NameCensus.

UK surname

Sellars

An occupational surname for someone who sold goods, often a merchant or trader.

In the 1881 census there were 1,858 people recorded with the Sellars surname, ranking it #2,345 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,673, ranked #2,501, down from #2,345 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glossop, Govan Combination and Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, West Lindsey and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sellars is 2,874 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.9%.

1881 census count

1,858

Ranked #2,345

Modern count

2,673

2016, ranked #2,501

Peak year

1998

2,874 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sellars had 1,858 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,345 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,673 in 2016, ranked #2,501.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,561 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sellars surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sellars surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sellars 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 891 #3,080
1861 historical 911 #3,041
1881 historical 1,858 #2,345
1891 historical 2,008 #2,293
1901 historical 2,561 #2,145
1911 historical 2,141 #2,351
1997 modern 2,734 #2,343
1998 modern 2,874 #2,335
1999 modern 2,837 #2,368
2000 modern 2,775 #2,398
2001 modern 2,734 #2,383
2002 modern 2,810 #2,383
2003 modern 2,694 #2,413
2004 modern 2,665 #2,434
2005 modern 2,642 #2,431
2006 modern 2,655 #2,424
2007 modern 2,699 #2,415
2008 modern 2,704 #2,427
2009 modern 2,734 #2,445
2010 modern 2,761 #2,476
2011 modern 2,715 #2,482
2012 modern 2,640 #2,499
2013 modern 2,692 #2,500
2014 modern 2,709 #2,498
2015 modern 2,685 #2,501
2016 modern 2,673 #2,501

Geography

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Where Sellars' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glossop, Govan Combination, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton), Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, West Lindsey and Ryedale. 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 Glossop Derbyshire
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
2 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
3 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
4 Barnsley 013 Barnsley
5 Barnsley 011 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sellars

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sellars

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sellars, 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 Sellars surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sellars 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sellars is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sellars is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sellars falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sellars

The surname Sellars has its origins in England, with roots that can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sellan," which means "to sell" or "to give." This suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname given to those who worked as merchants or tradesmen.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1197, where it appears as "Sellar." It is also mentioned in the Assize Court Rolls of Northumberland in 1279, written as "Sellare."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Sellars, who lived in Northamptonshire in the 13th century. Records from this time period often referred to individuals by their occupation or trade, lending credence to the idea that the Sellars name was associated with commerce.

The variant spelling "Sellars" became more prevalent in the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time, the name was found in various parts of England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Northumberland. Notable individuals from this era include John Sellars, a merchant from Newcastle upon Tyne, who was born in 1580.

In the 18th century, the name Sellars was also present in Scotland, where it is believed to have been adopted by families who migrated from England. One notable Scottish figure was David Sellars, a mathematician and astronomer born in Fife in 1755.

As the centuries progressed, the Sellars surname spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who emigrated from Britain. One notable American bearer of the name was Wilbur Sellars, a renowned philosopher born in Huron, Michigan in 1912. He made significant contributions to the fields of metaphysics and epistemology.

Other notable individuals with the Sellars surname include Roy Sellars (1892-1973), an American actor and director; Peter Sellars (born 1957), an American theater director and filmmaker; and Andrew Sellars (born 1978), a British classical composer and conductor.

Throughout its history, the surname Sellars has maintained its connection to the world of commerce and trade, reflecting the occupational roots from which it originated centuries ago in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sellars families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sellars 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. Yorkshire leads with 554 Sellars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.09x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 554 3.09x
Lancashire 213 0.99x
Lincolnshire 192 6.63x
Lanarkshire 153 2.61x
Derbyshire 149 5.25x
Cheshire 81 2.03x
Nottinghamshire 76 3.11x
Renfrewshire 50 3.56x
Angus 36 2.15x
Staffordshire 34 0.56x
Ayrshire 33 2.43x
Perthshire 33 4.06x
Hampshire 26 0.70x
Surrey 21 0.24x
Gloucestershire 19 0.53x
Middlesex 19 0.10x
Leicestershire 14 0.70x
Somerset 13 0.45x
Rutland 12 9.02x
Northamptonshire 11 0.65x
Dorset 10 0.84x
Durham 10 0.19x
Norfolk 9 0.32x
Oxfordshire 9 0.80x
Devon 8 0.21x
Northumberland 8 0.30x
Warwickshire 8 0.18x
Worcestershire 7 0.30x
Cumberland 6 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.46x
Clackmannanshire 4 2.67x
Essex 4 0.11x
Wiltshire 4 0.25x
Bedfordshire 3 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.75x
Kent 3 0.05x
Royal Navy 3 1.39x
Argyllshire 2 0.40x
Berkshire 2 0.15x
Buteshire 2 1.82x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.17x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Fife 1 0.09x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.15x
West Lothian 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rawmarsh in Yorkshire leads with 52 Sellars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.99x.

Place Total Index
Rawmarsh 52 81.99x
Sheffield 49 8.57x
Govan 48 3.31x
Ecclesall Bierlow 43 11.78x
Glasgow 41 3.94x
Glossop Dale 38 28.61x
Dukinfield 31 16.78x
Barony 29 1.96x
Nottingham St Mary 26 4.12x
Droylsden 25 35.65x
Dundee 25 3.99x
Tideswell 25 203.09x
Brightside Bierlow 24 6.82x
Longforgan 23 200.00x
Nether Hallam 23 9.47x
Pickering 21 92.92x
Abbey 20 9.34x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 20 11.96x
Avondale 20 58.39x
Southrop 18 829.49x
Blackburn 17 2.97x
Tattershall Thorpe 17 885.42x
Gorton 16 7.92x
Great Grimsby 16 8.70x
Habergham Eaves 16 8.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 3.19x
Cleethorpes 15 88.03x
Eastwood 13 59.55x
Hyde 13 11.02x
Wath On Dearne 13 36.29x
Wombwell 13 24.84x
Amber Hill 12 491.80x
Doncaster 12 9.15x
Eastwood 12 13.88x
Halifax 12 4.55x
Liverpool 12 0.92x
Oldham 12 1.73x
Sculcoates 12 4.22x
Whittington 12 30.58x
Worsbrough 12 22.81x
Christchurch 11 13.66x
Greasbrough 11 46.39x
Holy Trinity 11 2.55x
Leicester St Margaret 11 2.25x
Litton 11 243.90x
New Cumnock 11 46.79x
North Cave Drewton 11 155.59x
Tankersley 11 82.21x
Harrowby Grantham 10 480.77x
Keighley 10 5.23x
Liff Benvie 10 3.93x
Reighton 10 628.93x
Auchterarder 9 39.67x
Bedminster 9 3.28x
Coningsby 9 108.17x
Eyam 9 113.64x
Hessle In Sculcoates 9 56.78x
Hunslet 9 3.22x
Kirton 9 77.59x
Manchester 9 0.93x
Barrowford Booth 8 33.63x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 8 42.87x
Beverley St Martin 8 26.70x
Evedon 8 1739.13x
Great Hale 8 182.23x
Hollingworth 8 48.51x
Kilmarnock 8 4.96x
Liversedge 8 10.01x
North Meols 8 3.80x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 1.23x
Sutton In Ashfield 8 15.10x
Wigtoft 8 190.93x
Battersea 7 1.05x
Birkenhead 7 2.20x
Dalziel 7 11.11x
Foolow 7 507.25x
Heanor 7 16.51x
Osmotherley 7 122.59x
Putney 7 8.48x
Tetford 7 190.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 106
Elizabeth 65
Sarah 56
Ann 41
Hannah 31
Jane 29
Eliza 27
Emma 22
Ellen 21
Alice 20
Martha 19
Annie 18
Emily 16
Margaret 15
Maria 14
Charlotte 13
Ada 11
Clara 10
Edith 9
Harriet 9
Fanny 8
Catherine 6
Esther 6
Kate 6
Amelia 5
Anne 5
Caroline 5
Harriett 5
Lydia 5
Rachel 5
Selina 5
Sophia 5
Agnes 4
Amy 4
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Isabella 4
Lucy 4
Rebecca 4
Rose 4
Susannah 4
Anna 3
Frances 3
Laura 3
Lilly 3
Mabel 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Blanche 2
Florence 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 97
John 88
George 75
Thomas 62
Joseph 41
Henry 29
James 28
Charles 27
Samuel 27
Arthur 21
Robert 17
Richard 15
Alfred 14
Harry 12
Albert 11
Fred 11
Frederick 11
Francis 10
Frank 10
Benjamin 9
Herbert 8
Edward 7
Walter 7
Ernest 5
Anthony 4
David 4
Joshua 4
Abraham 3
Edwin 3
Jesse 3
Tom 3
Adolphus 2
Ben 2
Dodson 2
Fred. 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Rodger 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Bery 1
Enos 1
Ephraim 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Sellars surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sellars surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,858 people were recorded with the Sellars surname. That placed it at #2,345 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sellars surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,673 in 2016. That gives Sellars a modern rank of #2,501.

What does the Sellars surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who sold goods, often a merchant or trader.

What does the Sellars map show?

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