NameCensus.

UK surname

Sone

A French surname derived from the Old French word "sogne" meaning "an old measure of land".

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Sone surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hartlip, London parishes and Winkfield with Ascot. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Croydon and Tandridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sone is 125 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.7%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1861

125 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sone had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sone surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sone 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Sones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hartlip, London parishes, Winkfield with Ascot, Witley and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, Croydon, Tandridge, Basildon and Northampton. 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 Hartlip Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Winkfield with Ascot Berkshire
4 Witley Surrey
5 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
2 Croydon 034 Croydon
3 Tandridge 007 Tandridge
4 Basildon 022 Basildon
5 Northampton 005 Northampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sone

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

Challenged Communities

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

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sone is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sone 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

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

Meaning and origin of Sone

The surname SONE is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "sunu," meaning "son." This name was commonly used as a descriptive surname to identify someone as the son of a particular individual, reflecting the patronymic naming tradition prevalent at the time.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname SONE can be found in various historical documents, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholders in England after the Norman Conquest. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

Throughout the centuries, the surname SONE has undergone various spelling variations, including Sone, Soone, and Soun, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings before standardization occurred. Some variations may also have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname SONE include Sir John Sone (c. 1330-1401), a prominent English landowner and military commander who served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. Another example is Robert Sone (c. 1450-1509), a Scottish clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of the University of St. Andrews.

In the 16th century, the surname SONE was also associated with certain place names, such as Sonehouse in Westmorland, England, and Sonehill in Hertfordshire, England. These place names may have influenced the spelling or pronunciation of the surname in those specific regions.

Other notable individuals with the surname SONE include: 1. Edward Sone (c. 1545-1608), an English Puritan minister and author known for his religious writings. 2. Thomas Sone (c. 1620-1678), an English Quaker minister and author who wrote about his religious experiences. 3. William Sone (c. 1680-1744), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of celestial mechanics. 4. Elizabeth Sone (c. 1720-1796), an English philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for improving conditions in prisons and workhouses. 5. John Sone (c. 1790-1868), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean.

While the surname SONE has evolved over time and spread to various regions, its origins can be traced back to the patronymic naming traditions of medieval England, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped this distinctive surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sone 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. Kent leads with 28 Sones recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.56x.

County Total Index
Kent 28 12.56x
Sussex 13 11.80x
Middlesex 12 1.84x
Surrey 10 3.14x
Hampshire 3 2.24x
Glamorgan 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 13 Sones recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.48x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 13 58.48x
Tottenham 9 86.46x
Hartlip 7 7777.78x
Rainham 7 1147.54x
Gillingham 6 130.43x
Yalding 5 892.86x
Hambledon 4 1176.47x
Sutton 3 130.43x
Havant 2 294.12x
West Malling 2 400.00x
Ash Normandy 1 232.56x
Cardiff St Mary 1 15.95x
Chelsea London 1 5.08x
Compton 1 909.09x
Hornsey 1 12.11x
Lambeth 1 1.76x
Paddington London 1 4.16x
Widley 1 416.67x
Wouldham 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Sarah 2
Anne 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
William 6
John 3
Frederick 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Reginald 1
Wm. 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 Sone households.

FAQ

Sone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Sone surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Sone a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Sone surname mean?

A French surname derived from the Old French word "sogne" meaning "an old measure of land".

What does the Sone map show?

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