NameCensus.

UK surname

Selim

The surname Selim is of Turkish origin, derived from the word "selim" meaning "peaceful" or "secure".

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Selim surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Kingston upon Thames.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Selim is 160 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2171.4%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2014

160 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Selim had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Selim surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Selim surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Selim 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 90 #28,920
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 86 #29,484
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 94 #28,896
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

Back to top

Where Selims 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 Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Enfield 022 Enfield
2 Enfield 026 Enfield
3 Kensington and Chelsea 015 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kingston upon Thames 014 Kingston upon Thames
5 Basingstoke and Deane 017 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Selim

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Selim

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Selim surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Selim 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Selim is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Selim 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

Selim falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Selim 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Selim

The surname SELIM is of Turkish origin, derived from the Arabic word "Salim" meaning "safe" or "peaceful." The name first emerged in the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century.

The earliest recorded use of the surname SELIM can be traced back to the reign of Sultan Selim I, also known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute, who ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. He was the first Ottoman Sultan to adopt the name as a symbolic representation of his personality and leadership.

During the Ottoman era, the name SELIM gained prominence among the ruling elite and noble families. It was associated with strength, valor, and leadership qualities. Several prominent figures bore this surname, including Selim II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 to 1574, and Selim III, who reigned from 1789 to 1807.

In the 16th century, the name SELIM appeared in various historical records and manuscripts documenting the Ottoman Empire's expansionist campaigns and military conquests. One notable example is the "Selimname," a biographical work dedicated to the life and achievements of Sultan Selim I.

Beyond the Ottoman Empire, the surname SELIM has been found in other regions with strong historical ties to the Turkic world, such as Central Asia and parts of the Middle East. In some instances, the name may have evolved into slightly different spellings or variations, reflecting local linguistic and cultural influences.

Notable individuals who carried the surname SELIM throughout history include:

1. Selim Pasha (1470-1520), an Ottoman Grand Vizier and military commander under Sultan Selim I. 2. Selim Efendi (1737-1805), an Ottoman bureaucrat and statesman known for his diplomatic missions. 3. Selim III (1761-1808), the 28th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, known for his efforts to modernize the empire. 4. Selim Sirri Tarcan (1874-1957), a Turkish politician and one of the founders of the Republican People's Party. 5. Selim Palmgren (1878-1951), a Finnish composer and pianist of Turkish descent.

While the surname SELIM has its roots in the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world, it has since spread to various regions and cultures, carrying with it a rich historical legacy and associations with leadership, courage, and peace.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Selim families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Selim 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 5 Selims recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.35x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 5 7.35x
Lancashire 2 2.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 5 Selims recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.24x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 5 91.24x
Liverpool 2 40.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eveline 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
Adolphus 1
Isaac 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 Selim households.

FAQ

Selim surname: questions and answers

How common was the Selim surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Selim surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Selim surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Selim a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Selim surname mean?

The surname Selim is of Turkish origin, derived from the word "selim" meaning "peaceful" or "secure".

What does the Selim map show?

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