NameCensus.

UK surname

Snoddy

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "snodha," meaning a smooth or polished appearance.

In the 1881 census there were 25 people recorded with the Snoddy surname, ranking it #30,077 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 126, ranked #26,686, up from #30,077 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gourock East, Greenock West and Lyle Road, Nottingham and Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Snoddy is 126 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 404.0%.

1881 census count

25

Ranked #30,077

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

2016

126 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Snoddy had 25 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,077 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 48 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Snoddy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Snoddy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Snoddy 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 25 #30,077
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 27 #30,437
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Snoddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gourock East, Greenock West and Lyle Road, Nottingham, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Stockport and Sandwell. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gourock East, Greenock West and Lyle Road Inverclyde
2 Nottingham 023 Nottingham
3 Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield Inverclyde
4 Stockport 006 Stockport
5 Sandwell 005 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Snoddy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Snoddy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Snoddy, 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 Snoddy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Snoddy 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Snoddy is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Snoddy is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Snoddy falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Snoddy 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Snoddy

The surname Snoddy is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "snod," which meant "smooth" or "sleek." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who was well-groomed or had a smooth appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Snoddy surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1230, where a person named Adam Snoddy is mentioned. The name also appears in other historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 and the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1310.

In the 16th century, the Snoddy surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. There are records of individuals with this name living in villages such as Snitterby and Snitterfield, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable individual with the Snoddy surname was John Snoddy (1588-1652), a British merchant and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Wallingford in the early 17th century. Another significant figure was Sarah Snoddy (1672-1741), a Quaker preacher from Pennsylvania who was known for her influential religious writings and sermons.

In the 18th century, the Snoddy surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One prominent Scottish bearer of the name was Robert Snoddy (1722-1798), a Presbyterian minister who served in the parish of Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, for over 50 years.

As for famous individuals with the Snoddy surname, one notable example is Samuel Snoddy (1832-1917), an American businessman and politician who served as the 11th Governor of Oregon from 1909 to 1911. Additionally, William Snoddy (1868-1942) was an American chemist and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of cellulose acetate, a widely used synthetic polymer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Snoddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Snoddy 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. Renfrewshire leads with 8 Snoddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.37x.

County Total Index
Renfrewshire 8 42.37x
Middlesex 7 2.87x
Pembrokeshire 5 64.60x
Lancashire 2 0.69x
Ayrshire 1 5.49x
Gloucestershire 1 2.09x
Yorkshire 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 7 Snoddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 130.60x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 7 130.60x
West Greenock 7 206.49x
Llanstadwell 3 1200.00x
Pembroke St Mary 2 200.00x
Heckmondwike 1 128.21x
Liverpool 1 5.69x
Longhope 1 1250.00x
Renfrew 1 161.29x
West Kilbride 1 588.24x
Widnes 1 47.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Kate 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
Joseph 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Snoddy households.

FAQ

Snoddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Snoddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 25 people were recorded with the Snoddy surname. That placed it at #30,077 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Snoddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Snoddy a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Snoddy surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "snodha," meaning a smooth or polished appearance.

What does the Snoddy map show?

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