NameCensus.

UK surname

Snowball

A fanciful surname referring to a round mass of snow.

In the 1881 census there were 975 people recorded with the Snowball surname, ranking it #3,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,216, ranked #4,893, down from #3,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Northumberland and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Snowball is 1,303 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

975

Ranked #3,992

Modern count

1,216

2016, ranked #4,893

Peak year

1911

1,303 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Snowball had 975 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,216 in 2016, ranked #4,893.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,303 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Snowball surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Snowball surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Snowball 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 589 #4,340
1861 historical 677 #3,966
1881 historical 975 #3,992
1891 historical 1,042 #4,013
1901 historical 1,172 #4,169
1911 historical 1,303 #3,656
1997 modern 1,202 #4,700
1998 modern 1,247 #4,733
1999 modern 1,244 #4,767
2000 modern 1,233 #4,788
2001 modern 1,213 #4,760
2002 modern 1,237 #4,768
2003 modern 1,182 #4,868
2004 modern 1,182 #4,872
2005 modern 1,147 #4,957
2006 modern 1,181 #4,839
2007 modern 1,190 #4,846
2008 modern 1,218 #4,789
2009 modern 1,252 #4,770
2010 modern 1,268 #4,812
2011 modern 1,287 #4,693
2012 modern 1,241 #4,776
2013 modern 1,239 #4,860
2014 modern 1,225 #4,930
2015 modern 1,212 #4,931
2016 modern 1,216 #4,893

Geography

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Where Snowballs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Stranton, Bishop Wearmouth and Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Northumberland and Sunderland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Stranton Durham
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow) Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 052 County Durham
2 County Durham 047 County Durham
3 Northumberland 037 Northumberland
4 Sunderland 023 Sunderland
5 County Durham 059 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Snowball

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Snowball

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Snowball 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

Snowball 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

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

Meaning and origin of Snowball

The surname SNOWBALL is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is a descriptive surname derived from the Old English words "snaw" meaning snow and "ball" meaning a rounded object or sphere. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent snowball-shaped hill or perhaps someone with a round, pale complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the SNOWBALL surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of southern England, including Wiltshire, Somerset, and Devon. Variations in spelling such as Snawball and Snouball were common during this time due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and dialect differences.

One of the earliest known bearers of the SNOWBALL name was John Snouball, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275. Another notable early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which records a Richard Snawball residing in the village of Evesham.

The SNOWBALL surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Snowball Hill in Somerset and Snowball Farm in Wiltshire. These locations may have influenced the adoption of the surname or vice versa, with families taking on the name based on their proximity to these areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the SNOWBALL surname, including:

1. Sir John Snowball (1545-1617), an English politician and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1593. 2. Thomas Snowball (1670-1742), a prominent Quaker preacher and author from Yorkshire, known for his religious writings and opposition to the Church of England. 3. William Snowball (1793-1876), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Fitzrovia Chapel. 4. Elizabeth Snowball (1819-1892), a British author and educator who wrote several children's books and founded a girls' school in London. 5. James Snowball (1865-1937), a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who established the Snowball Laundry Company in Toronto and donated generously to various charitable causes.

While the SNOWBALL surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left a lasting mark on history through the contributions of its bearers in various fields, from politics and religion to architecture and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Snowball families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Snowball 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. Durham leads with 411 Snowballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.54x.

County Total Index
Durham 411 14.54x
Yorkshire 217 2.30x
Northumberland 215 15.21x
Middlesex 40 0.42x
Cheshire 20 0.95x
Surrey 15 0.32x
Derbyshire 11 0.74x
Lancashire 9 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.68x
Essex 6 0.32x
Cumberland 4 0.49x
Glamorgan 3 0.18x
Kent 3 0.09x
Lanarkshire 3 0.10x
Berkshire 2 0.28x
Hampshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 1.77x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 66 Snowballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.20x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 66 27.20x
Hexham 50 228.52x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 34 27.77x
Gateshead 32 15.12x
Leeds 25 4.70x
Dawdon 23 66.15x
Heworth 23 41.29x
Wallsend 22 49.07x
Byker 19 27.19x
Runcorn 17 35.15x
Westoe 17 10.61x
Byers Green 14 175.66x
Elswick 13 11.52x
Penshaw 13 153.12x
Whickham 12 46.14x
Easingwold 11 165.41x
Greasbrough 11 88.50x
North Bedburn 11 139.24x
Usworth 11 73.28x
Greatham 10 416.67x
Battersea 9 2.57x
East Chevington 9 191.49x
Everingham 9 1046.51x
Hunslet 9 6.13x
Jesmond 9 45.25x
Poplar London 9 5.02x
Scarborough 9 10.52x
Stockton On Tees 9 6.61x
Stranton 9 9.46x
Wortley In Bramley 9 12.07x
Chirton 8 25.01x
Liverpool 8 1.17x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 10.92x
Sunderland 8 16.03x
Wirksworth 8 59.17x
Allendale 7 53.39x
Bishop Auckland 7 18.46x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.12x
Dinnington 7 945.95x
Haltwhistle 7 102.04x
Hedleyhope 7 143.15x
Hessle In Sculcoates 7 84.24x
Hunsworth 7 141.70x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 7 29.47x
Otley 7 30.62x
Slingsby 7 360.82x
Tudhoe 7 28.31x
Whitworth 7 33.83x
Broomley 6 472.44x
Crayke 6 368.10x
East Ham 6 17.24x
Haswell 6 29.62x
Helmsley 6 118.81x
Merrington 6 110.29x
Monkwearmouth 6 22.17x
Murton In York 6 1034.48x
Ryhope 6 30.58x
Wakefield 6 8.30x
Whitton 6 270.27x
Witton Gilbert 6 53.76x
Baildon 5 28.20x
Barnsley 5 5.15x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.21x
Brandon Byshottles 5 14.12x
Harwood Dale 5 714.29x
Hedley 5 806.45x
Huntly 5 34.92x
Longbenton 5 8.35x
St Giles 5 28.34x
Wolsingham 5 19.41x
Dringhouses 4 263.16x
East West Chevington 4 1666.67x
Framwellgate 4 23.88x
Hamsterley 4 250.00x
Kingston On Thames 4 3.60x
Linthorpe 4 7.12x
Middlesbrough 4 3.26x
North Shields 4 14.18x
Prudhoe 4 40.69x
Willesden 4 4.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 70
Elizabeth 51
Margaret 39
Jane 38
Ann 22
Isabella 19
Sarah 19
Hannah 18
Annie 13
Dorothy 10
Alice 9
Ellen 9
Anne 8
Eleanor 7
Eliza 7
Emma 6
Clara 5
Edith 5
Frances 5
Caroline 4
Fanny 4
Isabel 4
Anna 3
Bertha 3
Betsy 3
Charlotte 3
Margt. 3
Agnes 2
Barbara 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Clarissa 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Francis 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Rachel 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bessey 1
Deborah 1
E.A. 1
Edeth 1
Eliz. 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 90
William 64
Thomas 53
Robert 39
Joseph 35
George 33
James 23
Edward 12
Henry 11
Arthur 10
Cuthbert 8
Richard 8
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Thos. 5
Alexander 4
Anthony 4
Christopher 4
Harry 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Michael 3
Robt. 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Gibson 2
Hackworth 2
Hy. 2
Ralph 2
Albinus 1
Anty 1
Bartholomew 1
Benjamin 1
Brian 1
Cabel 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Richd. 1
G.H. 1
J. 1
Jno 1
Kenneth 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Snowball surname: questions and answers

How common was the Snowball surname in 1881?

In 1881, 975 people were recorded with the Snowball surname. That placed it at #3,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Snowball surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,216 in 2016. That gives Snowball a modern rank of #4,893.

What does the Snowball surname mean?

A fanciful surname referring to a round mass of snow.

What does the Snowball map show?

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