NameCensus.

UK surname

Suckling

A surname derived from the Old English word "suckling," meaning a young child or animal still feeding on its mother's milk.

In the 1881 census there were 882 people recorded with the Suckling surname, ranking it #4,304 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,200, ranked #4,958, down from #4,304 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Finchingfield and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Braintree and Rugby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Suckling is 1,563 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

882

Ranked #4,304

Modern count

1,200

2016, ranked #4,958

Peak year

1911

1,563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Suckling had 882 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,304 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,200 in 2016, ranked #4,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,563 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Suckling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Suckling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Suckling 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 592 #4,322
1861 historical 574 #4,590
1881 historical 882 #4,304
1891 historical 1,000 #4,152
1901 historical 1,398 #3,599
1911 historical 1,563 #3,102
1997 modern 1,313 #4,367
1998 modern 1,384 #4,317
1999 modern 1,350 #4,441
2000 modern 1,358 #4,409
2001 modern 1,328 #4,408
2002 modern 1,332 #4,480
2003 modern 1,311 #4,452
2004 modern 1,294 #4,502
2005 modern 1,279 #4,499
2006 modern 1,279 #4,507
2007 modern 1,262 #4,603
2008 modern 1,241 #4,715
2009 modern 1,275 #4,697
2010 modern 1,303 #4,696
2011 modern 1,273 #4,739
2012 modern 1,237 #4,791
2013 modern 1,251 #4,815
2014 modern 1,242 #4,866
2015 modern 1,215 #4,915
2016 modern 1,200 #4,958

Geography

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Where Sucklings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Finchingfield, Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Braintree, Rugby and Bromsgrove. 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 Finchingfield Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 011 Babergh
2 Braintree 001 Braintree
3 Braintree 005 Braintree
4 Rugby 004 Rugby
5 Bromsgrove 013 Bromsgrove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Suckling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Suckling

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Suckling 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

Suckling is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Suckling 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 Suckling 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 Suckling, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Suckling

The surname Suckling has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sucling," which means "one who is suckling" or "a suckling child." The name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who nursed or cared for infants.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as "Sockling," "Suckelyng," and "Suckelingh." One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Lucia Suckling is mentioned.

The Suckling surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. In the 16th century, Sir John Suckling (1609-1642), an English poet and playwright, was a notable bearer of the name. He is best known for his lyric poems, including "A Ballad Upon a Wedding" and "A Sessions of the Poets."

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Suckling (1585-1659), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk. He served as Lord Mayor of Norwich and was knighted by King James I in 1619.

In the 17th century, Daniel Suckling (1639-1686) was an English clergyman and author who wrote a book titled "An Essay Towards a Description of the Province of Georgia."

The Suckling family also had connections to the American colonies. Robert Suckling (1687-1736) was a wealthy merchant and landowner from Woodton, Norfolk, who owned plantations in Virginia and Maryland.

In the 18th century, Maurice Suckling (1725-1786) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the surname Suckling throughout history, demonstrating its long-standing presence and significance in various regions and contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Suckling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Suckling 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. Essex leads with 363 Sucklings recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.47x.

County Total Index
Essex 363 21.47x
Middlesex 107 1.25x
Warwickshire 77 3.56x
Kent 54 1.85x
Surrey 52 1.25x
Norfolk 43 3.27x
Suffolk 40 3.83x
Hertfordshire 34 5.76x
Worcestershire 26 2.32x
Cambridgeshire 20 3.69x
Midlothian 12 1.05x
Yorkshire 12 0.14x
Durham 9 0.35x
Lancashire 7 0.07x
Sussex 7 0.48x
Lanarkshire 4 0.14x
Cheshire 3 0.16x
Hampshire 3 0.17x
Denbighshire 2 0.62x
Herefordshire 2 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.19x

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 33 Sucklings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.55x.

Place Total Index
Aston 33 5.55x
Ware 32 189.13x
Wethersfield 29 680.75x
Chelmsford 25 86.18x
Finchingfield 23 433.96x
Edgbaston 20 29.86x
Halstead 20 101.42x
Birmingham 19 2.64x
Camberwell 17 3.11x
Ipswich St Peter 16 113.96x
Lambeth 16 2.14x
Kings Norton 15 14.96x
Bocking 14 137.66x
Braintree 14 92.23x
Bromley London 13 6.90x
Hendon 13 42.18x
Little Waltham 13 764.71x
Shalford 12 560.75x
Romford 11 41.15x
Barking 10 20.21x
Buttsbury 10 751.88x
Croydon 10 4.32x
Deptford St Paul 10 4.44x
Felstead 10 172.71x
Plumstead 10 10.27x
Steeple Bumpstead 10 322.58x
Walthamstow 10 16.43x
Great Bardfield 9 323.74x
Great Coggeshall 9 102.39x
Lewisham 9 5.78x
Linton 9 174.42x
Springfield 9 121.46x
Alburgh 8 439.56x
Ashwicken 8 2857.14x
Chelsea London 8 3.10x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 8 33.81x
Haverhill 8 519.48x
St Marylebone London 8 1.75x
Thaxted 8 142.60x
Waltham Holy Cross 8 50.63x
Brighton 7 2.40x
Chipping Ongar 7 240.55x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.46x
Maldon St Peter 7 81.30x
Margate St John Baptist 7 13.08x
West Thurrock 7 124.56x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 6 89.82x
Great Dunmow 6 68.10x
Guisbrough 6 32.35x
Hockley 6 327.87x
Rettendon 6 284.36x
Ringsfield 6 714.29x
St George Hanover 6 5.37x
Thetford St Mary 6 167.13x
Thetford St Peter 6 172.91x
Tottenham 6 4.40x
Withersfield 6 355.03x
Yardley 6 20.96x
Folkestone 5 8.82x
Great Burstead 5 81.30x
Hackney London 5 1.04x
Hempnall 5 193.80x
Islington London 5 0.60x
Mile End Old Town 5 3.70x
Ramsden Crays 5 757.58x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 21.78x
Stock 5 277.78x
Barony 4 0.57x
East Horndon 4 270.27x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 14.74x
Great Baddow 4 66.56x
Great Leighs 4 181.82x
Great Waltham 4 58.06x
Kensington London 4 0.84x
Little Burstead 4 677.97x
Poulton With Fearnhead 4 183.49x
Stoke Prior 4 57.97x
Terrington St Clement 4 67.23x
West Ham 4 1.07x
Woolwich 4 3.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 43
George 28
Henry 24
James 23
Charles 18
Thomas 18
Edward 15
Frederick 15
Arthur 14
Alfred 12
Walter 12
Samuel 11
Herbert 9
Ernest 8
Harry 8
Robert 7
Joseph 6
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Wm. 4
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Maurice 3
Willie 3
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred. 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Horatio 2
Zachariah 2
Benjm. 1
Danl. 1
Dick 1
Ebenezer 1
Elias 1
Francis 1
Fredc. 1
Harboard 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Hy. 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Johnathan 1
Joshua 1

FAQ

Suckling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Suckling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 882 people were recorded with the Suckling surname. That placed it at #4,304 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Suckling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,200 in 2016. That gives Suckling a modern rank of #4,958.

What does the Suckling surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "suckling," meaning a young child or animal still feeding on its mother's milk.

What does the Suckling map show?

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