NameCensus.

UK surname

Sillitoe

A locational surname derived from a place name in Nottinghamshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 422 people recorded with the Sillitoe surname, ranking it #7,666 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 580, ranked #8,938, down from #7,666 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Audlem and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Shropshire and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sillitoe is 647 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.4%.

1881 census count

422

Ranked #7,666

Modern count

580

2016, ranked #8,938

Peak year

2000

647 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sillitoe had 422 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,666 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016, ranked #8,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 568 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sillitoe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sillitoe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sillitoe 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 366 #6,483
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 422 #7,666
1891 historical 418 #8,561
1901 historical 555 #7,489
1911 historical 568 #7,120
1997 modern 616 #7,999
1998 modern 632 #8,086
1999 modern 645 #8,007
2000 modern 647 #7,961
2001 modern 630 #7,972
2002 modern 638 #8,074
2003 modern 623 #8,089
2004 modern 631 #8,018
2005 modern 606 #8,216
2006 modern 594 #8,345
2007 modern 589 #8,477
2008 modern 590 #8,528
2009 modern 604 #8,557
2010 modern 598 #8,802
2011 modern 602 #8,675
2012 modern 577 #8,862
2013 modern 589 #8,855
2014 modern 592 #8,900
2015 modern 584 #8,914
2016 modern 580 #8,938

Geography

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Where Sillitoes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Audlem, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, London parishes and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Shropshire, Hyndburn and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Audlem Cheshire
3 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 011 Swansea
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
4 Swansea 014 Swansea
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 017 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sillitoe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sillitoe

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sillitoe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sillitoe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sillitoe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sillitoe is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sillitoe falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sillitoe

The surname SILLITOE has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the village of Sillitoein Leicestershire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "syli" meaning "a miry place" and "hoh" meaning "a ridge or hill," suggesting that the name refers to a "miry ridge or hill."

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Selitone." Over time, the name evolved into various spellings such as Syllitoe, Sillitowe, and eventually, Sillitoe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated 1273, where it is listed as "John de Sillitoe." This entry suggests that members of the Sillitoe family were already established in the region by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Leicestershire, where it is recorded as "Thomas Syllytowe." This record provides evidence of the family's continued presence in the area from which the name originated.

Notable individuals with the surname Sillitoe include:

1. Alan Sillitoe (1928-2010), a renowned English novelist and poet, best known for his works such as "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" and "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner."

2. Susan Sillitoe (1660-1718), an English poet and religious writer, known for her works on Quaker beliefs and practices.

3. Edward Sillitoe (1807-1884), a British entrepreneur and founder of the Sillitoe & Co. clothing company, which became renowned for its high-quality men's apparel.

4. John Sillitoe (1579-1663), an English clergyman and Puritan preacher, who served as the Rector of St. Giles-in-the-Fields in London during the 17th century.

5. Henry Sillitoe (1768-1828), an English businessman and philanthropist, who established the Sillitoe Charity Trust to support education and poverty relief in Nottinghamshire.

The name SILLITOE has a rich historical legacy, with its origins rooted in the medieval English countryside and its presence spanning various regions of England over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sillitoe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sillitoe 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 80 Sillitoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.92x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 80 15.92x
Staffordshire 71 5.10x
Middlesex 67 1.62x
Shropshire 56 15.71x
Lancashire 54 1.10x
Essex 26 3.19x
Surrey 25 1.24x
Worcestershire 17 3.16x
Cheshire 16 1.76x
Warwickshire 4 0.38x
Denbighshire 2 1.28x
Hertfordshire 1 0.35x
Kent 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.26x
Sussex 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sudbury St Gregory in Suffolk leads with 28 Sillitoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 694.79x.

Place Total Index
Sudbury St Gregory 28 694.79x
Sudbury St Peter 27 981.82x
St Luke London 19 28.71x
Oldbury 17 64.13x
Stoke Upon Trent 16 10.83x
Edgmond 15 382.65x
Lambeth 15 4.17x
Newport 14 325.58x
Everton 12 7.69x
Gosfield 11 1264.37x
Long Melford 11 235.55x
Drayton In Hales 10 136.05x
Wednesbury 10 28.73x
Wolverhampton 9 8.40x
Broughton In Salford 8 17.87x
Hulme 8 7.83x
Lichfield St Mary 8 199.01x
St Pancras London 8 2.41x
Gayton 7 2258.06x
Nayland 7 551.18x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.35x
Burslem 6 15.04x
Liverpool 6 2.02x
Sheriff Hales 6 419.58x
Shoreditch London 6 3.35x
Borley 5 1666.67x
Poplar London 5 6.42x
Reigate Foreign 5 22.97x
Camberwell 4 1.52x
Gorton 4 8.69x
Hackney London 4 1.73x
Harwich St Nicholas 4 63.59x
Paddington London 4 2.64x
Sudbury All Sts 4 261.44x
Westminster St John 4 7.96x
Aston 3 1.05x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 3 92.31x
Halstead 3 31.58x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 3 28.63x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 3 76.14x
St Bride London 3 125.00x
Toxteth Park 3 1.81x
Upper Penn 3 85.96x
Walsall Borough 3 27.75x
Walsall Foreign 3 4.17x
Aberwheeler 2 344.83x
Ardwick 2 4.53x
Checkley 2 55.25x
Cheswardine 2 131.58x
Church Eaton 2 212.77x
Eccleshall 2 37.88x
Habergham Eaves 2 4.47x
Heswall Cum Oldfield 2 158.73x
Islington London 2 0.50x
Leek Lowe 2 10.79x
Litherland 2 19.53x
Runcorn 2 9.52x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 14.21x
Wellington 2 9.99x
Brighton 1 0.71x
Burton Extra 1 12.52x
Chetwynd 1 86.96x
Chorley 1 3.64x
Colchester St Giles 1 12.42x
Edmonton 1 3.01x
Fazeley 1 39.53x
Hadleigh 1 20.49x
Hammersmith London 1 0.98x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 21.46x
Manchester 1 0.45x
Margate St John Baptist 1 3.88x
Mile End New Town 1 17.76x
Oundle 1 23.04x
Polesworth 1 20.24x
Sible Hedingham 1 36.76x
St Marylebone London 1 0.45x
Walton On Hill 1 3.77x
Wavertree 1 6.38x
Westminster St 1 6.57x
Whittington 1 35.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 16
Alice 9
Emma 9
Jane 9
Eliza 8
Emily 6
Ellen 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Harriet 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Fanny 3
Minnie 3
Selina 3
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elsie 1
Emm 1
Flora 1
Flori 1
George 1
Gertrude 1
Julia 1
Lily 1
Louisie 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Marie 1
Sydonia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
Thomas 23
John 18
James 12
Charles 11
George 11
Richard 10
Henry 9
Joseph 9
Frederick 7
Walter 6
Frank 5
Fred 5
Harry 5
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Ambrose 2
Earnest 2
Edward 2
Jas. 2
Josh. 2
Maurice 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Alf. 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Chas. 1
Chass. 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Jos.Wm. 1
Matthew 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Mossa 1
Porter 1
Richd. 1
Samson 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Willam 1

FAQ

Sillitoe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sillitoe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 422 people were recorded with the Sillitoe surname. That placed it at #7,666 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sillitoe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016. That gives Sillitoe a modern rank of #8,938.

What does the Sillitoe surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Nottinghamshire, England.

What does the Sillitoe map show?

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