NameCensus.

UK surname

Snailham

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Snailham surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 244, ranked #17,096, down from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Croston and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, County Durham and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Snailham is 267 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.2%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

244

2016, ranked #17,096

Peak year

1999

267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Snailham had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016, ranked #17,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Snailham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Snailham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Snailham 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 182 #16,057
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 263 #15,161
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 258 #15,427
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 261 #15,369
2003 modern 263 #15,109
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 258 #15,323
2006 modern 256 #15,496
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 253 #16,652
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 250 #16,778
2014 modern 247 #17,035
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 244 #17,096

Geography

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Where Snailhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Croston, Merthyr Tydfil, Preston and Gainford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, County Durham and Chorley. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Croston Lancashire
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Gainford Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly
2 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
3 County Durham 004 County Durham
4 County Durham 008 County Durham
5 Chorley 013 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Snailham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Snailham

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Snailham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Snailham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Snailham 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

Snailham is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Snailham 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 Snailham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Snailham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Snailham 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 103 Snailhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.11x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 103 5.11x
Gloucestershire 20 6.01x
Durham 15 2.97x
Glamorgan 15 5.08x
Warwickshire 7 1.64x
Northumberland 6 2.38x
Cumberland 4 2.74x
Kent 2 0.35x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Somerset 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 35 Snailhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.95x.

Place Total Index
Preston 35 64.95x
Bretherton 21 5121.95x
Gainford 15 2884.62x
Bitton Oldland 14 411.76x
Great Bolton 13 48.73x
Merthyr Tydfil 9 31.68x
Aston 7 5.94x
Hexham 6 153.45x
Penwortham 6 631.58x
Whitchurch 6 375.00x
Longton 5 588.24x
Stretford 5 45.13x
Lea Ashton Ingol 4 298.51x
Westhoughton 4 74.49x
Hensingham 3 252.10x
Newchurch 3 18.20x
Barrow In Furness 2 7.30x
Bitton 2 68.97x
Minster In Sheppey 2 20.86x
Much Hoole 2 588.24x
Birkenhead 1 3.35x
Blackburn 1 1.87x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 33.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.19x
Hutton 1 434.78x
Livesey 1 28.33x
Mangotsfield 1 30.12x
Westbury On Trym 1 8.87x
Whitehaven 1 12.84x
Winford 1 181.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 18
John 14
William 13
George 7
Henry 7
James 6
Robert 4
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Francis 2
Ed. 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jasper 1
Samuel 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Snailham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Snailham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Snailham surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Snailham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016. That gives Snailham a modern rank of #17,096.

What does the Snailham map show?

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