NameCensus.

UK surname

Sprague

An English toponymic surname derived from various places named Sprague, likely referring to someone living near a sprague or brush-covered area.

In the 1881 census there were 692 people recorded with the Sprague surname, ranking it #5,239 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 609, ranked #8,609, down from #5,239 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Staffordshire, North Somerset and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sprague is 725 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.0%.

1881 census count

692

Ranked #5,239

Modern count

609

2016, ranked #8,609

Peak year

1901

725 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sprague had 692 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,239 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016, ranked #8,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 725 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sprague surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sprague surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sprague 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 495 #5,049
1861 historical 413 #6,216
1881 historical 692 #5,239
1891 historical 648 #5,987
1901 historical 725 #6,108
1911 historical 723 #5,920
1997 modern 677 #7,438
1998 modern 714 #7,362
1999 modern 711 #7,428
2000 modern 710 #7,412
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 693 #7,574
2003 modern 682 #7,548
2004 modern 679 #7,588
2005 modern 632 #7,958
2006 modern 640 #7,902
2007 modern 643 #7,926
2008 modern 635 #8,054
2009 modern 638 #8,186
2010 modern 662 #8,125
2011 modern 659 #8,073
2012 modern 636 #8,208
2013 modern 648 #8,238
2014 modern 656 #8,194
2015 modern 625 #8,449
2016 modern 609 #8,609

Geography

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Where Spragues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, St Pancras and Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Staffordshire, North Somerset, South Norfolk, Wyre Forest and Exeter. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire
2 North Somerset 021 North Somerset
3 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
4 Wyre Forest 011 Wyre Forest
5 Exeter 013 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sprague

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sprague

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sprague is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sprague 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

Sprague falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sprague

The surname Sprague is believed to have originated in England. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "spræc" or "spraec," meaning "speech" or "discourse," and "hoh" or "hoh," meaning "ridge" or "spur of land." Thus, the name likely referred to a person who lived on a ridge or spur of land known for its prominence in speech or discourse.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recorded instances such as William de Spragge in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not mention the name directly, but it does include references to places with similar names, like Sproughton in Suffolk.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Sprague was Sir John Sprague, who lived in the late 14th century and was a member of the English gentry. Another notable figure was Edward Sprague, born around 1575, who was one of the original settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various spellings, including Spragg, Spragge, and Sprage. Ralph Sprague, born in 1603, was an English immigrant to America and one of the founders of Charlestown, Massachusetts. His descendants played a significant role in the early history of New England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Sprague include William Sprague, an American politician and governor of Rhode Island, who lived from 1799 to 1856. Jedediah Sprague, born in 1799, was an American inventor and businessman known for his contributions to the development of the printing press and the manufacture of firearms.

John Treadwell Sprague, born in 1810, was a prominent American businessman and industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the textile industry in New England. Lastly, John Franklin Sprague, born in 1859, was a renowned American mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the fields of electricity and magnetism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sprague families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sprague 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. Devon leads with 270 Spragues recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.13x.

County Total Index
Devon 270 19.13x
Middlesex 83 1.22x
Worcestershire 60 6.78x
Surrey 49 1.48x
Cornwall 33 4.30x
Somerset 26 2.38x
Lancashire 17 0.21x
Gloucestershire 16 1.20x
Midlothian 15 1.65x
Warwickshire 12 0.70x
Bedfordshire 10 2.85x
Hampshire 10 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.09x
Glamorgan 8 0.68x
Herefordshire 8 2.88x
Kent 8 0.35x
Monmouthshire 8 1.63x
Yorkshire 8 0.12x
Dorset 7 1.57x
Essex 7 0.52x
Northumberland 6 0.59x
Staffordshire 6 0.26x
Hertfordshire 5 1.07x
Huntingdonshire 4 2.97x
Wiltshire 4 0.67x
Cumberland 3 0.51x
Royal Navy 2 2.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crediton in Devon leads with 30 Spragues recorded in 1881 and an index of 224.38x.

Place Total Index
Crediton 30 224.38x
St Pancras London 26 4.76x
Plymouth St Andrew 23 21.16x
Plymouth Charles The 22 35.39x
Shute 19 1417.91x
Exeter St David 18 149.25x
Battersea 17 6.81x
Cradley 14 174.78x
Cullompton 13 211.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 3.56x
Exeter St Sidwell 13 40.22x
Brixham 12 73.39x
Croydon 11 6.00x
Worcester St John 11 104.07x
Aston 10 2.12x
East Stonehouse 10 35.97x
Okehampton 10 187.97x
Poltimore 10 1492.54x
Illogan 9 44.29x
Islington London 9 1.37x
Aberystruth 8 18.52x
Bere Ferrers 8 344.83x
Chelsea London 8 3.92x
Colyton 8 147.60x
Crewkerne 8 69.03x
Southampton Holy Rood 8 571.43x
Westbury On Trym 8 17.76x
Ashbrittle 7 795.45x
Calstock 7 46.51x
Epping 7 128.68x
Hallow 7 161.29x
Kensington London 7 1.86x
Lee 7 20.84x
Llanwonno 7 16.50x
Newark Upon Trent 7 21.32x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 13.53x
Claines 6 24.69x
Cramlington 6 45.01x
Feock 6 125.00x
Huntsham 6 1333.33x
Over Darwen 6 9.34x
Powick 6 97.88x
South Tawton 6 206.19x
Wambrook 6 983.61x
West Bromwich 6 4.58x
Burlescombe 5 260.42x
Camberwell 5 1.15x
Elmley Lovett 5 617.28x
Hemel Hempstead 5 23.74x
St Austell 5 19.05x
Tiverton 5 20.57x
Enfield 4 8.99x
Hackney London 4 1.05x
Hockworthy 4 563.38x
Kimbolton 4 140.85x
Kington 4 58.14x
Lambeth 4 0.68x
Linton In Bromyard 4 330.58x
Ridgmont 4 231.21x
Salford 4 1.69x
Salisbury St Martin 4 64.10x
Shoreditch London 4 1.36x
St Stephen Coleman 4 220.99x
Swimbridge 4 140.35x
Willesden 4 6.26x
Withycombe Rawleigh 4 54.42x
Wolborough 4 22.42x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 3 37.41x
Bedminster 3 2.93x
Exeter St Edmund 3 98.68x
Exeter St Mary Major 3 35.25x
Failsworth 3 16.30x
Gwennap 3 20.72x
Millom 3 16.77x
Southwark St Olave 3 57.92x
Tooting Graveney 3 32.64x
Tormoham 3 5.02x
Hulme 2 1.19x
St Marylebone London 2 0.55x
Wellington 2 13.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 36
Sarah 19
Emma 18
Jane 16
Ann 14
Eliza 14
Emily 13
Annie 12
Louisa 10
Ellen 9
Florence 6
Harriet 6
Susan 6
Alice 5
Margaret 5
Anne 4
Bessie 4
Hannah 4
Lydia 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Jessie 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Georgina 2
Grace 2
Jenny 2
Kate 2
Mabel 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Rosina 2
Thirza 2
Bisie 1
Elizebath 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 49
William 46
James 22
Henry 18
Charles 15
Thomas 12
George 11
Samuel 11
Alfred 9
Frederick 8
Walter 8
Richard 7
Edward 6
Joseph 6
Edwin 5
Harry 4
Robert 4
Sidney 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
J. 2
Jno. 2
Lewis 2
Saml. 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Armin 1
Claud 1
Claude 1
Cornelius 1
Cornelous 1
Edgar 1
Fras.D. 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Martin 1
Montague 1
Nelson 1
Nichas.F. 1
Nicholas 1
Niel 1
O.Richd. 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Willm.G. 1

FAQ

Sprague surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sprague surname in 1881?

In 1881, 692 people were recorded with the Sprague surname. That placed it at #5,239 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sprague surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016. That gives Sprague a modern rank of #8,609.

What does the Sprague surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from various places named Sprague, likely referring to someone living near a sprague or brush-covered area.

What does the Sprague map show?

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