NameCensus.

UK surname

Southam

A locational surname denoting someone from the town of Southam in Warwickshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,248 people recorded with the Southam surname, ranking it #3,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,483, ranked #4,159, down from #3,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Rickmansworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Stratford-on-Avon and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Southam is 1,706 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.8%.

1881 census count

1,248

Ranked #3,258

Modern count

1,483

2016, ranked #4,159

Peak year

1911

1,706 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Southam had 1,248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,483 in 2016, ranked #4,159.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,706 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Southam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Southam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Southam 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 787 #3,392
1861 historical 1,057 #2,656
1881 historical 1,248 #3,258
1891 historical 1,466 #3,002
1901 historical 1,462 #3,491
1911 historical 1,706 #2,875
1997 modern 1,495 #3,916
1998 modern 1,611 #3,819
1999 modern 1,624 #3,816
2000 modern 1,585 #3,886
2001 modern 1,547 #3,890
2002 modern 1,570 #3,924
2003 modern 1,503 #3,992
2004 modern 1,517 #3,957
2005 modern 1,438 #4,101
2006 modern 1,440 #4,105
2007 modern 1,445 #4,128
2008 modern 1,463 #4,108
2009 modern 1,508 #4,103
2010 modern 1,534 #4,126
2011 modern 1,509 #4,137
2012 modern 1,472 #4,150
2013 modern 1,491 #4,171
2014 modern 1,506 #4,163
2015 modern 1,494 #4,154
2016 modern 1,483 #4,159

Geography

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Where Southams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Rickmansworth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Stratford-on-Avon, Copeland, Surrey Heath and Walsall. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 005 Cherwell
2 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Copeland 006 Copeland
4 Surrey Heath 005 Surrey Heath
5 Walsall 023 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Southam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Southam

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Southam 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

Southam is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Southam falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Southam

The surname Southam has its origins in England, with records dating back to the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "sūth" and "ham," which together mean "south homestead" or "southern village." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived in or came from a southern settlement or hamlet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Southam appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called Sutham in Warwickshire, which is likely the source of the surname.

In the 13th century, the name Southam was recorded in various forms, such as Sutham, Suthamme, and Soutam. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling and pronunciation during that time period. One notable bearer of the name was John de Sutham, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285.

The surname Southam is also associated with several place names in England, including Southam in Warwickshire, Southam in Gloucestershire, and Southam in Hampshire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and popularity of the surname in different regions.

Historically, the surname Southam has been carried by several notable individuals:

1. Sir John Southam (c. 1500 - 1580), an English jurist and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. Thomas Southam (1575 - 1645), an English clergyman and author of theological works. 3. William Southam (1637 - 1720), an English Quaker minister and writer. 4. Richard Southam (1686 - 1754), a British architect known for his work on several churches and country houses in Worcestershire. 5. Samuel Southam (1799 - 1867), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Southam Charitable Trust in Birmingham.

While the surname Southam is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a long and rich history, with roots stretching back to the medieval era and a connection to several notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Southam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Southam 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. Warwickshire leads with 221 Southams recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.19x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 221 7.19x
Middlesex 156 1.28x
Leicestershire 114 8.43x
Buckinghamshire 86 11.67x
Northamptonshire 68 5.93x
Lancashire 62 0.43x
Oxfordshire 61 8.10x
Worcestershire 56 3.52x
Staffordshire 55 1.34x
Hertfordshire 51 6.07x
Yorkshire 51 0.42x
Bedfordshire 47 7.44x
Surrey 45 0.76x
Gloucestershire 25 1.05x
Shropshire 20 1.90x
Hampshire 18 0.72x
Kent 18 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 14 5.78x
Durham 12 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 10 1.29x
Cumberland 9 0.86x
Derbyshire 9 0.47x
Devon 8 0.32x
Herefordshire 8 1.60x
Cheshire 4 0.15x
Essex 4 0.17x
Westmorland 4 1.49x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 1.38x
Suffolk 2 0.13x
Wiltshire 2 0.19x
Brecknockshire 1 0.41x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.37x
Norfolk 1 0.05x
Rutland 1 1.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 49 Southams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.78x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 49 4.78x
St Pancras London 34 3.46x
Aston 30 3.54x
Leicester St Margaret 29 8.80x
Rickmansworth 23 99.40x
Aylesbury 21 64.30x
Kidderminster Borough 20 21.46x
Leicester St Mary 20 18.31x
Elstow 19 815.45x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 18 154.64x
Chinnor 17 326.30x
Coventry St Michael 17 17.21x
Westleigh 17 51.73x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 6.96x
Haworth 13 45.26x
Hayes 12 96.46x
Alderminster 11 536.59x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 11.98x
Deddington 11 134.64x
Edmonton 11 11.20x
Helmdon 11 497.74x
Luton 11 10.06x
Rowley Regis 11 9.59x
Eatington 10 343.64x
Enderby 10 142.86x
Hammersmith London 10 3.33x
Lambeth 10 0.94x
Peterborough 10 12.04x
West Bromwich 10 4.24x
Burton Dassett 9 330.88x
Church Honeybourne 9 1875.00x
E Adderbury 9 237.47x
Neithrop 9 35.56x
Ramsey 9 46.44x
Watford 9 13.81x
Wigston Magna 9 50.20x
Wotton Underwood 9 978.26x
Aylestone 8 75.05x
Battersea 8 1.78x
Clapham 8 5.25x
Farthinghoe 8 540.54x
Hodnel 8 6666.67x
Ilmington 8 241.69x
Polesworth 8 54.79x
St Ann Blackfriars 8 473.37x
Westminster St James 8 6.38x
Fleet Marston 7 6363.64x
Harborne 7 5.31x
Leominster 7 33.83x
Narborough 7 189.19x
Stretton On Foss 7 432.10x
Syresham 7 209.58x
Titchfield 7 37.16x
Ashford 6 14.81x
Bilston 6 7.52x
Bristol St James In 6 17.06x
Bruntingthorpe 6 472.44x
Ellesborough 6 236.22x
Farnworth 6 6.92x
Finchley 6 12.83x
Gate Fulford 6 21.26x
Greencroft 6 90.23x
Handsworth 6 5.91x
Kilsby 6 240.00x
Leeds 6 0.88x
Lutterworth 6 72.82x
Oldham 6 1.28x
Quarrendon 6 3529.41x
Shoreditch London 6 1.14x
St Albans St Stephen 6 81.63x
Thorney 6 69.93x
Waddesdon Westcott 6 260.87x
Wellesbourne Hastings 6 206.19x
Westbury 6 344.83x
Bethnal Green London 5 0.94x
Honley 5 23.64x
Sheriff Hutton W 5 145.77x
St Bees 5 103.09x
Warwick St Mary 5 18.73x
Warwick St Nicholas 5 22.17x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 76
John 70
Thomas 51
George 45
Henry 28
Joseph 28
James 27
Charles 26
Arthur 17
Alfred 15
Walter 15
Edward 13
Richard 13
Albert 12
Harry 11
Samuel 11
David 8
Frederick 8
Fredrick 6
Robert 6
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
Frank 5
Mark 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Jonathan 4
Amos 3
Edmund 3
Percy 3
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Levi 2
Tom 2
Archibald 1
Bellre 1
Brook 1
Caleb 1
Edwd. 1
Elijah 1
Emanuel 1
Emery 1
Emmanuel 1
Herburt 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Israel 1
Issac 1
J. 1
Wm.P.R. 1

FAQ

Southam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Southam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,248 people were recorded with the Southam surname. That placed it at #3,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Southam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,483 in 2016. That gives Southam a modern rank of #4,159.

What does the Southam surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from the town of Southam in Warwickshire, England.

What does the Southam map show?

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