NameCensus.

UK surname

Sonnex

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Sonnex surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury, Bromley and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sonnex is 138 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 310.7%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2008

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sonnex had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sonnex surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sonnex surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sonnex 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 54 #28,178
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Sonnex' 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 Canterbury, Bromley, Barnet and Lewisham. 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 Canterbury 003 Canterbury
2 Bromley 042 Bromley
3 Barnet 026 Barnet
4 Canterbury 001 Canterbury
5 Lewisham 002 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sonnex

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sonnex

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sonnex 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

Sonnex 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

Sonnex falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sonnex 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 Sonnex, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Sonnex families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sonnex 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. Surrey leads with 17 Sonnex' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.79x.

County Total Index
Surrey 17 12.79x
Middlesex 7 2.57x
Kent 4 4.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 9 Sonnex' recorded in 1881 and an index of 267.06x.

Place Total Index
Rotherhithe 9 267.06x
Lambeth 8 33.63x
St George Hanover 7 196.63x
Woolwich 4 116.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Rebecca 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Richard 3
Frederick 2
George 2
Henry 2
James 2
William 2
Albert 1
Cornellias 1
Fredk.W. 1
John 1
Robert 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 Sonnex households.

FAQ

Sonnex surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sonnex surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Sonnex surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sonnex surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Sonnex a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Sonnex map show?

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