NameCensus.

UK surname

Sydney

A place name referring to the Australian city.

In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Sydney surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 239, ranked #17,322, down from #11,677 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, London parishes and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Westminster and Chiltern.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sydney is 316 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

232

Ranked #11,677

Modern count

239

2016, ranked #17,322

Peak year

1911

316 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sydney had 232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,677 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016, ranked #17,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 316 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Sydney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sydney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sydney 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 232 #11,677
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 316 #11,031
1997 modern 247 #15,399
1998 modern 255 #15,470
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 251 #15,692
2001 modern 237 #16,048
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 249 #15,739
2005 modern 239 #16,144
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 231 #16,973
2009 modern 232 #17,293
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 232 #17,481
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 243 #17,141
2016 modern 239 #17,322

Geography

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Where Sydneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, London parishes, Doncaster and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Westminster, Chiltern, Cheshire East and Southwark. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Westminster 005 Westminster
3 Chiltern 001 Chiltern
4 Cheshire East 013 Cheshire East
5 Southwark 025 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sydney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sydney

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Sydney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sydney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sydney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sydney 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

Sydney falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sydney

The surname Sydney has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sūth" and "ēa," meaning "south river" or "southern river," which likely referred to the River Thames in London.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sydney can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1194, where it appears as "Sudneia." This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially pronounced as "Sudney" before evolving into its modern form.

In the 13th century, the surname Sydney was associated with the manor of Sydenhobyre (now known as Sydnope) in Berkshire. This manor was held by William de Sydney in 1242, indicating that the name had already gained prominence in the region.

The surname Sydney also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. It is recorded as "Sudeneie," referring to a location in Gloucestershire.

Notable figures throughout history who bore the surname Sydney include:

1. Sir Philip Sydney (1554-1586), an English poet, courtier, and soldier, known for his influential works such as "Astrophel and Stella" and "The Defence of Poesy."

2. Algernon Sydney (1623-1683), an English politician and a leading theorist of republican thought during the English Interregnum and Restoration periods.

3. Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (1733-1800), a British politician who served as Home Secretary and Secretary of State for the Colonies.

4. William Sydney Smith (1764-1840), a British naval officer and diplomat who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars.

5. Sydney Smirke (1798-1877), an English architect known for his designs of the Reading Room and other sections of the British Museum.

Over time, the surname Sydney has been associated with various place names, such as Sydney in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the city of Sydney in Australia, which was named after Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, who served as the Secretary of State for the Colonies in the late 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sydney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sydney 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 86 Sydneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 86 3.82x
Yorkshire 21 0.94x
Surrey 14 1.28x
Lancashire 12 0.45x
Kent 11 1.43x
Midlothian 10 3.31x
Monmouthshire 8 4.91x
Sussex 8 2.11x
Gloucestershire 7 1.58x
Lincolnshire 7 1.94x
Northumberland 7 2.09x
Glamorgan 6 1.53x
Warwickshire 5 0.88x
Dorset 4 2.70x
Durham 4 0.60x
Essex 3 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.99x
Hampshire 2 0.43x
Renfrewshire 2 1.15x
Somerset 2 0.55x
Staffordshire 2 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.59x
Devon 1 0.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.64x
Leicestershire 1 0.40x
Norfolk 1 0.29x
Wiltshire 1 0.50x
Worcestershire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 13 Sydneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.95x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 13 5.95x
Churwell 9 592.11x
Camberwell 8 5.56x
Friern Barnet 8 161.29x
Greenwich 8 22.30x
Hackney London 8 6.33x
Paddington London 8 9.66x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 16.82x
Christchurch 7 138.89x
Cowpen 7 90.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 4.94x
Lewes St Ann 6 465.12x
St Luke London 6 16.60x
Tallington 6 3157.89x
Ystradyfodwg 6 17.43x
Birmingham 5 2.64x
Kensington London 5 3.99x
Ratcliffe London 5 40.19x
Barrow In Furness 4 11.00x
Bethnal Green London 4 4.09x
Hornsey 4 14.04x
Shoreditch London 4 4.10x
South Leith 4 11.78x
Spitalfields London 4 23.60x
Steepleton Preston 4 6666.67x
West Derby 4 5.11x
York St Mary 4 43.24x
Bingley 3 21.10x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 22.92x
Wakefield 3 17.50x
Chelsea London 2 2.95x
East Greenock 2 12.13x
Lewisham 2 4.88x
Liverpool 2 1.23x
Newington 2 2.40x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.55x
St George Hanover 2 6.80x
St George Martyr 2 52.63x
Westminster St James 2 8.64x
Westminster St John 2 7.29x
Wolverhampton 2 3.42x
Battersea 1 1.21x
Bow London 1 3.49x
Bradford On Avon 1 15.67x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.28x
Brislington 1 147.06x
Bulmer 1 185.19x
Burton On The Wolds 1 357.14x
Caerleon 1 117.65x
Cheetham 1 5.02x
Clapham 1 3.55x
Colchester St Giles 1 22.78x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.69x
Fulham London 1 3.06x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.48x
Hammersmith London 1 1.80x
Hayes 1 43.48x
Heene 1 153.85x
Holy Trinity 1 1.86x
Hylton 1 84.75x
Isleworth 1 9.98x
Kings Norton 1 3.79x
Lambeth 1 0.51x
Lewes St Michael 1 133.33x
North Meols 1 3.82x
Pointon 1 294.12x
Portsea 1 1.10x
Reading St Mary 1 7.38x
St Martin Vintry 1 2000.00x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.05x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.70x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 15.17x
Tring 1 24.10x
Ventnor 1 22.78x
Walcot 1 5.18x
Walthamstow 1 6.25x
Woking 1 15.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Emily 5
Jane 4
Ada 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Violet 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Clara 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
May 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Alba 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Augustua 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Daisy 1
Edith 1
Elise 1
Ellen 1
Emm 1
Emmeline 1
Esthel 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Florence. 1
Gwenllian 1
Harriet. 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Janette 1
Johannah 1
Lillie 1
Mabel 1
Marianne 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 11
William 9
George 8
John 8
Charles 6
Alfred 4
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Edgar 2
Edward 2
Fredk. 2
Joseph 2
Philip 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
(The 1
Adrian 1
Algernon 1
Arthur 1
Ben 1
Benham 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Edwd. 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Head 1
Hor 1
Jacob 1
Joe 1
Lewes 1
Mann 1
Patrick 1
Stephen 1
Theodore 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Sydney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sydney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Sydney surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sydney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016. That gives Sydney a modern rank of #17,322.

What does the Sydney surname mean?

A place name referring to the Australian city.

What does the Sydney map show?

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