NameCensus.

UK surname

Sulman

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Sulman surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sulman is 190 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.2%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1911

190 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sulman had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Sulman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sulman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sulman 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 116 #20,933
1911 historical 190 #15,438
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 164 #20,505
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 169 #20,199
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 170 #20,243
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 152 #21,721
2007 modern 157 #21,546
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 166 #22,075
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 164 #22,325
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Sulmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, St Pancras and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire and Barnet. 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 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 002 East Cambridgeshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 025 Central Bedfordshire
4 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
5 Barnet 032 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sulman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sulman

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Sulman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sulman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Sulman is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sulman 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

Sulman 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 Sulman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

1881 census detail

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Sulman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sulman 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 54 Sulmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.46x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 54 59.46x
Middlesex 45 3.14x
Surrey 13 1.86x
Kent 11 2.25x
Norfolk 7 3.18x
Huntingdonshire 6 21.07x
Lancashire 4 0.24x
Herefordshire 2 3.40x
Somerset 2 0.87x
Essex 1 0.35x
Leicestershire 1 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wilburton in Cambridgeshire leads with 30 Sulmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11538.46x.

Place Total Index
Wilburton 30 11538.46x
Frimley 11 552.76x
Islington London 11 7.92x
St Pancras London 11 9.53x
Elsworth 10 3030.30x
Witcham 10 5263.16x
Greenwich 7 30.66x
Tottenham 7 30.65x
Bethnal Green London 6 9.63x
Somersham 6 869.57x
Tuttington 5 5000.00x
Bromley 4 53.62x
Shoreditch London 4 6.44x
St Andrew Holborn 4 82.30x
West Derby 4 8.04x
Sutton 3 400.00x
Hornsey 2 11.03x
Leominster 2 82.30x
Overstrand 2 1818.18x
Weston Super Mare 2 34.31x
Gumley 1 909.09x
Leyton Low 1 17.39x
Newington 1 1.89x
Nottingham St Peter 1 46.51x
Putney 1 15.29x
St Andrewthe Less 1 9.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 5
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
... 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Dora 1
Edith 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Laura 1
Mabel 1
Margeret 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Netty 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
Henry 6
James 6
John 6
Thomas 5
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
G.R. 2
George 2
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Christopher 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Frederick 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Papworth 1
Stanley 1

FAQ

Sulman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sulman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Sulman surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sulman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Sulman a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Sulman map show?

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