NameCensus.

UK surname

Sellers

An occupational surname referring to someone who sells goods or merchandise.

In the 1881 census there were 2,298 people recorded with the Sellers surname, ranking it #1,945 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,191, ranked #2,131, down from #1,945 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sellers is 3,291 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

2,298

Ranked #1,945

Modern count

3,191

2016, ranked #2,131

Peak year

2010

3,291 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sellers had 2,298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,945 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,191 in 2016, ranked #2,131.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,059 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sellers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sellers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sellers 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 1,506 #1,904
1861 historical 1,437 #1,977
1881 historical 2,298 #1,945
1891 historical 2,220 #2,101
1901 historical 2,557 #2,149
1911 historical 3,059 #1,703
1997 modern 2,897 #2,234
1998 modern 3,066 #2,196
1999 modern 3,080 #2,201
2000 modern 3,155 #2,130
2001 modern 3,065 #2,148
2002 modern 3,149 #2,130
2003 modern 3,077 #2,130
2004 modern 3,046 #2,153
2005 modern 3,038 #2,130
2006 modern 3,054 #2,126
2007 modern 3,103 #2,107
2008 modern 3,075 #2,144
2009 modern 3,182 #2,125
2010 modern 3,291 #2,110
2011 modern 3,204 #2,126
2012 modern 3,183 #2,116
2013 modern 3,221 #2,128
2014 modern 3,236 #2,135
2015 modern 3,203 #2,131
2016 modern 3,191 #2,131

Geography

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Where Sellers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds, Birstall, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 012 Scarborough
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 010 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Scarborough 009 Scarborough
4 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
5 Derbyshire Dales 009 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sellers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sellers

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

Sellers is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sellers falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sellers

The surname Sellers originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "sellan," meaning "to sell" or "to give." It was an occupational surname given to those who worked as merchants, traders, or salespeople.

The name Sellers can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recordings found in various historical documents. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a certain William le Seller is listed.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there are records of individuals named Seller and Sellere living in counties such as Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was well-established and widespread throughout England by the 13th century.

During the 14th century, variations of the surname emerged, including Sellars, Sellors, and Selers. These spellings were likely influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the names.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Sellers surname was John Sellers, born around 1340 in Yorkshire. He is mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 as a resident of Kilnwick.

Another notable individual was Richard Sellers, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived in the early 15th century. He is recorded in the Letter Books of the City of London, which contain records of civic affairs and transactions.

In the 16th century, the Sellers surname appeared in various parish records and court rolls. One example is Thomas Sellers, born in 1545 in Gloucestershire, whose name is listed in the parish registers of Winchcombe.

The Sellers surname also has connections to places like Sellers Green in Bedfordshire and Sellers Pond in Derbyshire, which may have derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the Sellers surname.

Some notable individuals with the Sellers surname throughout history include:

1. Nathanael Sellers (1680-1736), a renowned English mathematician and surveyor. 2. John Sellers (1728-1804), an English engineer and instrument maker, known for his works on navigation and mathematics. 3. Charles Sellers (1923-1980), an American historian and author who wrote extensively on the American Revolution and early American history. 4. Peter Sellers (1925-1980), the iconic British comedian and actor, known for his performances in films like "The Pink Panther" and "Dr. Strangelove." 5. Heather Sellers (born 1964), an American writer and poet, known for her memoirs and poetry collections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sellers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sellers 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 873 Sellers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.92x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 873 3.92x
Lancashire 487 1.83x
Derbyshire 131 3.72x
Middlesex 116 0.52x
Lincolnshire 93 2.59x
Staffordshire 63 0.83x
Cheshire 58 1.17x
Devon 58 1.24x
Surrey 55 0.50x
Hampshire 26 0.56x
Warwickshire 24 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 23 0.76x
Buckinghamshire 21 1.55x
Durham 21 0.31x
Northamptonshire 21 0.99x
Somerset 20 0.55x
Dorset 16 1.09x
Kent 16 0.21x
Brecknockshire 14 3.12x
Lanarkshire 14 0.19x
Northumberland 14 0.42x
Sussex 13 0.34x
Midlothian 11 0.37x
Oxfordshire 10 0.72x
Renfrewshire 10 0.57x
Leicestershire 9 0.36x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.38x
Cornwall 8 0.31x
Fife 7 0.53x
Suffolk 7 0.26x
Argyllshire 6 0.96x
Ayrshire 6 0.36x
Channel Islands 6 0.90x
Gloucestershire 5 0.11x
Rutland 5 3.03x
Shropshire 5 0.26x
Anglesey 3 0.75x
Glamorgan 3 0.08x
Perthshire 3 0.30x
Angus 2 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.22x
Essex 2 0.05x
Wiltshire 2 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.22x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.37x
Selkirkshire 1 0.49x
Stirlingshire 1 0.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 99 Sellers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.96x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 99 13.96x
Cleckheaton 58 70.72x
Scarborough 51 25.21x
Holy Trinity 41 7.66x
Oldham 41 4.77x
Horton In Bradford 34 9.78x
Manchester 34 2.84x
Dukinfield 28 12.22x
Bowling 27 12.24x
Sheffield 23 3.25x
Higher Booths 21 43.70x
Bradford 20 3.71x
Swanland 20 589.97x
Dilworth 18 110.23x
Habergham Eaves 17 6.98x
Islington London 17 0.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 2.11x
Ashborne 16 66.89x
Sculcoates 16 4.53x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 7.23x
Colyton 15 83.52x
Gomersal 15 14.44x
Macclesfield 15 6.80x
Pinchbeck 15 65.16x
Almondbury 14 13.01x
Cowpen 14 18.19x
Crich 14 61.00x
Droylsden 14 16.10x
Fairfield 14 59.52x
St Pancras London 14 0.77x
Tideswell 14 91.74x
Drypool 13 38.15x
Leeds 13 1.03x
Mile End Old Town 13 3.67x
Bury 12 3.94x
Camberwell 12 0.84x
Hackney London 12 0.95x
Kensington London 12 0.96x
Tissington 12 421.05x
Birmingham 11 0.58x
Derby St Peter 11 9.82x
Hunmanby 11 105.87x
Lofthouse 11 33.09x
Pocklington 11 52.33x
Wyke In Bradford 11 27.63x
Beverley St Mary 10 30.76x
Burton Extra 10 23.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 2.36x
Darfield 10 49.36x
Falsgrave 10 30.48x
Ganton 10 383.14x
Great Little Marsden 10 8.19x
Hulme 10 1.80x
Offcote Underwood 10 273.22x
Camerton 9 85.47x
Coundon Grange 9 61.39x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 1.99x
Great Gonerby 9 97.30x
Nafferton 9 94.84x
Peterborough 9 5.88x
Speeton 9 731.71x
Swinton In Rotherham 9 15.29x
Weel 9 1022.73x
York St Saviour 9 42.33x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 2.06x
Alston 8 64.46x
Ardwick 8 3.33x
Barony 8 0.44x
Dunnington In York 8 140.11x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 0.66x
Foston On Wolds 8 361.99x
Great Bolton 8 2.27x
Kilnwick Percy 8 879.12x
Knaresborough 8 22.88x
Preston 8 1.12x
Sherburn 8 43.74x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 8 15.84x
Tipton 8 3.45x
Warkworth 8 42.06x
Westminster St John 8 2.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 154
Sarah 90
Elizabeth 77
Jane 51
Hannah 44
Ann 42
Annie 40
Emma 33
Alice 32
Ellen 32
Martha 27
Margaret 26
Eliza 25
Emily 20
Florence 16
Ada 14
Charlotte 13
Fanny 13
Edith 12
Anne 11
Catherine 11
Frances 10
Caroline 9
Lucy 9
Maria 9
Nancy 9
Clara 8
Esther 8
Harriet 8
Louisa 8
Gertrude 7
Isabella 7
Bertha 6
Betsy 6
Harriett 6
Lilly 6
Rose 6
Elizth. 5
Kate 5
Matilda 5
Minnie 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Eleanor 4
Ethel 4
Grace 4
Henrietta 4
Rachel 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 161
William 111
George 91
Thomas 83
James 82
Joseph 46
Henry 41
Charles 39
Robert 37
Alfred 22
Richard 20
Arthur 19
Frederick 19
Albert 17
Walter 17
Harry 14
Edward 13
Samuel 13
Frank 11
Herbert 11
Tom 10
Ernest 9
Fred 7
Wm. 7
Francis 6
Jno. 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Fredrick 5
Joshua 5
Mark 4
Matthew 4
Thos. 4
Alexander 3
Ezra 3
Geo. 3
Leonard 3
Sarah 3
Sidney 3
Eli 2
Jesse 2
Joel 2
Jonathan 2
Moses 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Richd.R. 2
Septimus 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Sellers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sellers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,298 people were recorded with the Sellers surname. That placed it at #1,945 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sellers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,191 in 2016. That gives Sellers a modern rank of #2,131.

What does the Sellers surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who sells goods or merchandise.

What does the Sellers map show?

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