NameCensus.

UK surname

Sisk

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Síoscáin" meaning "descendant of Síoscán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Sisk surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bournemouth, Crawley and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sisk is 125 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 290.0%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1999

125 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sisk had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 41 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Sisk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sisk surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sisk 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 40 #29,678
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Sisks 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 Bournemouth, Crawley, Liverpool and Torbay. 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 Bournemouth 020 Bournemouth
2 Crawley 007 Crawley
3 Liverpool 003 Liverpool
4 Torbay 011 Torbay
5 Torbay 014 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sisk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sisk

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Sisk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sisk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sisk is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sisk 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

Sisk falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sisk is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Sisk

The surname Sisk is believed to have originated in Ireland, likely during the 16th or 17th century. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "siosc," meaning "sedge" or "rush," which were types of marsh plants commonly found in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Petty's Census of Ireland, conducted in 1659. This census listed several individuals with the surname Sisk, primarily concentrated in counties such as Cork, Kerry, and Limerick.

There are records of a Richard Sisk, born around 1620, who was a landowner in County Cork during the mid-17th century. He is mentioned in several land deeds and property records from that time period.

In the late 18th century, a prominent figure named John Sisk (1738-1811) was a successful merchant and shipping magnate based in the city of Cork. He was known for his involvement in the transatlantic trade between Ireland and the American colonies.

During the 19th century, the surname Sisk became more widespread throughout Ireland. One notable individual was Michael Sisk (1829-1901), a renowned educator and headmaster of several schools in County Cork.

In more recent history, a famous bearer of the Sisk surname was Sir Robert Sisk (1903-1980), a British businessman and construction magnate. He founded the company now known as Sisk Group, one of the largest construction firms in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Other individuals of note with the last name Sisk include the American author and poet, Jacqueline Sisk (1924-2002), and the Irish-born Australian politician, David Sisk (1936-2010), who served as a member of the Australian Senate.

While the exact origins of the surname Sisk are not definitively known, it is widely believed to have originated in Ireland, likely stemming from the Irish word "siosc" and its association with marsh plants. The name has been recorded in various historical records and documents over the centuries, with several notable individuals bearing the surname making significant contributions in fields such as business, education, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sisk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sisk 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. Kent leads with 9 Sisks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.73x.

County Total Index
Kent 9 7.73x
Sussex 9 15.64x
Royal Navy 5 122.85x
Middlesex 3 0.88x
Monmouthshire 3 12.16x
Angus 1 3.16x
Devon 1 1.41x
Hampshire 1 1.43x
Hertfordshire 1 4.25x
Leicestershire 1 2.64x
Surrey 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broadwater in Sussex leads with 9 Sisks recorded in 1881 and an index of 681.82x.

Place Total Index
Broadwater 9 681.82x
Royal Navy 5 143.68x
Charlton Next Woolwich 4 330.58x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 353.98x
St Woollos 3 109.09x
Devonport 1 121.95x
Dundee 1 8.47x
Egham 1 98.04x
Hougham 1 144.93x
Paddington London 1 7.97x
Portsmouth 1 62.11x
St George Bloomsbury 1 51.02x
St Giles In Fields 1 84.75x
Tring 1 158.73x
Whitwick 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

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 Sisk households.

FAQ

Sisk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sisk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Sisk surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sisk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Sisk a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Sisk surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Síoscáin" meaning "descendant of Síoscán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Sisk map show?

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