NameCensus.

UK surname

Siegel

A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to a maker of wax seals or signet rings.

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Siegel surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mortonhall and Anwickhill, Joppa and Inverness East Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Siegel is 128 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1585.7%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

2010

128 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Siegel had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Siegel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Siegel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Siegel 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 24 #32,320
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Siegels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mortonhall and Anwickhill, Joppa, Inverness East Rural, Cornwall and County Durham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mortonhall and Anwickhill City of Edinburgh
2 Joppa City of Edinburgh
3 Inverness East Rural Highland
4 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
5 County Durham 009 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Siegel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Siegel

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Siegel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Siegel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Siegel 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

Siegel is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Siegel 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 Siegel 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 Siegel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Siegel

The surname Siegel is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "sigel," meaning "seal" or "signet ring." It likely originated as an occupational name for a seal maker or an engraver of seals and signet rings.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations such as Sigel, Sigill, and Sigler. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from Brandenburg, Germany, dating back to 1258, where a person named Conradus Sigel is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various city records and tax rolls across German-speaking regions, including the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Chamber Court) records from the 1400s, which mention individuals with the surname Siegel.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Siegel include Johann Siegel (1500-1572), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg, and Johann Georg Siegel (1668-1752), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Jena.

Another prominent individual was Christian Siegelmair (1703-1768), a German architect and sculptor who designed several churches and buildings in Bavaria, including the Fürstenfeld Abbey Church in Munich.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records from the Palatinate region of Germany, with individuals such as Johann Georg Siegel (1738-1808), a Lutheran pastor and author of several religious works.

The name also spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where Pieter Siegel (1617-1687) was a notable Dutch Golden Age painter known for his still-life paintings and portraits.

As the name spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Segel, Sigel, Siegle, and Siegler, reflecting local dialects and linguistic influences.

Overall, the surname Siegel has a rich history dating back to medieval Germany, originating as an occupational name associated with seal makers and engravers, and has since been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including art, religion, and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Siegel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Siegel 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 7 Siegels recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7 10.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 5 Siegels recorded in 1881 and an index of 746.27x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 5 746.27x
St George Bloomsbury 1 256.41x
St George Hanover 1 112.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Albertine 1
Ema 1
Hulda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Adolf 2
Christian 1
Otto 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 Siegel households.

FAQ

Siegel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Siegel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Siegel surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Siegel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Siegel a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Siegel surname mean?

A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to a maker of wax seals or signet rings.

What does the Siegel map show?

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