NameCensus.

UK surname

Sier

A surname possibly derived from the German "Sieb", meaning a sieve maker or merchant.

In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Sier surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, down from #18,888 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, St James and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brentwood, Merthyr Tydfil and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sier is 231 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.9%.

1881 census count

108

Ranked #18,888

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

1911

231 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sier had 108 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,888 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 231 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sier surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sier 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 108 #18,888
1891 historical 175 #16,467
1901 historical 173 #16,579
1911 historical 231 #13,636
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 135 #23,279
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 122 #24,874
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 132 #23,623
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 155 #23,333
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Siers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, St James, London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brentwood, Merthyr Tydfil, East Riding of Yorkshire and St Edmundsbury. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 St James Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brentwood 008 Brentwood
2 Merthyr Tydfil 005 Merthyr Tydfil
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
5 Merthyr Tydfil 003 Merthyr Tydfil

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sier

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

Sier is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sier falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sier

The surname SIER originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "sier," which means "difficult" or "stubborn." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a strong-willed or obstinate personality.

The name was primarily found in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In medieval times, it appeared in various forms, such as Sier, Syre, and Syrer, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Henricus Sier" who was involved in a land transaction.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the town records of Ulm, a city in present-day Baden-Württemberg. A notable bearer of the name from this period was Johannes Sier (c. 1420-1490), a respected merchant and member of the town council.

During the 16th century, the SIER surname gained prominence with the religious reformer and theologian Adam Sier (1516-1568). Born in Nuremberg, he played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential works on theology and ecclesiastical matters.

Another notable figure was Christoph Sier (1580-1647), a German lawyer and legal scholar from Stuttgart. He served as a judge and published several treatises on civil law, which were widely referenced in his time.

In the 18th century, Johann Matthias Sier (1717-1784) was a renowned architect and master builder from Würzburg. He designed numerous churches and public buildings, leaving a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of the region.

The 19th century saw the birth of Wilhelm Sier (1838-1901), a German painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works were exhibited in galleries across Germany and gained recognition for their vivid depictions of everyday life.

Throughout its history, the surname SIER has also been associated with various place names, such as Siershagen, a village in North Rhine-Westphalia, and Siersleben, a town in Saxony-Anhalt, both of which likely derived from the surname itself or shared a common root.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sier 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 25 Siers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 2.42x
Surrey 17 3.37x
Worcestershire 14 10.37x
Gloucestershire 10 4.93x
Suffolk 10 7.94x
Essex 6 2.94x
Kent 6 1.70x
Sussex 6 3.44x
Cambridgeshire 5 7.64x
Warwickshire 3 1.15x
Monmouthshire 2 2.68x
Devon 1 0.46x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury St Edmunds St James in Suffolk leads with 9 Siers recorded in 1881 and an index of 267.86x.

Place Total Index
Bury St Edmunds St James 9 267.86x
Worcester St John 9 559.01x
Bermondsey 7 22.74x
Islington London 7 6.99x
St Briavels 7 2692.31x
Westminster St John 7 55.60x
Chester All Sts 6 3750.00x
Lambeth 6 6.66x
Lewisham 6 31.90x
Birdham 5 3125.00x
Chippenham 5 2173.91x
Birmingham 3 3.45x
Cheltenham 3 19.18x
Southwark Christchurch 3 61.98x
St Marylebone London 3 5.43x
St Pancras London 3 3.60x
Worcester St Peter 3 117.19x
Christchurch 2 86.58x
Worcester St Martin 2 109.89x
Brighton 1 2.84x
Ealing 1 10.82x
East Teignmouth 1 113.64x
Esholt 1 714.29x
Hammersmith London 1 3.93x
Ipswich St Nicholas 1 144.93x
Mile End Old Town 1 6.13x
Penge 1 15.15x
St George Hanover 1 7.41x
St Luke London 1 6.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Frances 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Mary 2
Allice 1
Amelia 1
Ameliar 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Charlot 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elevest 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Kate 1
Marguret 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Rose 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 8
William 7
Charles 4
Henry 4
John 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Ernest 2
Joseph 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Allen 1
Arhur 1
Benjn. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
George 1
Horace 1
James 1
Joe 1
Louis 1
Percival 1
Ralph 1

FAQ

Sier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Sier surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Sier a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Sier surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the German "Sieb", meaning a sieve maker or merchant.

What does the Sier map show?

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