NameCensus.

UK surname

Siu

A Chinese surname meaning "long life," "longevity," or "old age," derived from the Chinese character 壽 (shòu).

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Marchmont West and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Siu is 454 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

440

2016, ranked #10,992

Peak year

2014

454 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016, ranked #10,992.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Siu surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Siu surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Siu 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
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 287 #14,374
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 300 #13,737
2002 modern 319 #13,448
2003 modern 327 #13,046
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 355 #12,458
2008 modern 353 #12,616
2009 modern 382 #12,150
2010 modern 411 #11,723
2011 modern 407 #11,709
2012 modern 421 #11,245
2013 modern 444 #10,946
2014 modern 454 #10,818
2015 modern 443 #10,957
2016 modern 440 #10,992

Geography

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Where Sius 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Marchmont West, Croydon, Ealing and Milton Keynes. 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 Kensington and Chelsea 003 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Marchmont West City of Edinburgh
3 Croydon 022 Croydon
4 Ealing 005 Ealing
5 Milton Keynes 017 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Siu

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Siu

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Siu surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Siu household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Siu 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

Siu 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

Siu falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Siu 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Siu

The surname SIU originated from China, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to be derived from the Chinese word "siu," which means "small" or "little," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone of short stature or a younger sibling.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the SIU surname began to appear more frequently in various regional records and genealogical documents. One notable mention is found in the "Xin Wudai Shi," a historical text compiled during the Northern Song period, which references a military officer named SIU Zhongyu who served under Emperor Taizong.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the SIU surname gained prominence, particularly in the southern regions of China. Several historical figures bearing this name emerged, including SIU Guangqi (1562-1633), a prominent scholar-official and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of Chinese mathematics and astronomy.

Another notable individual was SIU Fengliang (1574-1646), a renowned playwright and poet from Zhejiang Province, whose works played a crucial role in the development of the traditional Chinese opera known as "Kunqu."

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the SIU surname continued to be well-represented, with individuals such as SIU Songling (1636-1718), a talented writer and compiler of the famous collection of strange tales known as "Liaozhai Zhiyi," which has had a lasting influence on Chinese literature.

It is also worth mentioning SIU Qing (1718-1763), a celebrated landscape painter and calligrapher whose works were highly sought after and are now housed in various museums and private collections around the world.

In more recent centuries, the SIU surname has spread to various regions beyond China, with notable individuals like SIU King Har (1914-1965), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Hong Kong, and SIU Kam Wen (1939-2016), a respected archaeologist and historian who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Chinese cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Siu surname: questions and answers

How common is the Siu surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016. That gives Siu a modern rank of #10,992.

What does the Siu surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "long life," "longevity," or "old age," derived from the Chinese character 壽 (shòu).

What does the Siu map show?

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