NameCensus.

UK surname

Spare

A surname derived from the Middle English word meaning "to refrain" or "to abstain".

In the 1881 census there were 255 people recorded with the Spare surname, ranking it #10,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, down from #10,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kingsbury, Polesworth and Norton juxta Twycross. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nuneaton and Bedworth, South Derbyshire and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spare is 393 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.5%.

1881 census count

255

Ranked #10,924

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

1911

393 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spare had 255 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 393 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Spare surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spare surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spare 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 255 #10,924
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 304 #11,543
1911 historical 393 #9,408
1997 modern 253 #15,152
1998 modern 256 #15,436
1999 modern 255 #15,599
2000 modern 249 #15,787
2001 modern 236 #16,094
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 226 #16,766
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 234 #16,493
2007 modern 232 #16,795
2008 modern 224 #17,337
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 241 #17,057
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 232 #17,663
2014 modern 232 #17,761
2015 modern 228 #17,899
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Spares are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kingsbury, Polesworth, Norton juxta Twycross, St Breward or Simonward and Market Bosworth (Market Bosworth), Shackerstone, Congerston, Nailstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nuneaton and Bedworth, South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire and Derby. 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 Kingsbury Staffordshire
2 Polesworth Warwickshire
3 Norton juxta Twycross Leicestershire
4 St Breward or Simonward Cornwall
5 Market Bosworth (Market Bosworth), Shackerstone, Congerston, Nailstone Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nuneaton and Bedworth 006 Nuneaton and Bedworth
2 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
3 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire
4 Derby 015 Derby
5 North West Leicestershire 012 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spare

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spare

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Spare surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Spare household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Spare 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

Spare 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

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

Meaning and origin of Spare

The surname "Spare" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It likely derives from the Old English word "spær," which means "sparing" or "frugal." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was known for their thrifty or economical nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Spare" can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a person named Richard le Spare residing in Oxfordshire. This provides evidence that the name was in use as early as the 13th century.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax of 1379, which mentions a John Spare living in Yorkshire. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions of England by this time.

In the 15th century, the name "Spare" can be found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a wealthy Norfolk family. One of the letters, written in 1472, mentions a person named Thomas Spare who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property values commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname "Spare." However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Spærestan" and "Spærwic."

Notable individuals who bore the surname "Spare" include:

1. John Spare (c. 1540-1610), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1600 until his death. 2. William Spare (1611-1679), an English merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the colonization of Virginia. 3. Elizabeth Spare (1680-1754), a British philanthropist and social reformer who established several charitable institutions in London. 4. Samuel Spare (1735-1802), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. 5. Charlotte Spare (1807-1879), an English author and poet known for her romantic novels and poetry collections.

While the surname "Spare" may have originated as a nickname, it eventually became an established family name that was passed down through generations. Its presence in historical records and its association with notable individuals reflect its enduring legacy within English culture and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spare families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spare 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. Staffordshire leads with 67 Spares recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.14x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 67 8.14x
Leicestershire 55 20.34x
Warwickshire 45 7.32x
Cornwall 21 7.61x
Gloucestershire 11 2.30x
Surrey 10 0.84x
Essex 9 1.87x
Yorkshire 9 0.37x
Wiltshire 8 3.71x
Middlesex 6 0.25x
Northamptonshire 3 1.31x
Derbyshire 1 0.26x
Devon 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.60x
Shropshire 1 0.47x
Somerset 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 27 Spares recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.93x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 27 30.93x
Norton Juxta Twycross 15 4545.45x
St Cleer 13 543.93x
Shackerstone 12 5000.00x
Lambeth 10 4.70x
Grendon 9 1698.11x
West Ham 9 8.47x
Burton Upon Trent 8 41.54x
Kingsbury 8 606.06x
Polesworth 8 273.97x
Sedgley 8 26.17x
Aston 7 4.13x
Walsall Foreign 7 16.46x
Whiteparish 7 760.87x
Hugglescote 6 150.75x
Lofthouse 6 166.21x
Packington 6 625.00x
St Breward 6 983.61x
Appleby 5 793.65x
Cheddleton 5 290.70x
Nailstone 5 806.45x
Pipe Hill 5 3571.43x
Wilnecote 5 284.09x
Bitton 4 96.15x
Nuneaton 4 56.18x
Ibstock 3 153.06x
Rocester 3 294.12x
St Andrew Holborn 3 36.28x
Bristol St James In 2 28.45x
Bristol St Leonard 2 4000.00x
Chelsea London 2 2.72x
Henbury 2 85.84x
Wellingborough 2 17.35x
Alton 1 112.36x
Austrey 1 333.33x
Birmingham 1 0.49x
Cirencester 1 15.46x
Devonport 1 17.15x
Drayton Bassett 1 270.27x
Eccleshall 1 32.05x
Edmonton 1 5.09x
Ellesmere 1 27.62x
Hinckley 1 15.60x
Kettering 1 10.78x
Lea Marston 1 384.62x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.52x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 54.05x
Middleton On Wolds 1 188.68x
No Mans Heath 1 1666.67x
Pylle 1 454.55x
Snarestone 1 370.37x
Soyland 1 34.48x
St Mabyn 1 238.10x
St Teath 1 60.24x
Tamworth 1 22.73x
Thornaby 1 11.07x
Watford 1 7.67x
Wirksworth 1 28.82x
Worcester St Martin 1 23.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 18
Mary 13
Sarah 13
Ann 10
Emily 9
Eliza 5
Catherine 4
Annie 3
Harriett 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Susanna 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Dinah 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evaline 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriot 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Julia 1
Katie 1
Leavina 1
Lucy 1
Maud 1
Priscilla 1
Rosa 1
Sidonea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
Charles 10
John 10
Thomas 10
Joseph 8
Samuel 8
George 7
Henry 6
Edwin 5
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Harry 3
Abel 2
Phillip 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Ezekias 1
Ezekius 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Mary 1
Oliver 1
Wm.H. 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Spare surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spare surname in 1881?

In 1881, 255 people were recorded with the Spare surname. That placed it at #10,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spare surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Spare a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Spare surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word meaning "to refrain" or "to abstain".

What does the Spare map show?

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