NameCensus.

UK surname

Sperry

An English occupational surname referring to a maker of spurs, derived from the Middle English word "spur."

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Sperry surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 302, ranked #14,660, up from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sawley, Market Bosworth and Thornton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sperry is 358 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.1%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

302

2016, ranked #14,660

Peak year

2002

358 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sperry had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016, ranked #14,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 225 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sperry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sperry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sperry 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 202 #15,010
1911 historical 225 #13,874
1997 modern 312 #13,182
1998 modern 335 #12,915
1999 modern 348 #12,670
2000 modern 347 #12,642
2001 modern 340 #12,620
2002 modern 358 #12,402
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 343 #12,616
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 323 #13,205
2007 modern 322 #13,382
2008 modern 317 #13,632
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 333 #13,717
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 303 #14,415
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 312 #14,430
2015 modern 308 #14,463
2016 modern 302 #14,660

Geography

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Where Sperrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sawley, Market Bosworth, Thornton, London parishes and Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Hinckley and Bosworth, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kensington and Chelsea and North West Leicestershire. 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 Sawley Derbyshire
2 Market Bosworth Leicestershire
3 Thornton Leicestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures) Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 008 Charnwood
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 003 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 003 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
5 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sperry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sperry

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Sperry is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sperry is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sperry 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 Sperry 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sperry

The surname SPERRY is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to derive from the Old English word "spere," meaning a spear or lance. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was skilled in the use of this weapon or perhaps a maker of spears.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, England, from 1273, where it appears as "Sperri." This indicates that the name was already established in that region during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the surname is documented in various forms such as "Speri," "Sperry," and "Spery" in various records across England, including the Court Rolls of Wiltshire and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire.

The SPERRY name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Sperry Tor in Devon and Sperry Hill in Somerset. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

One notable individual with the surname SPERRY was John Sperry (1594-1670), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to New England in 1637 and became one of the founders of Fairfield, Connecticut.

Another prominent figure was Richard Sperry (1770-1834), an American entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Sperry & Hutchinson Company, known for its iconic Green Stamps trading program.

In the field of aviation, Elmer Ambrose Sperry (1860-1930) was a pioneering inventor who developed the artificial horizon and other important innovations in aeronautical instrumentation.

The name SPERRY also has a connection to the literary world through the American novelist and short story writer, Loren Sperry (1916-1983), known for his works exploring themes of alienation and social commentary.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Roger Wolcott Sperry (1913-1994), an American neuropsychologist and Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking research on the functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres.

While the SPERRY surname may have evolved from humble beginnings related to a weapon, it has left an indelible mark across various disciplines throughout history, reflecting the diverse accomplishments of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sperry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sperry 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. Leicestershire leads with 71 Sperrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.36x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 71 44.36x
Middlesex 17 1.18x
Warwickshire 14 3.85x
Nottinghamshire 13 6.68x
Surrey 10 1.42x
Derbyshire 7 3.10x
Staffordshire 6 1.23x
Somerset 3 1.29x
Hampshire 2 0.68x
Worcestershire 2 1.06x
Yorkshire 2 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bagworth in Leicestershire leads with 22 Sperrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7333.33x.

Place Total Index
Bagworth 22 7333.33x
St George Martyr 8 329.22x
Ibstock 7 603.45x
Leicester St Margaret 7 17.93x
Nottingham St Mary 7 13.91x
Aston 6 5.99x
Mountsorrel 6 2068.97x
Sawley 6 882.35x
Thornton 6 2857.14x
Wimbledon 6 75.95x
Yoxall 6 937.50x
Wigston Magna 5 235.85x
Amington Stonydelph 4 1250.00x
Beeston 4 178.57x
Blackfordby 4 784.31x
Hugglescote 4 170.21x
Bedminster 3 13.74x
Belgrave 3 83.10x
Southwark Christchurch 3 44.38x
Wilnecote 3 288.46x
Barlestone 2 571.43x
Hinckley 2 52.63x
Portsea 2 3.45x
Ruddington 2 153.85x
Sculcoates 2 8.82x
St Marylebone London 2 2.60x
Whitherley 2 769.23x
Edmonton 1 8.60x
Hackney London 1 1.24x
Hammersmith London 1 2.81x
Islington London 1 0.71x
Kingsbury 1 128.21x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.92x
Leicester All Sts 1 31.85x
Ockbrook 1 104.17x
Paddington London 1 1.88x
St George Hanover 1 5.31x
St Luke London 1 4.32x
Upton On Severn 1 81.30x
Wooburn 1 83.33x
Yardley 1 20.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 10
Thomas 9
Joseph 8
George 5
James 5
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Thom 2
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Georg 1
Jacob 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Sperry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sperry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Sperry surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sperry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016. That gives Sperry a modern rank of #14,660.

What does the Sperry surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker of spurs, derived from the Middle English word "spur."

What does the Sperry map show?

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