NameCensus.

UK surname

Sneyd

A locational surname referring to someone from the area of Snead in England.

In the 1881 census there were 293 people recorded with the Sneyd surname, ranking it #9,884 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 291, ranked #15,062, down from #9,884 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wolstanton and Worfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, East Staffordshire and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sneyd is 433 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

293

Ranked #9,884

Modern count

291

2016, ranked #15,062

Peak year

1911

433 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sneyd had 293 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,884 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 291 in 2016, ranked #15,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 433 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sneyd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sneyd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sneyd 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 222 #9,597
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 293 #9,884
1891 historical 370 #9,429
1901 historical 421 #9,141
1911 historical 433 #8,762
1997 modern 286 #13,942
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 333 #12,999
2001 modern 333 #12,817
2002 modern 346 #12,733
2003 modern 346 #12,511
2004 modern 340 #12,707
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 314 #13,474
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 308 #13,882
2009 modern 313 #14,015
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 301 #14,563
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 308 #14,482
2014 modern 307 #14,608
2015 modern 298 #14,832
2016 modern 291 #15,062

Geography

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Where Sneyds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wolstanton, Worfield, St John Hackney and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Dudley and Shropshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Worfield Shropshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
2 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire
3 Cannock Chase 011 Cannock Chase
4 Dudley 008 Dudley
5 Shropshire 034 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sneyd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sneyd

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sneyd surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sneyd household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sneyd is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sneyd is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Sneyd

The surname Sneyd originated in Staffordshire, England in the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the small village of Snead, which itself comes from the Old English words 'snæd' meaning a small wood or clearing, and 'feld' meaning a field. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Snet'.

The Sneyd family first emerged as landed gentry in Staffordshire during the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded members of the family was William de Sneyd, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. The family's ancestral seat was at Keele Hall, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, which remained in their possession until the late 20th century.

During the English Civil War, Ralph Sneyd (1584-1676) was a prominent Royalist and supported King Charles I. He was knighted in 1644 for his services to the crown. Later, in the 18th century, another Ralph Sneyd (1723-1794) served as a Member of Parliament for the county of Staffordshire.

Other notable Sneyds throughout history include Sir John Sneyd (1579-1638), who was Lord Mayor of London in 1618, and Walter Sneyd (1809-1888), a British diplomat who served as Ambassador to Prussia and Mexico. In the 20th century, Air Vice-Marshal Ralph Sneyd (1899-1985) was a highly decorated officer in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

While concentrated in Staffordshire, the Sneyd name can also be found in various other parts of England, as well as in Ireland and North America, due to migration over the centuries. The variant spellings 'Snead' and 'Snede' have also been used historically. Overall, the Sneyd surname has a long and distinguished history, with its origins firmly rooted in the medieval landscape of central England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sneyd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sneyd 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. Staffordshire leads with 122 Sneyds recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.60x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 122 12.60x
Lancashire 42 1.23x
Shropshire 33 13.32x
Middlesex 19 0.66x
Worcestershire 14 3.74x
Surrey 13 0.93x
Glamorgan 9 1.80x
Hampshire 5 0.85x
Kent 5 0.51x
Yorkshire 5 0.18x
Cheshire 4 0.63x
Devon 4 0.67x
Flintshire 4 5.19x
Derbyshire 3 0.67x
Renfrewshire 3 1.35x
Sussex 3 0.62x
Buteshire 1 5.75x
Herefordshire 1 0.85x
Hertfordshire 1 0.51x
Leicestershire 1 0.31x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x
Wiltshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 37 Sneyds recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.04x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 37 36.04x
Worfield 30 1744.19x
Wolstanton 24 81.63x
Oldham 20 18.21x
Kingswinford 18 51.21x
Stafford St Mary 10 72.99x
Clase 8 43.08x
Hackney London 7 4.35x
Royton 7 67.24x
Bermondsey 6 7.03x
Battersea 5 4.74x
Dartford 5 49.95x
Stone 5 40.39x
Worcester All Sts 5 230.41x
Dawlish 4 89.89x
Newton 4 15.25x
Warrington 4 9.92x
Whittington 4 202.02x
Brewood 3 107.53x
Cheddleton 3 147.78x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.43x
Dudley 3 6.59x
Hartley Wintney 3 169.49x
Monks Coppenhall 3 12.56x
Paisley Middle Church 3 23.18x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 3 109.49x
Wollaston 3 126.05x
Worcester St Andrew 3 236.22x
Worthing 3 555.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 7.40x
Draycott In Clay 2 454.55x
Hawarden Saltney 2 185.19x
Leek Lowe 2 15.53x
Longeaton 2 1052.63x
Madeley 2 82.99x
Nether Hallam 2 5.20x
Norwood 2 30.49x
Openshaw 2 12.55x
Paddington London 2 1.90x
Rhuddlan 2 29.46x
Sheffield 2 2.21x
Shoreditch London 2 1.61x
St George Hanover 2 5.34x
Toxteth Park 2 1.74x
Walsall Foreign 2 4.00x
Wolverhampton 2 2.69x
Ashborne 1 32.79x
Aston 1 0.50x
Birkenhead 1 1.98x
Bushbury 1 57.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.85x
Enville 1 131.58x
Hammersmith London 1 1.42x
Holdenhurst 1 6.49x
Husbands Bosworth 1 121.95x
Keele 1 97.09x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Lower Bullingham 1 212.77x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 5.84x
Odiham 1 38.76x
Oystermouth 1 25.91x
Potterne Worton 1 303.03x
Rothesay 1 11.88x
Sawbridgeworth 1 33.44x
Sedgley 1 2.78x
Slaithwaite 1 33.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.73x
Tettenhall 1 16.89x
Trentham 1 12.15x
Wolstanton Chesterton 1 20.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 8
Jane 7
Caroline 6
Emma 6
Ann 5
Eliza 5
Hannah 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Isabel 2
Nancy 2
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Faith 1
Florance 1
Francies 1
Georgina 1
H. 1
Jessie 1
June 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Mally 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Marion 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Rosa 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 14
James 13
Thomas 12
George 7
Henry 7
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Stephen 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ralph 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alice 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Drydon 1
Earnest 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J.A. 1
Jeremiah 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Sneyd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sneyd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 293 people were recorded with the Sneyd surname. That placed it at #9,884 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sneyd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 291 in 2016. That gives Sneyd a modern rank of #15,062.

What does the Sneyd surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the area of Snead in England.

What does the Sneyd map show?

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