NameCensus.

UK surname

Sinclaire

From Norman French, meaning "sincere" or "true" in English.

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Sinclaire surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 142, ranked #24,625, up from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Bexley and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sinclaire is 157 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 735.3%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

1998

157 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sinclaire had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 41 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Sinclaire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sinclaire surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sinclaire 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 41 #28,839
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 24 #32,320
1901 historical 16 #32,260
1911 historical 36 #29,370
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 116 #25,632
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 142 #24,625

Geography

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Where Sinclaires 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 Brighton and Hove, Bexley, Wellingborough and Barnet. 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 Brighton and Hove 030 Brighton and Hove
2 Bexley 018 Bexley
3 Wellingborough 008 Wellingborough
4 Barnet 004 Barnet
5 Bexley 024 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sinclaire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sinclaire

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Sinclaire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sinclaire 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sinclaire is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sinclaire 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

Sinclaire falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sinclaire

The surname Sinclaire has its origins in medieval Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French words "Saint Clair," meaning "holy clear," which likely referred to a bright spring or stream near the family's lands. The name is thought to have been brought to Scotland by Norman settlers who arrived after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of homage rolls submitted to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobility. The document lists a "Henry de Sancto Claro" among the signatories, suggesting the family held lands and influence in Scotland during that era.

The name Sinclaire has strong connections to several notable locations in Scotland. The Sinclairs were historically associated with the town of Roslin in Midlothian, where they built the impressive Rosslyn Chapel in the 15th century. The family also held lands in Caithness, a county in the far north of Scotland, where they constructed the imposing Castle Sinclair Girnigoe in the late 14th century.

Throughout history, the Sinclaire family has produced several prominent figures. Sir William Sinclair (c. 1410-1480) was the builder of Rosslyn Chapel and a respected diplomat who represented Scottish interests in numerous negotiations with England. Henry Sinclair (c. 1345-1400), Earl of Orkney, was a Scottish nobleman known for his travels and explorations, with some theorists speculating he may have reached North America before Christopher Columbus.

Other notable individuals with the surname include George Sinclair (1790-1868), a Scottish mathematician and author who contributed to the development of analytical geometry, and Sir Clive Sinclair (1940-2021), the British entrepreneur and inventor best known for developing the ZX Spectrum home computer in the 1980s.

The Sinclaire name has also been associated with various spellings throughout its history, including St. Clair, Sinclair, and Sinclare. While the origins of the name can be traced back to medieval Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families of Scottish descent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sinclaire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sinclaire 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. Shetland leads with 5 Sinclaires recorded in 1881 and an index of 314.47x.

County Total Index
Shetland 5 314.47x
Middlesex 4 2.56x
Yorkshire 4 2.59x
Cheshire 1 2.90x
Lancashire 1 0.54x
Surrey 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lerwick Gulberwick in Shetland leads with 5 Sinclaires recorded in 1881 and an index of 2000.00x.

Place Total Index
Lerwick Gulberwick 5 2000.00x
Hackney London 3 34.29x
Southcoates 3 348.84x
Bradford 1 26.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 34.01x
Lambeth 1 7.35x
Mobberley 1 1250.00x
St Sepulchre London 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Annie 1
Esther 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Fredrick 1
George 1
Henry 1
John 1
Robert 1
Sidney 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 Sinclaire households.

FAQ

Sinclaire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sinclaire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Sinclaire surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sinclaire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Sinclaire a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Sinclaire surname mean?

From Norman French, meaning "sincere" or "true" in English.

What does the Sinclaire map show?

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