NameCensus.

UK surname

Sobieraj

A Polish surname possibly derived from the personal name Sobestian or Sebastian.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Western Harbour and Leith Docks, Kirkcaldy Templehall East and Muirton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sobieraj is 114 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2016

114 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Sobieraj surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sobieraj surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sobieraj 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
1997 modern 21 #35,692
1998 modern 24 #35,488
1999 modern 23 #35,612
2000 modern 23 #35,588
2001 modern 24 #35,357
2002 modern 23 #35,606
2003 modern 24 #35,552
2004 modern 30 #35,186
2005 modern 32 #35,191
2006 modern 45 #34,491
2007 modern 48 #34,488
2008 modern 57 #34,015
2009 modern 67 #33,450
2010 modern 77 #32,927
2011 modern 82 #32,449
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Sobierajs 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 Western Harbour and Leith Docks, Kirkcaldy Templehall East, Muirton, Tameside and Peterborough. 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 Western Harbour and Leith Docks City of Edinburgh
2 Kirkcaldy Templehall East Fife
3 Muirton Perth and Kinross
4 Tameside 006 Tameside
5 Peterborough 014 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sobieraj

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sobieraj

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Sobieraj surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Sobieraj household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Sobieraj is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sobieraj 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

Sobieraj falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sobieraj is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Sobieraj

The surname Sobieraj is of Polish origin, with its roots stretching back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the personal name Sobiesław, which was derived from the Slavic elements "sob" meaning "self" and "sław" meaning "glory" or "fame." This name was popular among the nobility and ruling classes of Poland during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Liber Beneficiorum, a 14th-century document that listed the benefices and landholdings of the Catholic Church in Poland. It mentions a certain Sobieraj of Krakow, who held a prestigious position within the church hierarchy.

The name Sobieraj was also associated with several notable figures throughout Polish history. One such figure was Jan Sobieraj, a 16th-century nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the Polish-Teutonic War. Another notable bearer of the name was Andrzej Sobieraj (1554-1628), a renowned poet and translator who contributed significantly to the development of Polish literature during the Renaissance period.

During the 17th century, the name gained further prominence with the ascension of Jan III Sobieski (1629-1696) to the Polish throne. Sobieski, whose birth name was Jan Sobieraj, was a skilled military leader and strategist who is best remembered for his victory over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. His exploits and leadership during this pivotal conflict earned him the epithet "the Lion of Lechistan."

The name Sobieraj also has connections to various place names within Poland. For instance, the village of Sobieraj in the Łódź Voivodeship is believed to have derived its name from a prominent landowner or nobleman bearing the surname. Similarly, the town of Sobierad in the Łódź Voivodeship may have originated from a variant spelling of the name.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Sobieraj has undergone several spelling variations, including Sobieraj, Sobieradz, Sobieradzki, and Sobierański. These variations often reflected regional dialects or the influence of other languages, such as German or Russian, in areas where Polish populations resided.

Other notable individuals with the surname Sobieraj include Wacław Sobieraj (1660-1732), a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and military commander, and Zygmunt Sobieraj (1815-1897), a prominent 19th-century painter and artist who was part of the Polish Romantic movement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Sobieraj surname: questions and answers

How common is the Sobieraj surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Sobieraj a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Sobieraj surname mean?

A Polish surname possibly derived from the personal name Sobestian or Sebastian.

What does the Sobieraj map show?

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