NameCensus.

UK surname

Sellar

A locational surname derived from places in Scotland and England called Sellar or Seller, relating to a seller or merchant.

In the 1881 census there were 712 people recorded with the Sellar surname, ranking it #5,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 751, ranked #7,283, down from #5,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Elgin and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Badenoch and Strathspey South, Inverleith, Goldenacre and Warriston and Lochaber East and North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sellar is 754 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.5%.

1881 census count

712

Ranked #5,107

Modern count

751

2016, ranked #7,283

Peak year

1901

754 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sellar had 712 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 751 in 2016, ranked #7,283.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 754 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sellar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sellar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sellar 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 470 #5,285
1861 historical 553 #4,760
1881 historical 712 #5,107
1891 historical 748 #5,323
1901 historical 754 #5,918
1911 historical 298 #11,505
1997 modern 702 #7,234
1998 modern 743 #7,157
1999 modern 744 #7,190
2000 modern 726 #7,290
2001 modern 706 #7,324
2002 modern 720 #7,346
2003 modern 705 #7,345
2004 modern 723 #7,205
2005 modern 722 #7,151
2006 modern 713 #7,254
2007 modern 705 #7,381
2008 modern 718 #7,335
2009 modern 717 #7,508
2010 modern 749 #7,381
2011 modern 735 #7,431
2012 modern 725 #7,420
2013 modern 741 #7,417
2014 modern 745 #7,420
2015 modern 740 #7,394
2016 modern 751 #7,283

Geography

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Where Sellars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Elgin, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Badenoch and Strathspey South, Inverleith, Goldenacre and Warriston, Lochaber East and North, Westminster and South Oxfordshire. 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 Elgin Elgin
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland
2 Inverleith, Goldenacre and Warriston City of Edinburgh
3 Lochaber East and North Highland
4 Westminster 011 Westminster
5 South Oxfordshire 002 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sellar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sellar

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sellar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sellar 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sellar 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

Sellar is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sellar falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sellar

The surname Sellar is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse word 'selr', meaning 'seal', which suggests that the name was likely first adopted by someone who lived near a seal colony or worked as a seal hunter.

The earliest known record of the name Sellar dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Ragman Rolls of Scotland, a document from 1296 that recorded the names of Scottish noblemen who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Scotland by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the records of the Abbey of Cupar in Fife, Scotland, where a certain William Sellar was listed as a monk. This provides evidence that the name was present in different parts of Scotland during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Sellar was John Sellar, who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, around 1570. He was a merchant and burgess (a prominent citizen of a town or borough) in the city, indicating that the family had achieved a certain level of prosperity by that time.

Another notable figure with the surname Sellar was William Sellar, born in Morayshire, Scotland, in 1782. He was a classical scholar and educator who served as the Rector of Eton College from 1838 until his death in 1865. His work as a educator and author helped to further establish the Sellar name in academic circles.

In the 19th century, the name Sellar also appeared in connection with the Clearances in the Scottish Highlands. Patrick Sellar, born in Sutherland in 1780, gained notoriety as a factor (estate manager) for the Countess of Sutherland, who was responsible for the forced eviction of thousands of tenants from their lands during the Highland Clearances.

Other notable individuals with the surname Sellar include Alexander Craig Sellar (1835-1890), a Scottish antiquarian and historian; and Robert Sellar (1803-1882), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1861.

While the name Sellar is most strongly associated with Scotland, it has also been found in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, likely due to migration and diaspora from its Scottish origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sellar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sellar 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 153 Sellars recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.82x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 153 23.82x
Banffshire 88 61.17x
Midlothian 80 8.61x
Middlesex 68 0.98x
Morayshire 42 38.97x
Surrey 34 1.01x
Lanarkshire 30 1.34x
Lancashire 23 0.28x
Yorkshire 22 0.32x
Oxfordshire 14 3.27x
Angus 13 2.02x
Inverness-shire 12 5.79x
Perthshire 12 3.85x
Renfrewshire 11 2.05x
Ross-shire 11 5.78x
Dunbartonshire 10 5.37x
Nairnshire 10 47.24x
Somerset 10 0.90x
Berkshire 9 1.73x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.43x
Clackmannanshire 6 10.47x
Cheshire 5 0.33x
Essex 5 0.37x
Hampshire 5 0.35x
West Lothian 5 4.79x
Sussex 4 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.32x
Worcestershire 3 0.33x
Durham 2 0.10x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Stirlingshire 2 0.78x
Argyllshire 1 0.52x
Berwickshire 1 1.19x
Cornwall 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.07x
Fife 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Kincardineshire 1 1.18x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Selkirkshire 1 1.59x
Westmorland 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 54 Sellars recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.45x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 54 14.45x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 39 32.45x
Keith 38 247.72x
Peterhead 36 105.98x
Chelsea London 21 10.05x
Lambeth 19 3.14x
Govan 16 2.88x
Huntly 16 153.11x
Elgin 14 66.79x
Garsington 13 896.55x
Fraserburgh 12 66.37x
Kensington London 12 3.11x
Cathcart 11 37.83x
Dull 11 176.28x
Kingussie Insh 11 231.58x
Shoreditch London 11 3.66x
Boyndie 10 210.08x
Duddingston 10 53.62x
Mortlach 10 142.45x
Roseneath 10 279.33x
Barony 9 1.59x
Drumblade 9 396.48x
Mains 8 146.52x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 5.22x
Banff 7 56.04x
St Fergus 7 192.84x
Turriff 7 67.50x
West Derby 7 2.91x
Dollar 6 101.01x
Echt 6 194.17x
Grange 6 142.52x
Kiltearn 6 213.52x
North Leith 6 13.95x
Wedmore 6 82.64x
Winslow 6 151.90x
Auldearn 5 161.81x
Forfar 5 14.37x
Glasgow 5 1.26x
Hackney London 5 1.29x
Kinloss 5 196.08x
Nairn 5 38.91x
Queensferry 5 196.08x
Reading St Lawrence 5 44.88x
South Leith 5 4.78x
St Pancras London 5 0.90x
Tain 5 69.35x
Temple 5 135.50x
Urquhart 5 98.23x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.33x
Dukinfield 4 5.65x
Glass 4 163.27x
Habergham Eaves 4 5.32x
Hinderwell 4 68.14x
King Edward 4 54.05x
Newington 4 1.56x
North Meols 4 4.97x
Rothes 4 76.05x
Speymouth 4 256.41x
Stainton Dale 4 701.75x
Boharm 3 106.01x
Clapham 3 3.46x
Eastwood 3 35.89x
Fulham London 3 2.98x
Insch 3 82.19x
Leigh 3 27.30x
Paddington London 3 1.18x
Skelton In Guisbrough 3 16.14x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 3 90.09x
Wandsworth 3 4.49x
West Ham 3 0.99x
Bellie 2 41.07x
Botriphnie 2 120.48x
Camberwell 2 0.45x
Denston 2 190.48x
Little Ilford 2 84.39x
Liverpool 2 0.40x
Lockton 2 210.53x
Rottingdean 2 50.00x
Swinton In Rotherham 2 11.01x
Wombwell 2 9.98x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Sellar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sellar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 712 people were recorded with the Sellar surname. That placed it at #5,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sellar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 751 in 2016. That gives Sellar a modern rank of #7,283.

What does the Sellar surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in Scotland and England called Sellar or Seller, relating to a seller or merchant.

What does the Sellar map show?

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