NameCensus.

UK surname

Sidaway

A locational surname denoting a place named "Sidaway".

In the 1881 census there were 445 people recorded with the Sidaway surname, ranking it #7,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 901, ranked #6,298, up from #7,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Rowley Regis and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sidaway is 948 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.5%.

1881 census count

445

Ranked #7,373

Modern count

901

2016, ranked #6,298

Peak year

2011

948 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sidaway had 445 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 901 in 2016, ranked #6,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 892 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sidaway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sidaway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sidaway 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 253 #8,709
1861 historical 305 #8,321
1881 historical 445 #7,373
1891 historical 575 #6,620
1901 historical 774 #5,796
1911 historical 892 #4,994
1997 modern 926 #5,832
1998 modern 947 #5,920
1999 modern 923 #6,087
2000 modern 938 #5,991
2001 modern 914 #6,015
2002 modern 915 #6,129
2003 modern 898 #6,099
2004 modern 932 #5,917
2005 modern 896 #6,048
2006 modern 894 #6,078
2007 modern 879 #6,204
2008 modern 879 #6,248
2009 modern 895 #6,297
2010 modern 928 #6,230
2011 modern 948 #6,080
2012 modern 923 #6,128
2013 modern 942 #6,125
2014 modern 943 #6,159
2015 modern 944 #6,097
2016 modern 901 #6,298

Geography

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Where Sidaways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Rowley Regis, Oldswinford, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Kingswinford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley and Sandwell. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Oldswinford Worcestershire
4 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
5 Kingswinford Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 033 Dudley
2 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
3 Dudley 021 Dudley
4 Dudley 025 Dudley
5 Sandwell 033 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sidaway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sidaway

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

Sidaway 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

Sidaway 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 Sidaway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sidaway

The surname SIDAWAY is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "sida" meaning "side" and "weg" meaning "way" or "road." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a side road or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SIDAWAY can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a certain Willelmus Sydaway is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already established in the region by the late 14th century. In the 15th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Sideaway, Sydeway, and Sidwaye, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that era.

The SIDAWAY surname is also associated with the village of Sidaway in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which may have served as the place of origin for some branches of the family. This connection is evidenced by records from the 16th century, including the baptism of John Sidaway in Sidaway parish in 1562.

Notable individuals bearing the SIDAWAY surname include:

1. Robert Sidaway (c. 1630-1692), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Harworth, Nottinghamshire.

2. William Sidaway (1774-1861), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral.

3. Elizabeth Sidaway (1829-1902), an English social reformer and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Birmingham Ladies' Society for the Relief of Deserving Women in 1861.

4. John Sidaway (1852-1925), a British architect known for his work on several notable buildings in Birmingham, including the Birmingham Oratory and the Church of the Saviour.

5. Alfred Sidaway (1885-1964), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.

The SIDAWAY name has also been associated with various locations in England, such as Sidaway Hill in Somerset and Sidaway Farm in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its connection to the region's geography and landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sidaway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sidaway 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. Staffordshire leads with 236 Sidaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.25x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 236 16.25x
Worcestershire 115 20.47x
Yorkshire 49 1.15x
Warwickshire 18 1.66x
Durham 10 0.78x
Lincolnshire 6 0.87x
Lanarkshire 3 0.22x
Gloucestershire 2 0.24x
Herefordshire 1 0.57x
Lancashire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 145 Sidaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 358.29x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 145 358.29x
Kingswinford 71 134.67x
Dudley 41 60.04x
The Hill 19 526.32x
Birmingham 18 4.98x
Nether Hallam 15 26.01x
Ormesby 14 122.16x
Hoyland Nether 11 105.26x
Lye 10 106.95x
Wollescote 10 221.24x
Hasbury 9 245.23x
Tipton 9 20.24x
Handsworth 8 22.35x
Ridgacre 7 636.36x
Stockton On Tees 7 11.35x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 15.11x
Gradley 6 221.40x
Stourbridge 6 41.52x
Tetney 6 504.20x
Brandon Byshottles 3 18.71x
Govan 3 0.87x
Walsall Foreign 3 4.00x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 2 26.04x
Kings Norton 2 3.97x
Rushock 2 740.74x
Sharlston 2 71.43x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.44x
Cradley 1 19.69x
Halesowen 1 20.28x
Hereford All Sts 1 12.38x
Kidderminster Foreign 1 12.59x
Northowram 1 3.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Sarah 25
Ann 10
Emma 10
Annie 9
Caroline 7
Eliza 7
Hannah 7
Jane 7
Elizabeth 6
Harriet 6
Martha 6
Alice 5
Louisa 5
Clara 4
Laura 4
Matilda 4
Ellen 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Henrietta 2
Rachel 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Theresa 2
Christine 1
Dina 1
Edith 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Fanney 1
Frances 1
Gerla 1
Grace 1
Harnpliss 1
Henerita 1
Keziah 1
Lavinia 1
Leanora 1
Leonora 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Zilpha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
Joseph 19
Thomas 19
John 15
James 13
Samuel 10
Albert 7
Arthur 7
Benjamin 7
Charles 6
George 5
Edward 4
Reuben 4
Simeon 4
Abraham 3
David 3
Enoch 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Jacob 3
Jethro 3
Alfred 2
Eli 2
Frederick 2
Mark 2
Thos. 2
Absalom 1
Auther 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Douglas 1
Elul 1
Emanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Eugene 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Joel 1
Matthew 1
Owen 1
Percival 1
Philander 1
Philandes 1
Reece 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Sidaway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sidaway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 445 people were recorded with the Sidaway surname. That placed it at #7,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sidaway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 901 in 2016. That gives Sidaway a modern rank of #6,298.

What does the Sidaway surname mean?

A locational surname denoting a place named "Sidaway".

What does the Sidaway map show?

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