NameCensus.

UK surname

Sitch

A surname derived from a regional English dialect term for a small ditch or trench.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Sitch surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 313, ranked #14,318, up from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Norton Mandeville and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Berkshire, Fareham and Merton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sitch is 340 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.3%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

313

2016, ranked #14,318

Peak year

1999

340 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sitch had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 313 in 2016, ranked #14,318.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sitch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sitch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sitch 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 210 #14,412
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 339 #12,810
1999 modern 340 #12,870
2000 modern 340 #12,824
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 322 #13,354
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 295 #13,972
2006 modern 299 #13,949
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 318 #13,863
2010 modern 326 #13,918
2011 modern 323 #13,868
2012 modern 323 #13,780
2013 modern 325 #13,924
2014 modern 323 #14,081
2015 modern 317 #14,183
2016 modern 313 #14,318

Geography

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Where Sitchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Norton Mandeville, St Pancras, St Marylebone and Kelvedon Hatch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Berkshire, Fareham, Merton, Birmingham and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Norton Mandeville Essex
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Kelvedon Hatch Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Berkshire 001 West Berkshire
2 Fareham 008 Fareham
3 Merton 024 Merton
4 Birmingham 026 Birmingham
5 Cornwall 033 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sitch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sitch

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

Spacious Rural Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sitch is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sitch is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sitch 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 Sitch 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sitch

The surname SITCH is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the Middle English word 'sitch', meaning a small stream or a ditch. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small watercourse or a ditch.

One of the earliest records of the name SITCH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Siche'. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England.

The name SITCH is also found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire (1279) and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield (1348). These records reveal variations in the spelling of the name, including 'Siche', 'Siche', and 'Syche'.

During the 16th century, the name SITCH was particularly prevalent in the counties of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. One notable figure from this period was John Sitch (c. 1510 - 1580), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Luton, Bedfordshire.

In the 17th century, the name SITCH was also found in the nearby county of Buckinghamshire. A notable bearer of the name was William Sitch (1635 - 1698), a prominent farmer and landowner from the village of Ivinghoe.

The 18th century saw the name SITCH spread to other parts of England, with records showing bearers of the name in counties such as Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Sitch (1723 - 1789), a respected clockmaker from the town of Malmsbury, Wiltshire.

In the 19th century, the name SITCH continued to be found across various regions of England. A notable figure was Charles Sitch (1810 - 1878), a renowned architect from London who designed several churches and public buildings.

Another notable bearer of the name SITCH during this period was Mary Ann Sitch (1835 - 1905), a prominent educationist and headmistress of a girls' school in Bristol.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sitch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sitch 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. Essex leads with 69 Sitchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.33x.

County Total Index
Essex 69 21.33x
Middlesex 54 3.30x
Northumberland 10 4.10x
Surrey 8 1.00x
Hertfordshire 7 6.20x
Worcestershire 7 3.27x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.36x
Warwickshire 3 0.73x
Cheshire 2 0.55x
Kent 2 0.36x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Hampshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ingatestone in Essex leads with 26 Sitchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Ingatestone 26 5000.00x
St Pancras London 14 10.61x
Kensington London 10 10.98x
St Marylebone London 9 10.29x
Byker 8 66.39x
Kelvedon Hatch 8 3809.52x
Lambeth 8 5.60x
Norton Mandeville 8 16000.00x
Kings Norton 7 36.48x
Upminster 7 1044.78x
Chelsea London 6 12.15x
Fryerning 6 1538.46x
Sawbridgeworth 6 350.88x
Enfield 4 37.21x
Lambourne 4 833.33x
St George Hanover 4 18.70x
Hammersmith London 3 7.43x
Nottingham St Mary 3 5.25x
St Andrew Holborn 3 53.96x
Stanford Rivers 3 545.45x
Aston 2 1.76x
Chester St John Baptist 2 30.77x
Little Warley 2 444.44x
Toxteth Park 2 3.04x
Birmingham 1 0.73x
Brentwood 1 50.76x
Bromley 1 11.74x
Chipping Ongar 1 178.57x
East Peckham 1 86.21x
Eastwick 1 2000.00x
Longbenton 1 9.68x
Mountnessing 1 204.08x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 7.91x
Ryde 1 13.87x
South Weald 1 36.10x
Westminster St 1 16.56x
Widford 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 12
George 7
Alfred 6
John 6
Edward 5
James 5
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Alfd. 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Wilm. 1

FAQ

Sitch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sitch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Sitch surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sitch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 313 in 2016. That gives Sitch a modern rank of #14,318.

What does the Sitch surname mean?

A surname derived from a regional English dialect term for a small ditch or trench.

What does the Sitch map show?

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