27.86x
Little Bedwyn 1 196.08x
Paddington London 1 0.91x
Reigate Foreign 1 6.37x
Richmond 1 4.92x
Saffron Walden 1 16.10x
St Thomas Winchester 1 23.20x
Willesden 1 3.57x
Wroughton 1 43.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 12
George 10
James 9
Thomas 9
Walter 7
Francis 6
Henry 5
Robert 5
Charles 4
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Frederick 2
Peter 2
Tom 2
A.A. 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Claude 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.L. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Joeph 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Obediah 1
Pelham 1
Phill 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Silas 1
Thos.A. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Selfe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Selfe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 320 people were recorded with the Selfe surname. That placed it at #9,298 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Selfe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 546 in 2016. That gives Selfe a modern rank of #9,334.

What does the Selfe surname mean?

From the Old English meaning "himself" or "herself," referring to self-identity or self-knowledge.

What does the Selfe map show?

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