NameCensus.

UK surname

Silburn

A habitational surname derived from a place named Silburn or Selborne in England.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Silburn surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 240, ranked #17,278, up from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harwich Dovercourt, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Pocklington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Babergh and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silburn is 270 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.3%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

240

2016, ranked #17,278

Peak year

2000

270 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Silburn had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016, ranked #17,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 261 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Silburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Silburn 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 194 #15,277
1901 historical 208 #14,760
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 260 #14,880
1998 modern 267 #15,016
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 270 #14,943
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 257 #15,523
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 240 #16,144
2005 modern 245 #15,857
2006 modern 242 #16,097
2007 modern 245 #16,134
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 238 #17,354
2014 modern 243 #17,232
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 240 #17,278

Geography

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Where Silburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harwich Dovercourt, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Pocklington, Ilkeston and Harwich St Nicholas. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Babergh, East Hampshire, Luncarty and Dunkeld and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Harwich Dovercourt Essex
2 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Pocklington Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire
5 Harwich St Nicholas Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
2 Babergh 010 Babergh
3 East Hampshire 007 East Hampshire
4 Luncarty and Dunkeld Perth and Kinross
5 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Silburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Silburn

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Silburn 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

Silburn is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Silburn falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Silburn

The surname Silburn originated in England during the late medieval period, likely in the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Silburn or a similar spelling, though the exact location is now lost to history. The name may have roots in the Old English words "sil" meaning "a small stream" and "burna" meaning "a brook or stream," suggesting it may have referred to someone who lived near a small brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Suffolk Feet of Fines from 1310, which mentions a William de Silburne. This document shows the name was already in use and established by the early 14th century in the county of Suffolk. Another early record is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, listing a John Silburn.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various forms such as Sylborn, Silborne, and Silburne, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. One notable bearer was Sir John Silburn, a member of the landed gentry in Northamptonshire, who lived from around 1430 to 1495.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name continued to be found across various regions of England, with records showing Silburns residing in counties like Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One prominent individual was Thomas Silburn, a wealthy merchant from Bristol who lived from 1580 to 1649.

In the 18th century, the Silburn name gained further recognition with the birth of Charles Silburn (1710-1786), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Palladian-style St. Mary's Church in Marylebone.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Silburn (1786-1868), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Admiral. He was also a member of parliament for several years.

Throughout its history, the surname Silburn has maintained its roots in England, with various branches of the family contributing to the country's rich tapestry of history and culture across different fields and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Silburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silburn 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. Suffolk leads with 38 Silburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.43x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 38 26.43x
Yorkshire 34 2.91x
Middlesex 9 0.76x
Kent 7 1.74x
Northamptonshire 7 6.31x
Norfolk 5 2.76x
Perthshire 5 9.44x
Surrey 4 0.70x
Cornwall 3 2.25x
Lancashire 3 0.21x
Lincolnshire 3 1.59x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.68x
Hampshire 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Clement in Suffolk leads with 9 Silburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 246.58x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Clement 9 246.58x
Ashbocking 8 6153.85x
Ipswich St Nicholas 8 1012.66x
Skidby 8 5333.33x
Ipswich St Margaret 7 143.44x
Greenwich 6 31.93x
Pocklington 6 545.45x
St Marylebone London 6 9.52x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 5 1086.96x
Kirkmichael 5 1470.59x
Beverley St Martin 4 205.13x
Eaton St Andrew 4 800.00x
Etton 4 2000.00x
Kettering 4 89.09x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.85x
Holbeach 3 142.86x
Liverpool 3 3.53x
Newton On Derwent 3 3750.00x
St Columb Minor 3 267.86x
Bermondsey 2 5.69x
Holy Trinity 2 7.11x
Northampton All Sts 2 53.05x
St Andrewthe Less 2 23.42x
Clapham 1 6.78x
Huddersfield 1 5.87x
Lambeth 1 0.97x
Long Melford 1 74.63x
North Newbald 1 384.62x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 17.70x
Rawdon 1 72.46x
Routh 1 1428.57x
Southampton All Sts 1 24.10x
Teynham 1 136.99x
Tockwith 1 434.78x
Walsoken 1 91.74x
Woodmansey Cum Beverley 1 454.55x
Wortley In Bramley 1 10.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 4
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Girtrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jamnah 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marina 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minna 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Thurza 1
Vida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
William 7
John 6
George 5
Henry 5
Charles 3
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Ann 1
Arthur 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Silburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Silburn surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016. That gives Silburn a modern rank of #17,278.

What does the Silburn surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place named Silburn or Selborne in England.

What does the Silburn map show?

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