NameCensus.

UK surname

Sparrow

An occupational surname referring to a person who caught sparrows or a nickname for a small, lively person.

In the 1881 census there were 3,789 people recorded with the Sparrow surname, ranking it #1,207 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,763, ranked #1,801, down from #1,207 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Ipswich and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sparrow is 4,919 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

3,789

Ranked #1,207

Modern count

3,763

2016, ranked #1,801

Peak year

1911

4,919 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sparrow had 3,789 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,207 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,763 in 2016, ranked #1,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,919 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sparrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sparrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Sparrow 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 2,672 #1,107
1861 historical 2,379 #1,235
1881 historical 3,789 #1,207
1891 historical 4,007 #1,194
1901 historical 4,536 #1,258
1911 historical 4,919 #1,061
1997 modern 4,002 #1,618
1998 modern 4,164 #1,622
1999 modern 4,164 #1,635
2000 modern 4,196 #1,607
2001 modern 4,070 #1,624
2002 modern 4,117 #1,647
2003 modern 4,003 #1,653
2004 modern 4,010 #1,647
2005 modern 3,845 #1,696
2006 modern 3,817 #1,716
2007 modern 3,828 #1,723
2008 modern 3,820 #1,738
2009 modern 3,916 #1,735
2010 modern 3,917 #1,776
2011 modern 3,866 #1,773
2012 modern 3,767 #1,790
2013 modern 3,880 #1,763
2014 modern 3,853 #1,786
2015 modern 3,782 #1,802
2016 modern 3,763 #1,801

Geography

Back to top

Where Sparrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Ipswich, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Babergh. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 001 Bridgend
2 Ipswich 003 Ipswich
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 014 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Babergh 010 Babergh
5 Ipswich 010 Ipswich

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Sparrow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Sparrow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sparrow, 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 Sparrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sparrow 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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sparrow is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Sparrow is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sparrow falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sparrow

The surname Sparrow originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Middle English word "sparwe" or the Old English "spearwa," which referred to the small bird of the same name. This surname likely arose as a nickname for someone with characteristics associated with the sparrow, such as a small stature or quick movements.

The earliest known record of the surname Sparrow dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Johannes Sparwe was mentioned. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Sparrow.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Sparrow was Thomas Sparrow, a 15th-century English cleric and Bishop of Norwich, who lived from around 1420 to 1486. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Eton College and was known for his involvement in the construction of its chapel.

In the 16th century, John Sparrow, an English theologian and scholar, made significant contributions to the study of Greek literature. He was born around 1615 and served as the president of Harvard College from 1655 to 1660.

During the 17th century, Sir Michael Sparrow, an English landowner and politician, held the position of High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1663. He was born in 1612 and died in 1670.

In the 18th century, John Sparrow, an English churchman and author, gained recognition for his writings on ecclesiastical history. He was born in 1704 and passed away in 1788.

One of the more notable individuals with the surname Sparrow was Sir John Sparrow David Thompson, a British colonial administrator and explorer. Born in 1845, he played a crucial role in mapping the Canadian Northwest and served as the Prime Minister of the Canadian province of Newfoundland from 1909 to 1919. He died in 1924.

The surname Sparrow has been associated with various place names in England, such as Sparrow Green in Worcestershire and Sparrow Hill in Buckinghamshire, further solidifying its English origins. While the surname has spread across the globe, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it originated as a descriptive nickname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Sparrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sparrow 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. Middlesex leads with 621 Sparrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 621 1.68x
Suffolk 489 10.84x
Essex 284 3.89x
Surrey 284 1.57x
Gloucestershire 226 3.11x
Norfolk 209 3.67x
Warwickshire 147 1.57x
Lancashire 132 0.30x
Lincolnshire 122 2.06x
Kent 119 0.94x
Staffordshire 119 0.95x
Yorkshire 112 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 88 3.75x
Wiltshire 82 2.50x
Worcestershire 69 1.43x
Devon 66 0.86x
Northamptonshire 64 1.84x
Hampshire 62 0.82x
Somerset 58 0.97x
Sussex 48 0.77x
Cheshire 45 0.55x
Hertfordshire 36 1.41x
Nottinghamshire 34 0.68x
Durham 32 0.29x
Shropshire 30 0.94x
Leicestershire 28 0.68x
Buckinghamshire 24 1.07x
Derbyshire 24 0.41x
Oxfordshire 18 0.79x
Glamorgan 15 0.23x
Northumberland 14 0.25x
Berkshire 13 0.47x
Denbighshire 11 0.79x
Dorset 11 0.45x
Monmouthshire 11 0.41x
Cornwall 10 0.24x
Herefordshire 6 0.40x
Lanarkshire 5 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.27x
Isle of Man 4 0.58x
Banffshire 2 0.26x
Bedfordshire 2 0.10x
Channel Islands 2 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.27x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 0.45x
Anglesey 1 0.15x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.06x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.10x
Rutland 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 67 Sparrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.25x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 67 2.25x
Kensington London 59 2.87x
Islington London 55 1.53x
Lambeth 51 1.58x
Camberwell 50 2.11x
St Marylebone London 49 2.48x
Birmingham 45 1.45x
Shoreditch London 44 2.74x
Hackney London 39 1.88x
Littleport 39 87.05x
Aston 36 1.40x
Portsea 36 2.42x
Newington 35 2.56x
Church Lench 33 673.47x
St George Hanover 32 6.62x
Great Cornard 25 245.10x
Paddington London 25 1.84x
Attleborough 24 83.48x
Battersea 23 1.69x
Clapham 23 4.97x
Denton 23 331.89x
Doynton 23 451.87x
Stoke Goldington 23 224.61x
Wolverhampton 23 2.39x
Coventry St Michael 22 7.34x
Hankerton 22 510.44x
Hornsey 22 4.70x
Narford 22 1229.05x
Nottingham St Mary 21 1.63x
Deptford St Paul 20 2.05x
Frome 20 14.03x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 20 47.80x
Newton 20 352.11x
Shotley 20 251.57x
Tetbury 20 48.59x
West Derby 20 1.56x
Bow London 18 3.82x
Chelsea London 18 1.61x
Debenham 18 120.24x
Great Thurlow 18 365.85x
Hulme 18 1.96x
Romford 17 14.72x
West Hanningfield 17 311.93x
Bedworth 16 23.48x
Cheltenham 16 2.86x
Great Bromley 16 174.48x
Hadleigh 16 36.58x
Haverhill 16 39.94x
Horham 16 371.23x
Long Melford 16 38.18x
Bury St Edmunds St James 15 12.45x
Clerkenwell London 15 1.72x
Ewell 15 39.39x
Great Yarmouth 15 3.18x
Syleham 15 422.54x
West Ham 15 0.93x
Croydon 14 1.40x
Lowestoft 14 6.57x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 14 16.81x
Dovercourt 13 50.58x
Mile End Old Town 13 2.22x
Alverstoke 12 4.37x
Denham 12 213.90x
Hammersmith London 12 1.32x
Malmesbury St Paul 12 42.61x
Mile End 12 89.82x
Shrewsbury St Mary 12 9.51x
St Luke London 12 2.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 0.91x
Tottington Higher End 12 24.00x
Westbourne 12 38.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 1.61x
Elmswell 11 114.11x
Gazeley 11 103.87x
Great Baddow 11 42.32x
Heather 11 194.35x
St Andrewthe Less 11 4.11x
Swanscombe 11 19.38x
Swineshead 11 56.56x
Walthamstow 11 4.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 226
Elizabeth 137
Sarah 133
Eliza 73
Emma 72
Ellen 71
Alice 65
Ann 62
Emily 55
Annie 54
Jane 47
Charlotte 38
Martha 38
Ada 30
Florence 29
Harriet 29
Louisa 29
Edith 28
Lucy 26
Caroline 25
Kate 25
Fanny 23
Hannah 22
Harriett 22
Maria 21
Anne 19
Catherine 19
Margaret 18
Amy 16
Anna 16
Clara 16
Susan 15
Agnes 13
Ethel 13
Frances 13
Amelia 12
Laura 12
Rose 12
Eleanor 11
Minnie 11
Esther 9
Gertrude 9
Julia 9
Sophia 9
Elizth. 8
Maud 8
Rosa 8
Jessie 7
Marian 7
Susannah 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 235
John 180
George 153
James 112
Charles 109
Thomas 88
Henry 77
Robert 58
Alfred 56
Joseph 47
Frederick 40
Samuel 40
Walter 39
Albert 31
Arthur 30
Edward 29
Harry 26
Ernest 21
Herbert 19
Richard 19
Edwin 17
David 15
Frank 14
Geo. 11
Francis 10
Jesse 10
Stephen 9
Thos. 8
Benjamin 7
Chas. 7
Fredrick 7
Fred 6
Percy 6
Tom 6
Wm. 6
Christopher 5
Fredk. 5
Lewis 5
Reginald 5
Ephraim 4
Horace 4
Hugh 4
Isaac 4
Jonathan 4
Martin 4
Patrick 4
Robt. 4
Wilson 4
Caleb 3
Jas. 3

FAQ

Sparrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sparrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,789 people were recorded with the Sparrow surname. That placed it at #1,207 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sparrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,763 in 2016. That gives Sparrow a modern rank of #1,801.

What does the Sparrow surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who caught sparrows or a nickname for a small, lively person.

What does the Sparrow map show?

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