NameCensus.

UK surname

Selmes

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Selmes surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Ore. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Stockton-on-Tees and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Selmes is 322 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.5%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

1911

322 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Selmes had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 322 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Selmes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Selmes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Selmes 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 152 #12,786
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 322 #10,873
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 312 #13,532
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 291 #14,200
2001 modern 278 #14,444
2002 modern 292 #14,236
2003 modern 275 #14,652
2004 modern 281 #14,489
2005 modern 263 #15,139
2006 modern 282 #14,459
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 284 #14,687
2009 modern 292 #14,700
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 299 #14,631
2012 modern 271 #15,628
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Selmes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Ore and Hastings St Leonard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Stockton-on-Tees, Waverley, Wiltshire and Birmingham. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Ore Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hastings St Leonard Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 011 Neath Port Talbot
2 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Waverley 013 Waverley
4 Wiltshire 042 Wiltshire
5 Birmingham 005 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Selmes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Selmes

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Selmes 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

Selmes 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

Selmes falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Selmes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Selmes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Selmes 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. Sussex leads with 132 Selmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.38x.

County Total Index
Sussex 132 41.38x
Surrey 27 2.93x
Kent 17 2.63x
Middlesex 7 0.37x
Hampshire 3 0.77x
Northumberland 2 0.71x
Bedfordshire 1 1.02x
Dorset 1 0.81x
Hertfordshire 1 0.77x
Leicestershire 1 0.48x
Somerset 1 0.33x
Worcestershire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mountfield in Sussex leads with 16 Selmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4000.00x.

Place Total Index
Mountfield 16 4000.00x
Ewhurst 14 2413.79x
Hastings St Mary In The 12 176.21x
Hollington 10 877.19x
Ore 10 421.94x
Hastings St Leonards 9 191.90x
Eastbourne 8 54.50x
Westfield 8 1176.47x
Battle 6 279.07x
Brede 6 895.52x
Beckley 5 625.00x
Brighton 5 7.77x
Clapham 5 21.13x
Westminster St 5 71.63x
Frant 4 176.99x
Gravesend 4 73.13x
Hastings St Mary 4 50.38x
Hove 4 28.57x
Icklesham 4 714.29x
Newenden 4 4000.00x
Sedlescombe 4 952.38x
Camberwell 3 2.48x
Rye 3 99.01x
Tonbridge 3 12.89x
Brenzett 2 1000.00x
Catsfield 2 434.78x
Dibden 2 606.06x
Eastdean 2 1052.63x
Hastings All Sts 2 66.45x
Playden 2 1052.63x
Tynemouth 2 13.26x
Wandsworth 2 10.98x
West Malling 2 137.93x
Whatlington 2 833.33x
Withyam 2 145.99x
Bath St Michael 1 64.94x
Bexley 1 17.51x
Boughton Malherbe 1 344.83x
Brading 1 19.42x
Cranborne 1 66.67x
Croydon 1 1.95x
Eversholt 1 200.00x
Kensington London 1 0.95x
Kings Norton 1 4.51x
Leatherhead 1 43.29x
Northiam 1 128.21x
Penge 1 8.27x
Sapcote 1 222.22x
St Albans 1 37.45x
St George Hanover 1 4.05x
Wartling 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 8
Jane 7
Ann 6
Sarah 6
Caroline 5
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Lucy 3
Anne 2
Cordelia 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Minnie 2
Rosina 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Carline 1
Charlotte 1
Eleva 1
Ester 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriott 1
Henriette 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
M.H. 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mercy 1
Nellie 1
Olive 1
Philadelphia 1
Priscilla 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Rosena 1
Sabina 1
Susan 1
Voilet 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Selmes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Selmes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Selmes surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Selmes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Selmes a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Selmes map show?

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