NameCensus.

UK surname

Selling

A surname derived from the occupation of selling goods or merchandise.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Selling surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Minety and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Maidstone and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Selling is 109 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1891

109 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Selling had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Selling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Selling surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Selling 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 89 #28,932
2002 modern 80 #30,387
2003 modern 85 #29,877
2004 modern 86 #30,019
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 90 #30,567
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

Back to top

Where Sellings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Minety, London parishes, Paddington and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Maidstone and Wellingborough. 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 Minster Kent
2 Minety Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Paddington London (West Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 007 Ashford
2 Ashford 008 Ashford
3 Maidstone 016 Maidstone
4 Wellingborough 009 Wellingborough
5 Ashford 005 Ashford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Selling

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Selling

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Selling surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Selling household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Selling is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Selling is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Selling falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Selling

The surname Selling is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "sellan," meaning "to sell" or "to give." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, referring to someone who was a merchant or trader.

The earliest recorded instances of the Selling surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across England, such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. Historical records from this period often refer to individuals with the surname spelled as "Sellinge" or "Sellyng."

One notable early reference to the Selling name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a Thomas Sellynge. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 list a Hugo Sellynge, suggesting the name's widespread use across different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the Selling surname is found in the parish records of several English villages, such as Selling in Kent, which may have contributed to the surname's development. The village name itself is derived from the Old English words "sæl" meaning "hall" and "ingas" meaning "people of."

Among the notable figures bearing the Selling surname throughout history are Sir Cuthbert Selling (c. 1598-1668), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Kent during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent individual was Charles Selling (1722-1807), an English schoolmaster and clergyman who served as the headmaster of Shrewsbury School in Shropshire.

Other notable individuals with the Selling surname include John Selling (1638-1701), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London, and Edward Selling (1836-1886), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the Selling surname have existed over time, including Sellinge, Sellyng, and Sellin, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and variations in pronunciation across different parts of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Selling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Selling 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 16 Sellings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 16 3.28x
Surrey 13 5.47x
Kent 11 6.61x
Essex 5 5.19x
Berkshire 1 2.73x
Hampshire 1 1.00x
Sussex 1 1.22x
Worcestershire 1 1.57x
Yorkshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 7 Sellings recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.04x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 7 39.04x
Lambeth 6 14.11x
Camberwell 5 16.05x
West Ham 5 23.53x
Faversham 4 251.57x
Islington London 4 8.46x
Shoreditch London 3 14.19x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 1 172.41x
Bishops Waltham 1 238.10x
Broadwater 1 52.91x
Chatham 1 21.83x
Chislehurst 1 112.36x
Claines 1 57.14x
Gravesend 1 70.92x
Greenwich 1 12.89x
Lydd 1 277.78x
Meopham 1 476.19x
Milton In Milton 1 140.85x
Newington 1 5.55x
Norwood 1 90.09x
Speen 1 166.67x
St Pancras London 1 2.55x
Witley 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Amelia 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Lily 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Gertrude 1
Louisa 1
Nelly 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
George 5
Charles 3
Albert 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
John 2
Benjamin 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Leonard 1
Saml. 1
Thomas 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 Selling households.

FAQ

Selling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Selling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Selling surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Selling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Selling a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Selling surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of selling goods or merchandise.

What does the Selling map show?

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