NameCensus.

UK surname

Seligman

A German surname derived from the German word "selig" meaning "blessed" or "happy".

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Seligman surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Aberchirder and Whitehills and Brighton and Hove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seligman is 122 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 418.2%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2014

122 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seligman had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 71 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Seligman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seligman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seligman 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
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 71 #26,277
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 117 #27,838
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Seligmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Aberchirder and Whitehills, Brighton and Hove and Guildford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 019 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
3 Kensington and Chelsea 010 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Brighton and Hove 007 Brighton and Hove
5 Guildford 018 Guildford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seligman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seligman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Seligman, 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 Seligman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Seligman 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Seligman is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Seligman 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

Seligman 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 Seligman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Seligman

The surname Seligman is of German-Jewish origin and can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of modern-day Germany. It is derived from the German word "selig," meaning "blessed" or "happy," and was likely initially used as a descriptive name for someone who was considered blessed or fortunate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seligman can be found in the town of Worms, Germany, where a Jewish man named Seligman ben Yitzchak is mentioned in a document from 1289. This document is part of the Memorbuch, a historical record of the Jewish community in Worms.

The name Seligman also appears in other historical records from the Middle Ages, such as the Nuremberg Memorbuch, which dates back to the 14th century. In these records, various spellings of the name can be found, including Seligmann, Seeligmann, and Selichmann.

One notable individual with the surname Seligman was Rabbi Moses Seligman, who lived in the 16th century and was a prominent scholar and author of his time. He wrote several works on Jewish law and philosophy, including commentaries on the Talmud.

Another prominent figure with the Seligman surname was Joseph Seligman (1819-1880), a German-American banker and philanthropist. He was one of the founders of the investment banking firm J. & W. Seligman & Co., which played a significant role in financing the development of the American West in the 19th century.

In the 18th century, the Seligman family established themselves as prominent bankers and merchants in the city of Frankfurt, Germany. One member of this family, Seligmann Bing (1754-1807), was a successful merchant and financier who worked closely with the German principalities.

Other notable individuals with the Seligman surname include Edwin Robert Anderson Seligman (1861-1939), an American economist and professor at Columbia University, and Walter Seligman (1854-1935), an Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

While the surname Seligman has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, primarily due to Jewish migration and diaspora. Today, people with the Seligman surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Israel, and other parts of Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seligman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seligman 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 14 Seligmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 14 6.53x
Surrey 8 7.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 10 Seligmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 83.89x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 10 83.89x
Clapham 8 298.51x
Hackney London 2 16.64x
Bethnal Green London 1 10.73x
St Pancras London 1 5.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Clara 1
Edith 1
Helena 1
Julie 1
Lena 1
Louisa 1
Matilda 1
Sophia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Leopold 2
... 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Hubert 1
Hugo 1
Richard 1
Selloff 1
Spencer 1
Walter 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 Seligman households.

FAQ

Seligman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seligman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Seligman surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seligman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Seligman a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Seligman surname mean?

A German surname derived from the German word "selig" meaning "blessed" or "happy".

What does the Seligman map show?

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