NameCensus.

UK surname

Sugars

A metonymic occupational surname referring to someone formerly associated with the production or trade of sugar.

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Sugars surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 189, ranked #20,334, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wilshampstead, Sawley and Risley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash, East Northamptonshire and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sugars is 219 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

189

2016, ranked #20,334

Peak year

1911

219 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sugars had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016, ranked #20,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 219 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Sugars surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sugars surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sugars 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 182 #16,057
1911 historical 219 #14,136
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 206 #17,905
2000 modern 206 #17,880
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 190 #19,246
2009 modern 199 #19,090
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 182 #20,958
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 189 #20,334

Geography

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Where Sugars' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wilshampstead, Sawley, Risley, Rushden and Cardington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash, East Northamptonshire, Bedford, Luton and Doncaster. 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 Wilshampstead Bedfordshire
2 Sawley Derbyshire
3 Risley Bedfordshire
4 Rushden Northamptonshire
5 Cardington Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 015 Erewash
2 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire
3 Bedford 002 Bedford
4 Luton 013 Luton
5 Doncaster 033 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sugars

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sugars

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sugars, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Sugars surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sugars household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

City Support Workers

Within London, Sugars is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

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

Sugars is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sugars 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 Sugars is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sugars

The surname SUGARS is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "sugre," which referred to a person who worked with or sold sugar.

In the Middle Ages, sugar was a rare and expensive commodity, and those involved in its trade or production were often distinguished by this occupational surname. The earliest recorded instances of the name SUGARS date back to the 13th century, appearing in various historical records and documents.

One notable historical reference to the name SUGARS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1285, where a person named William le Sugre is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "le Sugre," reflects the French influence on English surnames during the Norman Conquest.

The SUGARS surname has also been connected to certain place names, such as Sugars Green in Worcestershire and Sugars Lane in London. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or possibly were areas where sugar-related activities took place.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname SUGARS was John Sugars, born around 1520 in Oxfordshire, England. Another notable figure was Robert Sugars, a merchant and landowner who lived in Lincolnshire in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, a prominent member of the SUGARS family was William Sugars, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, who was born in 1642 and died in 1712. He made significant contributions to the city's development and established several charitable foundations.

As the name SUGARS spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles. One notable Scottish bearer of the surname was James Sugars, a poet and playwright born in Ayrshire in 1770, who gained recognition for his works in the early 19th century.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Sugars, an English author and translator born in 1797. She is particularly known for her translations of French literary works and her contributions to the field of education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sugars families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sugars 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. Bedfordshire leads with 87 Sugars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.14x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 87 111.14x
Yorkshire 16 1.07x
Hertfordshire 11 10.56x
Lancashire 10 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 10 4.91x
Northamptonshire 9 6.33x
Suffolk 5 2.72x
Kent 2 0.39x
Middlesex 2 0.13x
Sussex 2 0.78x
Devon 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardington in Bedfordshire leads with 14 Sugars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2187.50x.

Place Total Index
Cardington 14 2187.50x
Clifton 13 1710.53x
Bedford St Paul 11 204.84x
Stapleford 10 606.06x
Ampthill 9 769.23x
Roxton 9 3103.45x
Wilshampstead 9 2093.02x
Hemel Hempstead 8 170.21x
Selby 8 255.59x
Didsbury 7 294.12x
Riseley 7 1400.00x
Clapham 6 1875.00x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 80.00x
Meppershall 5 1250.00x
Rushden 5 263.16x
Coton 4 8000.00x
Falsgrave 4 181.00x
Scarborough 4 29.39x
Hitchin 3 63.83x
Bedford St Peter 2 98.52x
Heaton Norris 2 19.59x
Steyning 2 232.56x
Brixham 1 27.40x
Colmworth 1 500.00x
Foots Cray 1 101.01x
Hackney London 1 1.18x
Hampstead London 1 4.25x
Manchester 1 1.24x
Poddington 1 357.14x
Rochester St Margaret 1 18.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Ellen 5
Ada 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Emily 3
Gertrude 3
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Arabella 1
Bessie 1
Elizabth 1
Elizh.C. 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Fred 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lillan 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Sara 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sugars surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sugars surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Sugars surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sugars surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016. That gives Sugars a modern rank of #20,334.

What does the Sugars surname mean?

A metonymic occupational surname referring to someone formerly associated with the production or trade of sugar.

What does the Sugars map show?

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