NameCensus.

UK surname

Silva

A surname of Latin origin meaning "forest" or "woodland," originally used to describe someone living near a wood.

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Silva surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,948, ranked #1,366, up from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Lambeth and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silva is 4,948 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6163.3%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

4,948

2016, ranked #1,366

Peak year

2016

4,948 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Silva had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,948 in 2016, ranked #1,366.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Silva surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silva surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Silva 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 87 #25,802
1901 historical 71 #26,277
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 1,176 #4,801
1998 modern 1,324 #4,481
1999 modern 1,469 #4,156
2000 modern 1,624 #3,799
2001 modern 1,629 #3,710
2002 modern 1,810 #3,432
2003 modern 1,899 #3,240
2004 modern 2,155 #2,918
2005 modern 2,419 #2,616
2006 modern 2,734 #2,370
2007 modern 2,991 #2,178
2008 modern 3,286 #2,032
2009 modern 3,663 #1,858
2010 modern 4,156 #1,671
2011 modern 3,874 #1,768
2012 modern 4,188 #1,602
2013 modern 4,422 #1,550
2014 modern 4,603 #1,502
2015 modern 4,698 #1,452
2016 modern 4,948 #1,366

Geography

Back to top

Where Silvas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brent, Lambeth, Breckland and Peterborough. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 031 Brent
2 Lambeth 011 Lambeth
3 Breckland 016 Breckland
4 Lambeth 006 Lambeth
5 Peterborough 014 Peterborough

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Silva

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Silva

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Silva surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Silva 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Silva 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

Silva 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

Silva falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silva is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Silva

The surname Silva is of Spanish and Portuguese origin, deriving from the Latin word "silva" meaning "forest" or "woodland." It emerged as a surname in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, primarily in areas with dense forestry or wooded regions.

The earliest recorded instances of the Silva surname can be traced back to the 12th century in Spain and Portugal. In Spain, it was particularly prevalent in the regions of Galicia, Asturias, and Cantabria, which were known for their dense forests and woodlands. In Portugal, the surname was widespread throughout the country, reflecting the nation's rich forestry heritage.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Silva surname was Sancho Núñez de Silva, a nobleman who lived in the 12th century and was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of León, Spain. Another notable historical figure was Rui Gomes da Silva, a 14th-century Portuguese knight and military leader who played a crucial role in the Portuguese Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

In the 15th century, the Silva surname gained prominence with the rise of the influential Portuguese noble family, the House of Silva. This family produced several notable figures, including João da Silva, 3rd Count of Portalegre (1451-1526), a Portuguese diplomat and military commander, and Diogo da Silva e Mendonça (1455-1521), a Portuguese nobleman and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498.

Another prominent bearer of the Silva surname was Feliciano de Silva, a 16th-century Spanish writer and playwright, known for his chivalric novel "Amadís de Grecia" (1530), which was a continuation of the popular "Amadís de Gaula" series.

In the 17th century, the surname gained international recognition with the exploits of Luís da Silva Telo, 1st Count of Aveiras (1613-1666), a Portuguese nobleman and military leader who served as Viceroy of India and Governor of Brazil.

As the centuries passed, the Silva surname spread across the globe, carried by Spanish and Portuguese explorers, colonizers, and immigrants. Today, it remains a prominent surname in many Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as in regions with significant Hispanic and Lusophone populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Silva families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silva 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 38 Silvas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 4.69x
Lancashire 12 1.25x
Surrey 10 2.54x
Kent 4 1.45x
Midlothian 4 3.69x
Royal Navy 4 41.45x
Essex 3 1.88x
Durham 2 0.83x
Somerset 2 1.53x
Devon 1 0.59x
Gloucestershire 1 0.63x
Hampshire 1 0.60x
Warwickshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 21 Silvas recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.66x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 21 46.66x
Lambeth 10 14.17x
Liverpool 9 15.43x
Mile End Old Town 8 62.60x
Islington London 6 7.65x
North Leith 4 79.68x
Tonbridge 4 40.16x
East Ham 3 101.01x
Bedminster 2 16.34x
South Shields 2 93.02x
Birmingham 1 1.47x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 13.11x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 68.97x
Chelsea London 1 4.10x
Kirkdale 1 6.19x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 7.70x
Royal Navy 1 12.12x
Southampton All Sts 1 35.09x
St Andrew Holborn 1 36.50x
St Marylebone London 1 2.31x
Toxteth Park 1 3.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Caroline 2
Sanita 2
Amelia 1
Angy 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Camilla 1
Carlotta 1
Christiana 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emilia 1
Emma 1
Estelle 1
Ethel 1
Gladys 1
Harriet 1
Ida 1
J.B.G. 1
Kate 1
Kette 1
Leila 1
M. 1
Marguerite 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Myra 1
Preciosa 1
Rebecca 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 4
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Emanuel 2
Alberto 1
Alfred 1
Antonio 1
Charles 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Gaetano 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herold 1
Hippolita 1
Horace 1
James 1
Joaquim 1
Jocio 1
Joseph 1
Malcolm 1
Manuel 1
Morty 1
Nicolau 1
Penira 1
Ramon 1
Robert 1
Silvestia 1
William 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Silva households.

FAQ

Silva surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silva surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Silva surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silva surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,948 in 2016. That gives Silva a modern rank of #1,366.

What does the Silva surname mean?

A surname of Latin origin meaning "forest" or "woodland," originally used to describe someone living near a wood.

What does the Silva map show?

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