NameCensus.

UK surname

Sibson

An English habitational surname derived from places named Sibson in Leicestershire and Huntingdonshire.

In the 1881 census there were 372 people recorded with the Sibson surname, ranking it #8,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 627, ranked #8,409, down from #8,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Thurcaston, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Charnwood and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sibson is 675 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.5%.

1881 census count

372

Ranked #8,399

Modern count

627

2016, ranked #8,409

Peak year

2000

675 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sibson had 372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 627 in 2016, ranked #8,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 547 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sibson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sibson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sibson 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 324 #7,179
1861 historical 286 #8,793
1881 historical 372 #8,399
1891 historical 449 #8,085
1901 historical 471 #8,420
1911 historical 547 #7,323
1997 modern 652 #7,641
1998 modern 672 #7,717
1999 modern 669 #7,773
2000 modern 675 #7,706
2001 modern 674 #7,579
2002 modern 663 #7,826
2003 modern 634 #7,978
2004 modern 628 #8,053
2005 modern 618 #8,081
2006 modern 614 #8,140
2007 modern 626 #8,086
2008 modern 628 #8,121
2009 modern 639 #8,177
2010 modern 651 #8,233
2011 modern 647 #8,183
2012 modern 624 #8,333
2013 modern 635 #8,356
2014 modern 632 #8,434
2015 modern 622 #8,481
2016 modern 627 #8,409

Geography

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Where Sibsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Thurcaston, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Charnwood and Blaby. 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 Thurcaston Leicestershire
2 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth Leicestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 010 Harrogate
2 Charnwood 012 Charnwood
3 Charnwood 014 Charnwood
4 Blaby 005 Blaby
5 Charnwood 003 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sibson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sibson

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

Sibson 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

Sibson falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sibson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sibson

The surname Sibson is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "sibb" meaning kinsman or relative, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived in the village of Sibson, which can be found in various counties across England, including Leicestershire, Huntingdonshire, and Northamptonshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sibestone" and "Sibbestune," referring to the village in Leicestershire. This suggests that the name has been in existence since at least the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Sibestone from Leicestershire, indicating that the name was well-established by this time. The name also appears in various medieval records and documents, such as the Huntingdonshire Feet of Fines in 1212, where a Robert de Sibestune is mentioned.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Sibson. One of the earliest was John Sibson, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Winchester from 1578 to 1595.

In the 17th century, Edward Sibson (1628-1689) was a prominent English divine and academic, serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1684 to 1688.

Thomas Sibson (1817-1891) was a 19th-century English physician and medical writer, best known for his work on the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases.

Alfred Sibson (1845-1908) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Music.

More recently, Robert Sibson (1936-1998) was a renowned British statistician and professor at the University of Cambridge, known for his contributions to computational statistics and machine learning.

While the name Sibson has its roots in various English villages, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with families bearing this surname found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sibson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sibson 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. Leicestershire leads with 173 Sibsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.88x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 173 42.88x
Yorkshire 66 1.83x
Cumberland 53 16.92x
Middlesex 24 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 15 3.06x
Hampshire 12 1.61x
Lancashire 8 0.19x
Lincolnshire 8 1.38x
Gloucestershire 3 0.42x
Cheshire 2 0.25x
Derbyshire 2 0.35x
Surrey 2 0.11x
Sussex 2 0.33x
Warwickshire 2 0.22x
Devon 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 34 Sibsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.56x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 34 34.56x
Rothley 21 1603.05x
Leeds 15 7.37x
Belgrave 14 153.85x
Camerton 13 2954.55x
Leicester St Mary 13 39.89x
Thurcaston 13 4642.86x
Wortley In Bramley 12 42.02x
Horsforth 10 126.42x
Leicester St Leonard 10 261.78x
Portsea 10 6.84x
Thurmaston North 10 1923.08x
Loughborough 9 49.15x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 8 64.88x
Hackney London 8 3.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 8.75x
East Retford 6 141.18x
Hampstead London 6 10.59x
Kegworth 6 223.88x
Leicester St Martin 6 221.40x
Leicester St Nicholas 6 263.16x
Rockcliff 6 618.56x
Rothwell 6 82.42x
Swannington 6 402.68x
Caldewgate 5 29.14x
Grinsdale 5 3333.33x
Middlesbrough 5 10.65x
Preston Quarter 5 56.95x
Adel Cum Eccup 4 268.46x
Bowness 4 330.58x
Bradford 4 4.58x
Fulham London 4 7.58x
Hathern 4 245.40x
Knighton 4 175.44x
Lenton 4 34.63x
Birstall 3 491.80x
Bow London 3 6.48x
Bowness Drumburg 3 588.24x
Clifton 3 8.31x
Long Bennington 3 265.49x
Mountsorrel 3 410.96x
Stamford St George 3 114.94x
Wigston Magna 3 56.07x
Aikton 2 202.02x
Arlecdon 2 24.01x
Bexhill 2 65.36x
Birkenhead 2 3.12x
Camberwell 2 0.86x
Dearham 2 48.43x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 8.62x
Hugglescote 2 33.73x
Poplar London 2 2.91x
Southampton St Mary 2 4.26x
Stanford On Soar 2 1538.46x
Syston 2 52.91x
Thurmaston 2 281.69x
Arthuret 1 30.58x
Aston 1 0.40x
Basford 1 4.42x
Boston 1 5.67x
Bridekirk 1 40.00x
Burgh By Sands 1 99.01x
Chadderton 1 4.74x
Church Gresley 1 11.04x
Cockermouth 1 15.17x
Edgbaston 1 3.51x
Holbeach 1 15.43x
Hucknall Torkard 1 8.04x
Newtown Linford 1 166.67x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.79x
Pilton 1 40.00x
Quorndon 1 44.25x
Rickergate 1 15.08x
Shardlow 1 92.59x
St Cuthbert W O 1 6.55x
St George Hanover 1 2.11x
Wardleworth 1 4.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 15
Jane 13
Emma 11
Annie 8
Ann 6
Catherine 5
Ellen 5
Harriet 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Florance 3
Hannah 3
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Martha 2
Priscilla 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Alice 1
Caroline 1
Effie 1
Elizaboth 1
Elizath. 1
Esther 1
Etta 1
Florry 1
Harriett 1
Lavina 1
Lettie 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Mildred 1
Nancey 1
Nellie 1
Rebecah 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1
Thirza 1
Truelove 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 20
George 15
Joseph 15
Thomas 15
Edward 13
Charles 9
Alfred 8
Samuel 7
Arthur 4
Daniel 4
Harry 4
James 4
Richard 4
Ernest 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Leonard 2
Robert 2
Alf.H. 1
Auther 1
Ben. 1
Benjn. 1
Briwood 1
Cecil 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Fisher 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Franklin 1
Isaac 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Lamplugh 1
Matthew 1
Perceval 1
Peter 1
Sam 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thjos. 1
Tom 1
Wm.B.T. 1

FAQ

Sibson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sibson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 372 people were recorded with the Sibson surname. That placed it at #8,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sibson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 627 in 2016. That gives Sibson a modern rank of #8,409.

What does the Sibson surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from places named Sibson in Leicestershire and Huntingdonshire.

What does the Sibson map show?

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