NameCensus.

UK surname

Sugden

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the valley of the sow" or "in the swine valley".

In the 1881 census there were 3,461 people recorded with the Sugden surname, ranking it #1,317 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,747, ranked #2,445, down from #1,317 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Bingley and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sugden is 3,870 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.6%.

1881 census count

3,461

Ranked #1,317

Modern count

2,747

2016, ranked #2,445

Peak year

1911

3,870 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sugden had 3,461 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,317 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,747 in 2016, ranked #2,445.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,870 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Sugden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sugden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sugden 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 2,483 #1,196
1861 historical 2,373 #1,240
1881 historical 3,461 #1,317
1891 historical 3,429 #1,386
1901 historical 3,855 #1,464
1911 historical 3,870 #1,340
1997 modern 2,837 #2,282
1998 modern 2,918 #2,309
1999 modern 2,927 #2,316
2000 modern 2,831 #2,363
2001 modern 2,798 #2,352
2002 modern 2,826 #2,371
2003 modern 2,797 #2,348
2004 modern 2,758 #2,375
2005 modern 2,709 #2,385
2006 modern 2,729 #2,373
2007 modern 2,748 #2,384
2008 modern 2,764 #2,390
2009 modern 2,826 #2,393
2010 modern 2,848 #2,417
2011 modern 2,789 #2,431
2012 modern 2,789 #2,392
2013 modern 2,838 #2,395
2014 modern 2,831 #2,414
2015 modern 2,749 #2,458
2016 modern 2,747 #2,445

Geography

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Where Sugdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Bingley, Birstall, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 022 Bradford
2 Bradford 004 Bradford
3 Bradford 014 Bradford
4 Bradford 061 Bradford
5 Bradford 010 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sugden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sugden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sugden, 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 Sugden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sugden 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sugden 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

Sugden is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Sugden

The surname Sugden is of English origin, derived from the Old English words 'sūg' meaning 'rush' and 'denu' meaning 'valley.' It likely originated in the 13th century as a toponymic name, referring to someone who lived near a rush-filled valley.

Sugden is predominantly found in Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first appeared in historical records. The earliest known instance of the name dates back to 1275, when a Robert de Suggedene was listed in the Wakefield Court Rolls of Yorkshire.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Sugden, Suggedene, and Suggedyn. In the 1379 Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, the name was recorded as Sugdyn.

One notable historical reference to the Sugden surname is in the Coucher Book of Furness Abbey, a medieval manuscript from the 12th to 16th centuries. It mentions a Henry de Suggedene who held lands in Dalton, Lancashire, in the early 14th century.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the Sugden surname is John Sugden, who was born in Yorkshire around 1510. Another early bearer of the name was William Sugden, a yeoman farmer from Keighley, Yorkshire, who lived in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Sugden family had established themselves as landowners and prominent figures in various Yorkshire towns, such as Bradford and Keighley. One notable member was John Sugden (1616-1694), a wealthy wool merchant and benefactor from Keighley.

In the 18th century, Edward Sugden (1769-1842) was a renowned English lawyer and judge, serving as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1835 to 1841.

Another famous bearer of the Sugden surname was Sir William Sugden (1793-1875), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and railway technology.

In the 19th century, Sir Lebbeus Sugden (1827-1892) was a prominent English lawyer and politician, serving as a Member of Parliament for Guildford from 1867 to 1892.

The Sugden surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts and literature, such as John Sugden (1918-1992), an English author and biographer known for his works on Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sugden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sugden 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. Yorkshire leads with 2,597 Sugdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.76x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,597 7.76x
Lancashire 426 1.06x
Middlesex 99 0.29x
Surrey 77 0.47x
Durham 64 0.64x
Cheshire 31 0.42x
Staffordshire 16 0.14x
Devon 14 0.20x
Hampshire 13 0.19x
Kent 12 0.10x
Midlothian 12 0.27x
Worcestershire 12 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.22x
Somerset 10 0.18x
Lanarkshire 9 0.08x
Northumberland 8 0.16x
Warwickshire 8 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.34x
Norfolk 7 0.13x
Stirlingshire 5 0.40x
Sussex 5 0.09x
Derbyshire 4 0.08x
Lincolnshire 4 0.07x
Essex 3 0.05x
Berkshire 2 0.08x
Dorset 2 0.09x
Angus 1 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.06x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 282 Sugdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.03x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 282 79.03x
Horton In Bradford 161 30.80x
Leeds 161 8.52x
Bradford 151 18.63x
Wyke In Bradford 104 173.74x
Bingley 102 47.85x
Manningham 83 20.13x
Pudsey 83 46.39x
Halifax 81 16.48x
Thornton In Bradford 74 66.40x
North Bierley 65 35.96x
Bowling 61 18.40x
Cleckheaton 57 46.23x
Hunslet 55 10.54x
Idle 54 34.79x
Hipperholme Cum 45 30.59x
Haworth 42 52.78x
Shipley 40 23.03x
Huddersfield 37 7.59x
Bramley In Bramley 33 25.75x
Oldham 31 2.40x
Holbeck 30 13.53x
Slaithwaite 30 86.08x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 29 18.65x
Golcar 27 30.51x
Castleton 25 6.24x
Colne 25 20.93x
Rastrick 25 26.89x
Wortley In Bramley 25 9.43x
Skircoat 24 18.18x
Eccleshill 22 27.01x
Wilsden 22 63.99x
Warley 21 21.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 20 2.28x
Bury 19 4.15x
Linthwaite 19 27.01x
Southowram 18 17.62x
Camberwell 17 0.79x
Islington London 17 0.52x
Manchester 17 0.94x
Armley 16 10.84x
Calverley Cum Farsley 16 16.83x
Gorton 16 4.25x
Spotland 16 3.59x
Elland Cum Greetland 15 9.95x
Howden 15 65.93x
Lambeth 15 0.51x
Little Bolton 15 2.91x
Pendleton In Salford 15 3.14x
Wakefield 15 5.84x
Wuerdle Wardle 15 12.33x
Farnhill 14 215.72x
Kildwick 14 45.93x
Shelf 14 43.79x
Stockton On Tees 14 2.89x
Chadderton 13 6.63x
Shitlington 13 37.54x
Guiseley 12 27.99x
Silsden 12 121.46x
Barnoldswick 11 23.54x
Battersea 11 0.88x
Clayton 11 13.43x
Lingards 11 108.80x
Tong 11 17.01x
Allerton 10 23.44x
Blackburn 10 0.94x
Darlington 10 2.58x
Hackney London 10 0.53x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 4.64x
Steeton Cum Eastburn 10 86.88x
Wardleworth 10 4.37x
Worsley 10 4.05x
Almondbury 9 5.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 2.83x
Cheetham 9 3.01x
Lancaster 9 3.77x
Northowram 9 3.83x
Preston 9 0.84x
Sculcoates 9 1.70x
Skipton 9 8.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 247
Sarah 146
Elizabeth 103
Martha 84
Hannah 78
Annie 65
Jane 65
Emma 64
Ann 61
Alice 47
Emily 37
Ellen 33
Maria 31
Ada 30
Clara 30
Eliza 28
Harriet 27
Susannah 25
Betty 23
Margaret 23
Edith 20
Fanny 17
Frances 16
Louisa 15
Ruth 14
Caroline 13
Charlotte 13
Florence 13
Grace 13
Amy 10
Lilly 10
Nancy 10
Rebecca 10
Elizth. 9
Sophia 9
Amelia 8
Isabella 8
Lily 8
Lucy 8
Anne 7
Gertrude 7
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Kate 6
Lavinia 6
Lydia 6
Matilda 6
Nanny 6
Rachel 6
Selina 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 206
William 194
James 102
Joseph 77
George 66
Thomas 66
Samuel 48
Henry 46
Robert 37
Charles 34
Arthur 31
Fred 30
Edward 28
Walter 28
Alfred 26
Albert 22
Harry 22
Herbert 20
Benjamin 19
Frank 19
Isaac 19
Abraham 18
Frederick 18
David 16
Jonas 15
Richard 14
Joe 12
Joshua 12
Sam 12
Tom 12
Thos. 9
Leonard 8
Willie 8
Daniel 7
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Mark 7
Wm. 7
Amos 6
Jesse 6
Jonathan 6
Fredrick 5
Nathan 5
Peter 5
Squire 5
Allen 4
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Matthew 4
Smith 4

FAQ

Sugden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sugden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,461 people were recorded with the Sugden surname. That placed it at #1,317 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sugden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,747 in 2016. That gives Sugden a modern rank of #2,445.

What does the Sugden surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the valley of the sow" or "in the swine valley".

What does the Sugden map show?

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