NameCensus.

UK surname

Sood

A surname indicating an ethnic Hindu Khatri community originating from the Punjab region.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Sood surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,188, ranked #5,009, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Southampton and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sood is 1,206 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39500.0%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

1,188

2016, ranked #5,009

Peak year

2013

1,206 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sood had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,188 in 2016, ranked #5,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Sood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sood surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sood 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1997 modern 850 #6,239
1998 modern 858 #6,393
1999 modern 902 #6,192
2000 modern 905 #6,154
2001 modern 896 #6,110
2002 modern 957 #5,889
2003 modern 949 #5,838
2004 modern 970 #5,742
2005 modern 994 #5,583
2006 modern 1,022 #5,466
2007 modern 1,077 #5,274
2008 modern 1,088 #5,266
2009 modern 1,100 #5,316
2010 modern 1,201 #5,041
2011 modern 1,182 #5,055
2012 modern 1,142 #5,114
2013 modern 1,206 #4,961
2014 modern 1,193 #5,046
2015 modern 1,193 #4,998
2016 modern 1,188 #5,009

Geography

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Where Soods 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 Ealing, Southampton and Hounslow. 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 Ealing 026 Ealing
2 Southampton 022 Southampton
3 Hounslow 019 Hounslow
4 Hounslow 021 Hounslow
5 Ealing 038 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sood

These lists show first names that appear often with the Sood 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 Sood

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Sood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Sood 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

Sood 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

Sood falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sood 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
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Sood

The surname "SOOD" has its origins in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "sudha," meaning "nectar" or "ambrosia." This name was likely given to individuals who were thought to possess qualities or abilities akin to the divine nectar, such as wisdom, purity, or spiritual enlightenment.

The earliest known reference to the surname "SOOD" can be found in the Mughal Empire's administrative records from the 16th century, where it was associated with land-owning families in the Punjab region. During this period, the spelling of the name varied, with variations such as "Soodh," "Sude," and "Soodha" being common.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "SOOD" was Bhai Mati Das Sood, a prominent Sikh scholar and preacher who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is revered for his contributions to the propagation of Sikhism and his unwavering devotion to the Sikh Gurus.

In the 18th century, the Sood family emerged as a prominent landowning and influential clan in the Punjab region. They played a significant role in the political and social fabric of the region during the tumultuous period of the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of regional powers.

Another notable figure bearing the surname "SOOD" was Raja Ajit Singh Sood, a renowned military commander and ruler of the Sikh kingdom of Lahore in the early 19th century. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic acumen in battles against the Afghan and British forces.

During the British colonial period in India, the Sood family continued to maintain its influential status, with many members serving in prominent positions within the colonial administration and contributing to the fields of education, literature, and social reform.

One such individual was Sir Sobha Singh Sood, a distinguished civil servant and administrator who served as the Governor of Sindh Province in the early 20th century. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and social welfare initiatives.

In the realm of literature, Khushwant Singh Sood, better known as Khushwant Singh, was a renowned Indian writer, journalist, and satirist. Born in 1915, he gained international acclaim for his novels, short stories, and his incisive commentary on Indian society and politics.

The surname "SOOD" has also been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, such as science, medicine, business, and the arts, further enriching its historical legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sood 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 1 Soods recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.51x.

County Total Index
Durham 1 11.51x
Staffordshire 1 10.14x
Yorkshire 1 3.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bilton Cum Harrogate in Yorkshire leads with 1 Soods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 1000.00x
Dawdon 1 909.09x
Wednesbury 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Isabella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Martin 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 Sood households.

FAQ

Sood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Sood surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,188 in 2016. That gives Sood a modern rank of #5,009.

What does the Sood surname mean?

A surname indicating an ethnic Hindu Khatri community originating from the Punjab region.

What does the Sood map show?

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