NameCensus.

UK surname

Sweetman

An English occupational surname referring to a confectioner, baker, or someone with a pleasant disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 1,050 people recorded with the Sweetman surname, ranking it #3,754 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,577, ranked #3,936, down from #3,754 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, South Hams and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sweetman is 1,693 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.2%.

1881 census count

1,050

Ranked #3,754

Modern count

1,577

2016, ranked #3,936

Peak year

2000

1,693 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sweetman had 1,050 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,754 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016, ranked #3,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,442 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sweetman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sweetman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sweetman 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 617 #4,187
1861 historical 559 #4,715
1881 historical 1,050 #3,754
1891 historical 1,107 #3,826
1901 historical 1,406 #3,590
1911 historical 1,442 #3,350
1997 modern 1,574 #3,747
1998 modern 1,631 #3,767
1999 modern 1,673 #3,712
2000 modern 1,693 #3,654
2001 modern 1,648 #3,671
2002 modern 1,687 #3,668
2003 modern 1,594 #3,775
2004 modern 1,588 #3,807
2005 modern 1,522 #3,900
2006 modern 1,559 #3,811
2007 modern 1,563 #3,838
2008 modern 1,598 #3,795
2009 modern 1,652 #3,778
2010 modern 1,676 #3,809
2011 modern 1,632 #3,848
2012 modern 1,571 #3,915
2013 modern 1,624 #3,865
2014 modern 1,630 #3,877
2015 modern 1,593 #3,915
2016 modern 1,577 #3,936

Geography

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Where Sweetmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Lambeth and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, South Hams, Hammersmith and Fulham, Slough and Cherwell. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 006 Isle of Anglesey
2 South Hams 012 South Hams
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 007 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Slough 001 Slough
5 Cherwell 010 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sweetman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sweetman

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sweetman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Sweetman 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

Sweetman falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sweetman

The surname Sweetman is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "swete" meaning "sweet" and "man" meaning a person. It likely emerged as an occupational name for someone who made or sold sweet foods or confections, such as a confectioner or honey merchant.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recordings found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1182, where a Richard Sweteman was listed. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, mentioning a John Sweteman.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Swetemon, Swetman, and Sweteman, reflecting the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. The Sweetman surname is also thought to have derived from the Old English place name "Swetmannes-dene," meaning "the sweet man's valley."

The Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not directly record the Sweetman surname, but it does mention several place names that may have influenced its development, such as Sweetlove in Shropshire and Sweetridge in Kent.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Sweetman surname was John Sweetman, born around 1450 in Wiltshire, England. He was a landowner and served as a member of the local parliament.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was Thomas Sweetman (c. 1500-1570), an English merchant and alderman in the City of London. He was a wealthy trader and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1568.

Another prominent individual was George Sweetman (1616-1689), an English lawyer and politician who served as a member of the House of Commons for Stockbridge, Hampshire, in the 17th century.

During the 18th century, William Sweetman (1722-1799) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, John Sweetman (1835-1899) was an Irish clergyman and author, known for his work on the history of the Church of Ireland and Irish topography.

These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the Sweetman surname throughout history, reflecting its English origins and presence across various professions and social classes over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sweetman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sweetman 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. Middlesex leads with 174 Sweetmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 174 1.67x
Lancashire 157 1.27x
Hampshire 103 4.83x
Sussex 102 5.81x
Surrey 91 1.79x
Somerset 72 4.30x
Warwickshire 69 2.63x
Kent 54 1.52x
Yorkshire 37 0.36x
Staffordshire 24 0.68x
Cheshire 20 0.87x
Wiltshire 18 1.96x
Gloucestershire 17 0.83x
Isle of Man 13 6.73x
Oxfordshire 13 2.02x
Herefordshire 12 2.81x
Essex 11 0.54x
Worcestershire 10 0.74x
Berkshire 8 1.02x
Devon 7 0.32x
Dorset 6 0.88x
Durham 6 0.19x
Glamorgan 6 0.33x
Lanarkshire 6 0.18x
Suffolk 5 0.39x
Lincolnshire 4 0.24x
Shropshire 4 0.44x
Midlothian 3 0.22x
Northamptonshire 3 0.31x
Northumberland 3 0.19x
Cornwall 2 0.17x
Hertfordshire 2 0.28x
Leicestershire 2 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 1.61x
Denbighshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 48 Sweetmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.40x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 48 6.40x
Birmingham 39 4.46x
Islington London 39 3.87x
Brighton 37 10.45x
Ryde 29 63.28x
Kensington London 26 4.49x
Lambeth 24 2.64x
West Derby 23 6.37x
Shoreditch London 20 4.43x
Portsea 19 4.54x
Poplar London 17 8.65x
Uckfield 14 183.01x
Newington 13 3.38x
Northwood 13 42.79x
St Helens 13 83.82x
St Pancras London 13 1.55x
Ashford 12 34.70x
Wincanton 12 139.21x
Wolverhampton 12 4.44x
Hastings St Mary In The 11 29.38x
Leeds 11 1.89x
Salford 11 3.03x
Battersea 10 2.61x
Brading 10 35.27x
Church 10 57.34x
Hammersmith London 10 3.90x
Runcorn 10 18.88x
Widnes 10 11.23x
Clitheroe 9 24.76x
Lyncombe Widcombe 9 20.52x
Rowington 9 304.05x
Toxteth Park 9 2.15x
West Ashton 9 825.69x
Bedminster 8 5.08x
Bromley London 8 3.49x
Clifton 8 7.75x
Hawkhurst 8 72.46x
Holmer 8 104.17x
Kidderminster Borough 8 10.06x
Manchester 8 1.44x
Middlesbrough 8 5.96x
Walcot 8 8.97x
Cheadle 7 41.49x
Onchan 7 12.57x
Portishead 7 56.22x
Speldhurst 7 38.72x
Stoke Trister 7 466.67x
Yeovil 7 20.56x
Chester Holy Trinity 6 55.71x
Clapham 6 4.61x
Filey 6 72.03x
Leamington Priors 6 9.29x
Mitcham 6 18.72x
Preston 6 19.58x
Rushen 6 45.91x
Warbleton 6 114.72x
Wigan 6 3.48x
Andover 5 24.81x
Bermondsey 5 1.61x
Bradford 5 2.00x
Cardiff St John 5 8.45x
Durham St Nicholas 5 65.70x
Fulham London 5 3.31x
Govan 5 0.60x
Hove 5 6.49x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 5 42.52x
Kirkdale 5 2.41x
Shenington 5 364.96x
Southwark St Saviour 5 9.35x
Upavon 5 289.02x
West Ham 5 1.10x
Woolwich 5 3.81x
Brenchley 4 31.47x
Caversham 4 31.10x
Christchurch 4 8.65x
Coleshill 4 47.51x
Farnham 4 10.14x
Hailsham 4 37.66x
Herstmonceaux 4 75.76x
Walthamstow 4 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 66
George 56
John 43
James 36
Thomas 36
Henry 25
Charles 20
Joseph 15
Alfred 14
Edward 13
Samuel 13
Richard 12
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Robert 9
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Walter 6
Thos. 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Michael 4
Wm. 4
Peter 3
Chas. 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Lawrence 2
Lewis 2
Percy 2
Chas.H. 1
Claud 1
Claudius 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Elias 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Enos 1
Eward 1
Fred. 1
Horatia 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1

FAQ

Sweetman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sweetman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,050 people were recorded with the Sweetman surname. That placed it at #3,754 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sweetman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016. That gives Sweetman a modern rank of #3,936.

What does the Sweetman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a confectioner, baker, or someone with a pleasant disposition.

What does the Sweetman map show?

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