NameCensus.

UK surname

Sneesby

Occupational surname originating from northern England, possibly referring to someone who crafted or sold sneezes or snuff.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Sneesby surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 168, ranked #21,984, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, Doddington and Dalton-in-Furness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, North Lincolnshire and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sneesby is 198 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.5%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

168

2016, ranked #21,984

Peak year

1911

198 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sneesby had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 168 in 2016, ranked #21,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 198 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Sneesby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sneesby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sneesby 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 143 #18,920
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 198 #15,058
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 183 #19,239
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 186 #19,150
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 179 #20,732
2012 modern 176 #20,915
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 168 #21,984

Geography

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Where Sneesbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, Doddington, Dalton-in-Furness, Sheffield and Wilburton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, North Lincolnshire and Great Yarmouth. 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 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
2 Doddington Cambridgeshire
3 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Wilburton Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness
3 Barrow-in-Furness 005 Barrow-in-Furness
4 North Lincolnshire 021 North Lincolnshire
5 Great Yarmouth 010 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sneesby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sneesby

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

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Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Sneesby is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sneesby is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sneesby 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 Sneesby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sneesby

The surname Sneesby has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "snaew" meaning snow and "by" meaning a farmstead or village. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a village or settlement located in a snowy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sneesby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a person named Snaewesbi, which is likely an early spelling variation of the modern surname Sneesby.

During the 13th century, there are records of a family named Sneesby residing in the county of Lincolnshire, England. This area is known for its harsh winters and heavy snowfall, further supporting the theory that the name originated from a snowy location.

One notable individual with the surname Sneesby was Sir John Sneesby (c. 1350-1412), a wealthy landowner and prominent figure in the region of Lincolnshire. He served as a member of the English Parliament and was knighted for his service to the crown.

In the 16th century, a notable clergyman named Thomas Sneesby (c. 1520-1587) held the position of Canon of Lincoln Cathedral. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to the Church of England.

Another individual of note was William Sneesby (1642-1707), a successful merchant and trader who established a thriving business exporting English wool to the continent. He was recognized for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and funding the construction of a school in his hometown.

During the 18th century, the name Sneesby was also found in the northern county of Yorkshire, where a family of that name owned a large estate and played a prominent role in local affairs. One member, Robert Sneesby (1712-1781), served as a magistrate and was known for his advocacy for better treatment of prisoners and prison reform.

Throughout its history, the surname Sneesby has been associated with various place names and locations, such as Sneesby Manor in Lincolnshire, which was once owned by the Sneesby family, and the village of Sneesby in the same county, which may have been the original settlement that gave rise to the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sneesby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sneesby 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 48 Sneesbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.12x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 48 57.12x
Huntingdonshire 18 68.34x
Yorkshire 14 1.06x
Surrey 9 1.39x
Middlesex 8 0.60x
Essex 7 2.67x
Lincolnshire 7 3.30x
Derbyshire 6 2.89x
Lancashire 6 0.38x
Stirlingshire 6 12.26x
Hampshire 3 1.10x
Suffolk 2 1.24x
Kent 1 0.22x
Worcestershire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wilburton in Cambridgeshire leads with 12 Sneesbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Wilburton 12 5000.00x
March 11 391.46x
Chatteris 10 467.29x
Godmanchester 10 1000.00x
Whittlesey St Mary St 10 341.30x
Sheffield 7 16.73x
Spittlegate 7 238.91x
Edmonton 6 56.13x
Spotland 6 34.29x
St Ninians 6 123.71x
West Ham 6 10.38x
Hemingford Grey 4 1000.00x
Manea 4 754.72x
Newington 4 8.16x
Buxton 3 170.45x
Croydon 3 8.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 11.22x
Fawley 3 348.84x
Hemingford Abbots 3 1666.67x
Little Chester 3 1153.85x
Brightside Bierlow 2 7.76x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 33.00x
Caterham 1 34.97x
Chatham 1 8.03x
Coulsdon 1 84.75x
Cradley 1 63.69x
Elm 1 121.95x
Fen Stanton 1 208.33x
Finchley 1 19.65x
Great Chesterford 1 243.90x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 11.82x
Scarborough 1 8.37x
St George Hanover 1 5.77x
Stoke By Nayland 1 192.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 10
Mary 7
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Annis 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Maud 2
Susan 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Ezra 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Katey 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marria 1
Minnie 1
Perthay 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosetta 1
Sieron 1
Susannah 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
Henry 7
James 6
Arthur 5
George 5
John 5
Joseph 4
David 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Charles 1
Charley 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sears 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Sneesby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sneesby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Sneesby surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sneesby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 168 in 2016. That gives Sneesby a modern rank of #21,984.

What does the Sneesby surname mean?

Occupational surname originating from northern England, possibly referring to someone who crafted or sold sneezes or snuff.

What does the Sneesby map show?

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