NameCensus.

UK surname

Sills

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or installer of window sills or thresholds.

In the 1881 census there were 942 people recorded with the Sills surname, ranking it #4,092 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,048, ranked #5,561, down from #4,092 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Leicester and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sills is 1,292 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.3%.

1881 census count

942

Ranked #4,092

Modern count

1,048

2016, ranked #5,561

Peak year

1911

1,292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sills had 942 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,092 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,048 in 2016, ranked #5,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,292 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sills surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sills surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sills 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 631 #4,113
1861 historical 567 #4,640
1881 historical 942 #4,092
1891 historical 963 #4,293
1901 historical 1,146 #4,241
1911 historical 1,292 #3,687
1997 modern 1,099 #5,072
1998 modern 1,106 #5,235
1999 modern 1,127 #5,191
2000 modern 1,101 #5,263
2001 modern 1,090 #5,208
2002 modern 1,106 #5,248
2003 modern 1,087 #5,232
2004 modern 1,069 #5,310
2005 modern 1,039 #5,379
2006 modern 1,018 #5,473
2007 modern 1,045 #5,415
2008 modern 1,057 #5,396
2009 modern 1,051 #5,547
2010 modern 1,086 #5,498
2011 modern 1,074 #5,482
2012 modern 1,045 #5,519
2013 modern 1,086 #5,432
2014 modern 1,090 #5,446
2015 modern 1,075 #5,452
2016 modern 1,048 #5,561

Geography

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Where Sills' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Leicester, Nottingham, Stockton-on-Tees and Erewash. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 014 Ashford
2 Leicester 003 Leicester
3 Nottingham 005 Nottingham
4 Stockton-on-Tees 007 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Erewash 013 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sills

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sills

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sills 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

Sills is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sills falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sills is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sills

The surname SILLS originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sill," which referred to a threshold or the base of a window or door. The name likely evolved as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a prominent sill or threshold.

Records show the earliest known bearer of the name was Robert atte Sylle, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the word "sill." The name was also found in various forms, such as Sill, Sille, and Syll, in medieval documents from counties like Essex, Kent, and Surrey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SILLS spelling appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1523, where a John Sills is mentioned. This suggests the more modern spelling had emerged by the 16th century.

The SILLS surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Sillenden in Kent and Silsden in West Yorkshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or been named after early bearers of the name.

Notable individuals with the SILLS surname include:

1. John Sills (c. 1610-1695), an English Puritan minister and author from Sussex. 2. John Sills (1782-1854), an English cricketer who played for Hampshire and Surrey in the early 19th century. 3. Beverley Sills (1929-2007), an American opera singer and general manager of the New York City Opera. 4. Thomas Sills (1914-1995), an American actor known for his roles in films like "The Killers" and "The Devil's Brigade." 5. Walter Sills (1858-1931), an English cricketer who played for Surrey and captained the team from 1893 to 1900.

The SILLS surname has a long and rich history in England, with its origins dating back to the 13th century and its connection to the Old English word "sill." While not as common as some other English surnames, it has been borne by notable figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sills families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sills 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 199 Sills' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.08x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 199 16.08x
Middlesex 163 1.78x
Kent 97 3.10x
Yorkshire 74 0.81x
Leicestershire 68 6.68x
Lincolnshire 57 3.88x
Derbyshire 56 3.90x
Hertfordshire 48 7.59x
Essex 34 1.88x
Buckinghamshire 33 5.95x
Lancashire 24 0.22x
Warwickshire 24 1.04x
Hampshire 14 0.74x
Bedfordshire 11 2.31x
Surrey 11 0.25x
Suffolk 9 0.81x
Sussex 4 0.26x
Rutland 3 4.45x
Anglesey 2 1.23x
Shropshire 2 0.25x
Staffordshire 2 0.06x
Brecknockshire 1 0.54x
Devon 1 0.05x
Durham 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 47 Sills' recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.38x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 47 50.38x
Nottingham St Mary 35 10.94x
Sheffield 29 10.01x
Islington London 25 2.81x
Kensington London 25 4.90x
Chesham 21 102.69x
West Ham 20 5.00x
Basford 19 33.32x
Berkhampstead 19 133.61x
Hackney London 18 3.50x
Radford 18 28.64x
Bulwell 17 63.20x
Rickmansworth 16 91.85x
Sutton In Ashfield 16 59.59x
Bingham 15 285.17x
Coventry Holy Trinity 15 21.70x
Enfield 15 24.90x
Sittingbourne 13 52.57x
Ancaster 12 585.37x
Barnsley 12 12.79x
Great Stanmore 12 291.26x
Mile End Old Town 12 8.28x
Newark Upon Trent 12 26.98x
Snenton 12 24.69x
Leicester St Leonard 11 114.23x
Leicester St Mary 11 13.38x
Luton 11 13.37x
Woodhouse 10 246.91x
Barrowby 9 354.33x
Linthorpe 9 16.58x
Nottingham St Nicholas 9 53.41x
Mareham Le Fen 8 346.32x
Salford 8 2.50x
St Andrew Holborn 8 25.71x
Walthamstow 8 12.27x
Whitwell 8 139.86x
Belgrave 7 30.47x
Belper 7 25.13x
Edmonton 7 9.46x
Holy Trinity 7 3.20x
Leicester St Margaret 7 2.82x
Loughborough 7 15.16x
Ollerton 7 272.37x
St Marylebone London 7 1.43x
Teynham 7 123.89x
Alfreton 6 13.74x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.50x
Buckland 6 221.40x
Glossop Dale 6 8.92x
Lambeth 6 0.75x
Scarrington 6 923.08x
St Maurice Winchester 6 76.73x
Aston 5 0.78x
Chelsea London 5 1.81x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.89x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.07x
Ilkeston 5 12.41x
Kessingland 5 129.53x
Lee 5 11.00x
Mansfield 5 11.68x
Northchurch 5 73.96x
Portsea 5 1.36x
Ratby 5 98.04x
Sibthorpe 5 1219.51x
Watford 5 10.19x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 4.62x
Derby St Peter 4 8.74x
Erith 4 12.96x
Great Missenden 4 58.48x
Hartshorn 4 73.66x
Lenton 4 13.73x
Middlesbrough 4 3.38x
Ovington 4 851.06x
St Luke London 4 2.72x
Wildmore 4 208.33x
Wilford 4 114.94x
Boston 3 6.74x
Chiswick 3 5.98x
Derby St Werburgh 3 3.62x
Grantham 3 15.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 56
John 52
George 39
Thomas 34
Henry 23
Charles 20
Joseph 13
Walter 13
Arthur 12
Edward 11
Frederick 10
Harry 10
James 10
Alfred 9
Samuel 9
Stephen 8
Albert 7
Frank 7
Ernest 6
Francis 6
Richard 6
Edwin 4
Fredrick 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Cornelius 3
Percy 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Goodan 2
Herbert 2
Leonard 2
Reuben 2
Thos. 2
Augusta 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Delaune 1
Elias 1
Epharim 1
Federick 1
Gerald 1
Goodase 1
Goodier 1
Harold 1
Harris 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Jabez 1

FAQ

Sills surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sills surname in 1881?

In 1881, 942 people were recorded with the Sills surname. That placed it at #4,092 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sills surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,048 in 2016. That gives Sills a modern rank of #5,561.

What does the Sills surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or installer of window sills or thresholds.

What does the Sills map show?

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