NameCensus.

UK surname

Sleaford

In the 1881 census there were 117 people recorded with the Sleaford surname, ranking it #18,026 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 135, ranked #25,505, down from #18,026 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Billinghay, St Alkmund and Lincoln St Botolph. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, East Lindsey and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sleaford is 186 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.4%.

1881 census count

117

Ranked #18,026

Modern count

135

2016, ranked #25,505

Peak year

1911

186 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sleaford had 117 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,026 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016, ranked #25,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sleaford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sleaford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sleaford 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 45 #28,296
1881 historical 117 #18,026
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 161 #20,543
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 135 #25,505

Geography

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Where Sleafords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Billinghay, St Alkmund, Lincoln St Botolph, Kyme and Scothern. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, East Lindsey, Lincoln and Boston. 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 Billinghay Lincolnshire
2 St Alkmund Derbyshire
3 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
4 Kyme Lincolnshire
5 Scothern Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
2 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
3 East Lindsey 016 East Lindsey
4 Lincoln 009 Lincoln
5 Boston 001 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sleaford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sleaford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sleaford, 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 Sleaford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sleaford 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sleaford 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

Sleaford is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sleaford falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Sleaford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sleaford 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. Lincolnshire leads with 76 Sleafords recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.66x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 76 41.66x
Nottinghamshire 24 15.60x
Warwickshire 7 2.43x
Derbyshire 6 3.36x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Middlesex 1 0.09x
Surrey 1 0.18x
Yorkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walcott in Lincolnshire leads with 28 Sleafords recorded in 1881 and an index of 9655.17x.

Place Total Index
Walcott 28 9655.17x
Hucknall Torkard 8 205.13x
Heighington 7 2413.79x
Radford 7 89.63x
Scothern 7 3684.21x
Thorpe Tilney 7 17500.00x
Aston 6 7.57x
Derby St Alkmund 6 112.15x
East Bridgford 4 1142.86x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 155.64x
Swinderby 4 2000.00x
St Maryle Wigford 3 211.27x
Sutton On Trent 3 789.47x
Caistor 2 273.97x
North Kyme 2 740.74x
Nottingham St Mary 2 5.03x
St Martin Lincoln 2 118.34x
Anwick 1 714.29x
Billinghay 1 178.57x
Birmingham 1 1.04x
Branston 1 178.57x
Great Sturton 1 1666.67x
Heckington 1 144.93x
Lambeth 1 1.01x
Manningham 1 7.18x
Metheringham 1 136.99x
Spittlegate 1 39.68x
St George Hanover 1 6.72x
St Margaret Lincoln 1 625.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 34.84x
Upton 1 1111.11x
Worsley 1 11.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 7
Ann 5
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Anna 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Kate 1
Lizze 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 7
Joseph 7
Robert 5
Thomas 4
Charles 3
James 3
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Joe 1
Samuel 1
Ted 1
Thos. 1
Willson 1

FAQ

Sleaford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sleaford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 117 people were recorded with the Sleaford surname. That placed it at #18,026 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sleaford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016. That gives Sleaford a modern rank of #25,505.

What does the Sleaford map show?

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