NameCensus.

UK surname

Sinker

An occupational surname denoting someone who worked with lead weights or sinkers.

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Sinker surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Wolstanton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, Shropshire and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sinker is 162 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.6%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

1891

162 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sinker had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sinker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sinker surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sinker 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 162 #17,390
1901 historical 123 #20,248
1911 historical 143 #18,401
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 132 #25,971
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Sinkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Wolstanton, Manchester, Dean and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, Shropshire, Eastleigh, West Lancashire and East Devon. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 024 Warrington
2 Shropshire 004 Shropshire
3 Eastleigh 001 Eastleigh
4 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
5 East Devon 011 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sinker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sinker

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

Sinker 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

Sinker falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sinker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sinker

The surname Sinker is of English origin, believed to have emerged in the late 13th or early 14th century. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "sincan," which means "to sink" or "to submerge." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone whose occupation involved sinking or submerging objects, possibly a person responsible for weighing down fishing nets or anchoring ships.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, dated 1273, which mentions a person named William le Sinkere. The addition of the prefix "le" was a common practice in medieval times, indicating the person's occupation or place of origin.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as Synker, Sinkere, and Sinkour, reflecting the phonetic variations common in that era. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a person named John le Sinkere.

The Sinker surname is also associated with several place names, particularly in areas with a connection to fishing or maritime activities. For example, the village of Sinker Nook in Lancashire, England, may have derived its name from the occupational surname, indicating a settlement where Sinkers resided.

Among notable historical figures bearing the Sinker surname, one can mention:

1. William Sinker (c. 1450 - 1515), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers in London.

2. John Sinker (1564 - 1632), a renowned English cartographer and navigator who served under Sir Walter Raleigh and produced several influential maritime charts.

3. Elizabeth Sinker (c. 1620 - 1691), a prominent Puritan writer and diarist from Lincolnshire, whose works provided insights into the religious and social life of 17th-century England.

4. Thomas Sinker (1684 - 1755), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire and authored several theological works.

5. Samuel Sinker (1789 - 1861), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement.

While the Sinker surname may have originated from an occupational background, it has since evolved into a distinctive English family name with a rich history spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sinker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sinker 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. Lancashire leads with 46 Sinkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 46 4.27x
Cheshire 18 8.99x
Staffordshire 16 5.23x
Cambridgeshire 11 19.15x
Lanarkshire 1 0.34x
Middlesex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 11 Sinkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 167.68x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 11 167.68x
Halliwell 10 255.10x
Oldham 9 25.91x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 8 7272.73x
Bradford 7 138.89x
Haslington 6 1071.43x
Wolstanton 6 64.52x
Cheetham 5 62.27x
Newton In Makerfield 5 151.52x
Hatton In Waverton 4 10000.00x
Willaston In Nantwich 4 645.16x
Liverpool 3 4.59x
Everton 2 5.83x
Openshaw 2 39.68x
Wolstanton Oldcott 2 180.18x
Barony 1 1.35x
Beswick 1 36.36x
Birkenhead 1 6.27x
Hampstead London 1 7.08x
Huxley 1 1428.57x
Little Bolton 1 7.23x
Salford 1 3.16x
Tattenhall 1 294.12x
Wrenbury Cum Frith 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sinker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sinker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Sinker surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sinker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Sinker a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Sinker surname mean?

An occupational surname denoting someone who worked with lead weights or sinkers.

What does the Sinker map show?

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