NameCensus.

UK surname

Sinclair

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "saint" and "clear," referring to a holy place with clear water.

In the 1881 census there were 15,474 people recorded with the Sinclair surname, ranking it #257 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21,929, ranked #271, down from #257 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wick, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, Caithness South and Wick North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sinclair is 21,973 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.7%.

1881 census count

15,474

Ranked #257

Modern count

21,929

2016, ranked #271

Peak year

2014

21,973 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sinclair had 15,474 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #257 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 21,929 in 2016, ranked #271.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,057 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sinclair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sinclair surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sinclair 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 11,167 #223
1861 historical 11,679 #206
1881 historical 15,474 #257
1891 historical 15,925 #264
1901 historical 18,057 #280
1911 historical 5,700 #921
1997 modern 19,546 #293
1998 modern 20,228 #294
1999 modern 20,548 #292
2000 modern 20,697 #291
2001 modern 20,203 #291
2002 modern 20,906 #289
2003 modern 20,367 #289
2004 modern 20,434 #288
2005 modern 20,342 #285
2006 modern 20,298 #284
2007 modern 20,573 #285
2008 modern 20,678 #284
2009 modern 21,198 #283
2010 modern 21,675 #281
2011 modern 21,243 #283
2012 modern 20,994 #279
2013 modern 21,569 #278
2014 modern 21,973 #275
2015 modern 21,826 #275
2016 modern 21,929 #271

Geography

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Where Sinclairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wick, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Latheron and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, Caithness South, Wick North, Caithness North West and Caithness North East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wick Caithness
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Latheron Caithness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
2 Caithness South Highland
3 Wick North Highland
4 Caithness North West Highland
5 Caithness North East Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sinclair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sinclair

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Sinclair surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sinclair household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sinclair 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.

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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

Sinclair is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Sinclair

The surname Sinclair has its origins in France, deriving from the Latin place name "Sanctus Clarus" meaning "holy bright place." It is believed to have been brought to England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

The name first emerged in northern England and southern Scotland, particularly in the Northumberland and Lothian regions. It is thought to be associated with the village of Sinclair in Berwickshire, located near the Scottish-English border.

One of the earliest known references to the name is in the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Sancto Claro," indicating its Norman-French origins.

The Sinclair family rose to prominence in Scotland during the 12th century, with William de Sancto Claro (born circa 1120) being granted lands in Roslin, Midlothian. His descendants adopted the name Sinclair and became influential barons in the region.

Notable individuals with the Sinclair surname include Sir Henry Sinclair (1345-1400), a Scottish nobleman and explorer who may have travelled to North America before Christopher Columbus. Another is George Sinclair (1630-1696), a Scottish mathematician and professor at the University of Glasgow.

Arthur Sinclair (1794-1862) was a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, while Sir Archibald Sinclair (1890-1970) was a British politician and Secretary of State for Air during World War II.

Upton Sinclair (1878-1968), an American author and political activist, is perhaps the most famous bearer of the name. He won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel "Dragon's Teeth" in 1942 and is best known for his muckraking novel "The Jungle," which exposed the horrific conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Sinclair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sinclair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15,474 people were recorded with the Sinclair surname. That placed it at #257 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sinclair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 21,929 in 2016. That gives Sinclair a modern rank of #271.

What does the Sinclair surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "saint" and "clear," referring to a holy place with clear water.

What does the Sinclair map show?

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