NameCensus.

UK surname

Snead

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "snipe nesting place."

In the 1881 census there were 303 people recorded with the Snead surname, ranking it #9,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 254, ranked #16,632, down from #9,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley, London parishes and Sutton Coldfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Herefordshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Snead is 355 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.2%.

1881 census count

303

Ranked #9,654

Modern count

254

2016, ranked #16,632

Peak year

1891

355 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Snead had 303 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016, ranked #16,632.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 355 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Snead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Snead surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Snead 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 220 #11,076
1881 historical 303 #9,654
1891 historical 355 #9,721
1901 historical 295 #11,783
1911 historical 353 #10,212
1997 modern 235 #15,895
1998 modern 245 #15,903
1999 modern 252 #15,707
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 246 #15,684
2002 modern 257 #15,523
2003 modern 245 #15,822
2004 modern 244 #15,948
2005 modern 251 #15,590
2006 modern 249 #15,784
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 259 #16,013
2010 modern 254 #16,604
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 268 #15,745
2013 modern 274 #15,764
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 254 #16,632

Geography

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Where Sneads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley, London parishes, Sutton Coldfield, Shiffnal and Worfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Herefordshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Yardley Warwickshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire
4 Shiffnal Shropshire
5 Worfield Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 018 Dudley
2 Dudley 020 Dudley
3 Herefordshire 010 Herefordshire, County of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Herefordshire 016 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Snead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Snead

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Snead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Snead household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Snead 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

Snead 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

Snead 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 Snead 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 Snead, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Snead

The surname Snead is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place called Snead or Sneyd in Shropshire, England. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "snæd" or "snæde," meaning a small piece of land or a clearing in a forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Snead can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a William de Snede, indicating that the name was already in use during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Snead surname appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, where a Richard de Snede was mentioned in 1332. This record suggests that the name had begun to spread beyond its original location in Shropshire.

The Sneyd family of Staffordshire is one of the most prominent historical bearers of this surname. Notable members include Ralph Sneyd (1591-1658), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament, and Ralph Sneyd (1677-1750), a politician and landowner who served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire.

Another individual of note is Samuel Sneade Pearce (1766-1851), an English minister and author who wrote several religious works. He was born in Birmingham and spent much of his life as a Baptist minister in various parts of England.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Snead surname is that of John Snead, who was born in Virginia in the late 17th century. His descendants went on to become prominent landowners and political figures in the Southern states.

Another notable American bearer of the Snead surname was Samuel Snead (1912-2002), a professional golfer who is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He won a record 82 PGA Tour events and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.

Other historical figures with the Snead surname include John Snead (1789-1868), a Virginia politician and judge, and Thomas Laidley Snead (1828-1906), a Confederate officer and lawyer from Virginia who served as a judge after the American Civil War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Snead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Snead 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. Shropshire leads with 55 Sneads recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.54x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 55 21.54x
Staffordshire 48 4.81x
Herefordshire 35 28.88x
Warwickshire 32 4.29x
Middlesex 31 1.05x
Surrey 24 1.67x
Montgomeryshire 12 17.72x
Glamorgan 10 1.94x
Kent 10 0.99x
Monmouthshire 9 4.21x
Brecknockshire 7 11.84x
Lancashire 7 0.20x
Worcestershire 7 1.81x
Carmarthenshire 5 4.01x
Gloucestershire 3 0.52x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Devon 2 0.33x
Berkshire 1 0.45x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 16 Sneads recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.80x.

Place Total Index
Aston 16 7.80x
Worfield 15 847.46x
Islington London 14 4.89x
Streatham 12 54.72x
Hereford All Sts 11 198.20x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 20.22x
Tettenhall 10 163.93x
Wrockwardine 10 178.25x
Broseley 9 198.24x
Westminster St 8 73.39x
Crickhowell 7 510.95x
Holmer 7 321.10x
Lambeth 7 2.72x
Llanllwchaiarn 7 238.91x
Penkridge 7 272.37x
Lewisham 6 11.16x
West Bromwich 6 10.51x
Yardley 6 60.73x
Drayton Bassett 5 1111.11x
Llanelly 5 17.82x
Wellington 5 34.84x
Wolverhampton 5 6.52x
Clifford 4 500.00x
Sedgley 4 10.79x
Shrewsbury St Mary 4 39.68x
Southwark St Saviour 4 26.33x
Whitney 4 1481.48x
Benthall 3 666.67x
Birmingham 3 1.21x
Bolehall Glascote 3 94.94x
Churchdown 3 260.87x
Eccleshall Croxton 3 1034.48x
Featherstone 3 91.19x
Kingswinford 3 8.28x
Kinver 3 104.17x
Llangurig 3 184.05x
Much Cowarne 3 600.00x
Sowe 3 223.88x
Sutton Coldfield 3 38.31x
Trevethin 3 14.87x
Westminster St John 3 8.34x
Almeley 2 327.87x
Chatham 2 7.21x
Claverley 2 116.28x
Culmington 2 357.14x
Hereford St Martin 2 136.05x
Llantillio Pertholey 2 160.00x
Llanvetherine 2 909.09x
Newtown 2 46.19x
Rolvenden 2 152.67x
Rowley Regis 2 7.19x
Solihull 2 37.31x
St George Hanover 2 5.18x
Walton On Hill 2 10.53x
Wavertree 2 17.81x
Aberystruth 1 5.31x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 34.48x
Camberwell 1 0.53x
Christ Church Newgate 1 72.99x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.43x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 39.84x
Edgbaston 1 4.33x
Fulham London 1 2.33x
Leigh 1 21.32x
Llanvihangel Crucorney 1 222.22x
Manchester 1 0.63x
New Windsor 1 13.40x
Newton 1 3.70x
Nuneaton 1 11.59x
Pattingham 1 625.00x
Peterchurch 1 153.85x
Preston 1 1.07x
Preston Gubbals 1 232.56x
Preston On Wye 1 434.78x
St Ann Blackfriars 1 243.90x
Tormoham 1 3.84x
Ventnor 1 17.36x
Watford 1 6.33x
Whitchurch 1 20.16x
Wombridge 1 31.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 12
Harriet 7
Jane 7
Emma 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Emily 4
Hannah 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emmeline 2
Ethel 2
Honora 2
Lillian 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Beryl 1
Bessie 1
Esther 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Jessica 1
Kate 1
Keziah 1
L.S. 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Nancy 1
Nora 1
Pamela 1
Pattie 1
Rose 1
Silvey 1
Sina 1
Susan 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 18
Thomas 14
George 11
Henry 11
James 11
Joseph 9
Alfred 6
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Harry 3
Jeremiah 3
Ralph 3
Samuel 3
Absalom 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Alban 1
Albert 1
Cecil 1
David 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Eugene 1
Fletcher 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Garrick 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Phillip 1
Reubin 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Sytton 1
Tom 1
Walt.Jno. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Snead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Snead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 303 people were recorded with the Snead surname. That placed it at #9,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Snead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 254 in 2016. That gives Snead a modern rank of #16,632.

What does the Snead surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "snipe nesting place."

What does the Snead map show?

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