NameCensus.

UK surname

Spary

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Spary surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, up from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Flamstead, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, Tunbridge Wells and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spary is 259 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 155.3%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

1997

259 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spary had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Spary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spary surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spary 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 149 #18,146
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 259 #14,912
1998 modern 249 #15,720
1999 modern 258 #15,467
2000 modern 249 #15,787
2001 modern 255 #15,319
2002 modern 245 #16,041
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 233 #16,471
2005 modern 236 #16,286
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 219 #17,597
2009 modern 228 #17,486
2010 modern 236 #17,427
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 216 #18,251
2013 modern 222 #18,198
2014 modern 226 #18,088
2015 modern 219 #18,406
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Sparys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Flamstead, London parishes, Eccles and Dunstable. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, Tunbridge Wells, Luton and Cornwall. 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 Flamstead Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 Dunstable Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 007 Monmouthshire
2 Monmouthshire 004 Monmouthshire
3 Tunbridge Wells 007 Tunbridge Wells
4 Luton 002 Luton
5 Cornwall 032 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spary

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Spary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Spary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Spary 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.

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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

Spary 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

Spary 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 Spary is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Spary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spary 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. Lancashire leads with 17 Sparys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 17 1.73x
Hampshire 14 8.24x
Hertfordshire 12 21.00x
Somerset 11 8.24x
Bedfordshire 10 23.29x
Sussex 7 5.01x
Nottinghamshire 6 5.37x
Kent 5 1.77x
Middlesex 2 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Flamstead in Hertfordshire leads with 12 Sparys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2264.15x.

Place Total Index
Flamstead 12 2264.15x
Pendleton In Salford 10 85.32x
Ventnor 8 493.83x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 94.47x
Brighton 7 24.82x
Caddington 7 1111.11x
Frome 7 219.44x
Worksop 6 181.27x
Plumstead 5 53.02x
St Thomas Winchester 4 333.33x
Walcot 4 56.26x
Studham 3 1250.00x
St George Hanover 2 18.48x
Bristol St James In 1 41.84x
New Alresford 1 227.27x
Southampton St Mary 1 9.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Ada 1
Bessie 1
Cicily 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Evelane 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Liliurn 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Spary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Spary surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Spary a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Spary map show?

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