NameCensus.

UK surname

Spraggs

Of British origin, related to the word "sprag", meaning a woodsman or lumberjack.

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Spraggs surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, down from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hayling, South and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stevenage, Vale of White Horse and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spraggs is 250 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.9%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

2010

250 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spraggs had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 229 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Spraggs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spraggs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spraggs 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 211 #14,366
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 229 #13,712
1997 modern 235 #15,895
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 233 #16,554
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 233 #16,590
2003 modern 230 #16,549
2004 modern 233 #16,471
2005 modern 222 #16,983
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 235 #16,777
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 225 #18,142
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

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Where Spraggs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hayling, South, St Mary Islington and Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stevenage, Vale of White Horse, Havant and Spelthorne. 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 Hayling, South Hampshire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stevenage 008 Stevenage
2 Vale of White Horse 008 Vale of White Horse
3 Havant 015 Havant
4 Stevenage 005 Stevenage
5 Spelthorne 002 Spelthorne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spraggs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spraggs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spraggs, 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 Spraggs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Spraggs 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Spraggs 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.

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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

Spraggs 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

Spraggs falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spraggs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Spraggs

The surname Spraggs is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have emerged in the English counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire during the Middle Ages. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English word "spragge," meaning a young bird or fledgling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Spragge." This suggests that it may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with young birds or poultry.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various forms such as "Spragges," "Spragge," and "Spragges" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. These ancient records provide valuable insights into the geographical distribution and evolution of surnames during that period.

The earliest documented bearer of the Spraggs surname was John Spragge, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1275. Another notable figure was Robert Spragges, a landowner from Buckinghamshire, who was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

In the 16th century, the Spraggs family had established a presence in various parts of England, including Wiltshire and Somerset. Sir Edward Spragg, born in 1552 in Somerset, was a prominent figure who served as a member of parliament for Bridgwater during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the 17th century, the Spraggs surname continued to gain prominence. Sir John Spragg, born in 1616 in Wiltshire, was a renowned naval officer who played a crucial role in several battles against the Dutch during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

In the 18th century, the Spraggs family expanded their presence, with notable individuals such as William Spraggs, a wealthy merchant from London, born in 1735, and Richard Spraggs, a renowned author and poet from Oxfordshire, born in 1772.

Another illustrious figure was Sir Edward Spraggs, born in 1803 in Buckinghamshire, who served as the Governor of the British East India Company's territories in India during the mid-19th century.

As the Spraggs surname spread across various regions of England, it also underwent various spelling variations, including Spragge, Sprage, and Spragg, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spraggs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spraggs 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 30 Spraggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.44x
Surrey 17 2.84x
Hampshire 16 6.35x
Buckinghamshire 8 10.77x
Devon 8 3.13x
Essex 8 3.30x
Norfolk 8 4.23x
Somerset 8 4.04x
Kent 6 1.43x
Glamorgan 5 2.34x
Yorkshire 4 0.33x
Berkshire 3 3.25x
Royal Navy 3 20.48x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 9 Spraggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.46x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 9 11.46x
Bridgewater 8 148.98x
Wanstead 8 188.24x
Aylesbury 7 212.77x
South Hayling 7 1555.56x
Thompson 7 4666.67x
Islington London 6 5.04x
Hackney London 5 7.26x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 25.37x
St Pancras London 5 5.05x
Hayes 4 1379.31x
Mexborough 4 165.29x
Battersea 3 6.63x
Brading 3 89.55x
Littleham 3 160.43x
Neath Middle 3 3750.00x
Royal Navy 3 23.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 12.13x
St Luke London 3 15.22x
Cardiff St Mary 2 16.96x
Chatham 2 17.33x
Clerkenwell London 2 6.89x
Croydon 2 6.02x
Enfield 2 24.81x
Kensington London 2 2.93x
Portsea 2 4.05x
Reading St Giles 2 22.10x
St Mary Extra 2 98.52x
Towerof London London 2 512.82x
Willesden 2 17.26x
Wisbech St Peter 2 51.28x
Ardington 1 625.00x
Buckingham 1 66.23x
Chelsea London 1 2.70x
Hartley Wintney 1 131.58x
Hound 1 58.48x
Walsoken 1 87.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ellen 5
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Ada 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Jessie 2
Sarah 2
(Miss) 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Eunice 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Lizza 1
Lovey 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
May 1
Quagiah 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 6
Charles 4
Edward 4
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Alfred 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Richd. 1
Richd.J. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Spraggs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spraggs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Spraggs surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spraggs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Spraggs a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Spraggs surname mean?

Of British origin, related to the word "sprag", meaning a woodsman or lumberjack.

What does the Spraggs map show?

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