NameCensus.

UK surname

Spragg

A surname likely derived from a placename or geographical location.

In the 1881 census there were 848 people recorded with the Spragg surname, ranking it #4,452 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,455, ranked #4,228, up from #4,452 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Helen, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Isle of Wight and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spragg is 1,596 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.6%.

1881 census count

848

Ranked #4,452

Modern count

1,455

2016, ranked #4,228

Peak year

1999

1,596 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spragg had 848 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,452 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,455 in 2016, ranked #4,228.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,191 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Spragg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spragg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spragg 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 525 #4,777
1861 historical 504 #5,194
1881 historical 848 #4,452
1891 historical 876 #4,696
1901 historical 1,101 #4,388
1911 historical 1,191 #3,939
1997 modern 1,443 #4,044
1998 modern 1,561 #3,913
1999 modern 1,596 #3,887
2000 modern 1,580 #3,894
2001 modern 1,532 #3,919
2002 modern 1,568 #3,931
2003 modern 1,549 #3,884
2004 modern 1,551 #3,879
2005 modern 1,478 #4,011
2006 modern 1,483 #4,003
2007 modern 1,495 #4,012
2008 modern 1,509 #4,010
2009 modern 1,522 #4,064
2010 modern 1,535 #4,124
2011 modern 1,505 #4,148
2012 modern 1,442 #4,208
2013 modern 1,447 #4,258
2014 modern 1,465 #4,248
2015 modern 1,455 #4,237
2016 modern 1,455 #4,228

Geography

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Where Spraggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Helen, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Newchurch, London parishes and Shrawley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Isle of Wight, Wakefield and Telford and Wrekin. 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 St Helen Hampshire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Shrawley Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
2 Isle of Wight 014 Isle of Wight
3 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
4 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
5 Telford and Wrekin 011 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spragg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spragg

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spragg, 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 Spragg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Spragg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Spragg is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spragg is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spragg falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Spragg

The surname SPRAGG has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "spræc," which means "speech" or "voice." It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was particularly talkative or had a distinctive way of speaking.

The first recorded instance of the surname SPRAGG can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "Sprac." This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with later variants including "Spragge," "Spragge," and the modern form, "SPRAGG."

In the 14th century, the name SPRAGG appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it was recorded as "Sprak." Additionally, the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1384 mentions a "John Spragge," indicating the name's presence in different regions of England during this period.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname SPRAGG was William SPRAGG (c. 1540-1608), who was a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. His son, Sir Edward SPRAGG (1573-1628), was a prominent figure who served as a Member of Parliament and held various administrative positions in the city of London.

In the 17th century, the name SPRAGG gained recognition through Sir Edward SPRAGG (1619-1673), an English naval officer who played a significant role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665.

Another notable figure from this era was John SPRAGG (1638-1720), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, from 1695 until his death.

Moving into the 18th century, Sir Edward SPRAGG (1735-1803) was a distinguished British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his service in 1795.

Throughout these historical records and references, the surname SPRAGG has maintained its English roots and has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, including commerce, politics, the military, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spragg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spragg 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. Worcestershire leads with 112 Spraggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.39x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 112 10.39x
Gloucestershire 89 5.50x
Hampshire 77 4.55x
Shropshire 76 10.66x
Surrey 69 1.72x
Middlesex 68 0.82x
Lancashire 61 0.62x
Warwickshire 61 2.93x
Staffordshire 41 1.47x
Cheshire 34 1.87x
Somerset 30 2.26x
Norfolk 21 1.66x
Essex 18 1.10x
Kent 14 0.50x
Yorkshire 12 0.15x
Dorset 7 1.29x
Cornwall 6 0.64x
Midlothian 6 0.54x
Wiltshire 6 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.96x
Hertfordshire 5 0.88x
Berkshire 4 0.65x
Glamorgan 4 0.28x
Northamptonshire 4 0.52x
Bedfordshire 3 0.70x
Derbyshire 3 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.58x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Devon 1 0.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 27 Spraggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.71x.

Place Total Index
Aston 27 4.71x
Birmingham 21 3.03x
Ryde 21 57.79x
Lambeth 20 2.78x
St Helens 20 162.60x
Claines 16 54.09x
Shrawley 15 1145.04x
Bishops Cleeve 13 317.07x
Clerkenwell London 13 6.67x
Manchester 13 2.95x
Bristol Temple 12 112.57x
Kingston On Thames 12 12.42x
Yardley 11 39.90x
Cardington 10 613.50x
Evesham St Lawrence 10 174.52x
Hackney London 10 2.16x
Lilleshall 10 91.74x
Wrockwardine 10 63.78x
Battersea 9 2.96x
Cheltenham 9 7.21x
Longborough 9 505.62x
North Petherton 9 84.03x
Portsea 9 2.71x
Prestbury 9 224.44x
Wandsworth 9 11.33x
Worcester St Peter 9 44.12x
Acton Burnell 8 869.57x
Grimston 8 249.22x
Islington London 8 1.00x
Lee 8 19.57x
Liscard 8 24.38x
Middleton In Oldham 8 27.25x
Odiham 8 107.82x
Stoke Orchard 8 1632.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.71x
Wellington 8 19.97x
West Ham 8 2.22x
Bristol St Augustine 7 26.80x
Carisbrooke 7 29.81x
Cropthorne 7 351.76x
Liverpool 7 1.18x
Madeley 7 26.78x
West Bromwich 7 4.39x
Westminster St 7 23.01x
Bromsgrove 6 16.54x
Childs Wyckham 6 472.44x
Dudley 6 4.58x
Glastonbury 6 55.35x
Hedon 6 218.98x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 15.75x
Rowley Regis 6 7.73x
South Leith 6 4.82x
South Littleton 6 652.17x
St Teath 6 106.57x
Swindon 6 10.60x
Worcester Blockhouse 6 101.35x
Athelhampstone 5 2380.95x
Bolehall Glascote 5 56.69x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 9.26x
Cainham 5 151.06x
Clapham 5 4.85x
East Ham 5 16.54x
Edgbaston 5 7.75x
Farnworth 5 8.52x
Kidderminster Borough 5 7.93x
March 5 28.57x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 23.87x
Street 5 69.54x
Walton On Thames 5 27.09x
Wolverhampton 5 2.33x
Birkenhead 4 2.75x
Elton 4 11.82x
Great Bolton 4 3.08x
Hartlebury 4 62.31x
Longfield 4 430.11x
Newington 4 1.31x
Shoreditch London 4 1.12x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.76x
Wallasey 4 64.52x
Walthamstow 4 6.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 33
Sarah 29
Ann 22
Annie 17
Alice 14
Eliza 14
Jane 14
Ellen 13
Emma 12
Emily 11
Hannah 9
Charlotte 8
Fanny 8
Martha 8
Florence 7
Ada 6
Beatrice 6
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Kate 6
Agnes 5
Edith 5
Esther 5
Harriet 5
Amy 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Catherine 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Dolores 2
Eliz. 2
Flora 2
Georgina 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Rosa 2
Selina 2
Catharine 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emelina 1
Hellen 1
Zilpha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 34
Thomas 33
James 26
Charles 25
George 24
Henry 20
Alfred 12
Joseph 11
Walter 11
Arthur 10
Robert 10
Richard 9
Edwin 8
Frank 8
Albert 6
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Francis 4
Harry 4
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Eli 2
Enoch 2
Gilbert 2
Leonard 2
Percy 2
Willoughby 2
Alfd. 1
Archie 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Claude 1
Ellis 1
Emanuel 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Lancelot 1
Lawrence 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Spragg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spragg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 848 people were recorded with the Spragg surname. That placed it at #4,452 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spragg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,455 in 2016. That gives Spragg a modern rank of #4,228.

What does the Spragg surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a placename or geographical location.

What does the Spragg map show?

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