NameCensus.

UK surname

Silver

An English occupational surname referring to a silversmith or a person who sells or works with silver.

In the 1881 census there were 1,716 people recorded with the Silver surname, ranking it #2,509 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,244, ranked #2,096, up from #2,509 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Odiham, Christ Church Spitalfields and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Hertsmere and Harrow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silver is 3,297 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.0%.

1881 census count

1,716

Ranked #2,509

Modern count

3,244

2016, ranked #2,096

Peak year

2014

3,297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Silver had 1,716 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,509 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,244 in 2016, ranked #2,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,363 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Silver surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silver surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Silver 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 1,011 #2,759
1861 historical 968 #2,879
1881 historical 1,716 #2,509
1891 historical 1,877 #2,454
1901 historical 2,283 #2,380
1911 historical 2,363 #2,165
1997 modern 3,133 #2,047
1998 modern 3,242 #2,068
1999 modern 3,260 #2,072
2000 modern 3,231 #2,081
2001 modern 3,150 #2,090
2002 modern 3,212 #2,091
2003 modern 3,177 #2,068
2004 modern 3,139 #2,089
2005 modern 3,066 #2,114
2006 modern 3,030 #2,144
2007 modern 3,079 #2,129
2008 modern 3,096 #2,128
2009 modern 3,122 #2,163
2010 modern 3,267 #2,121
2011 modern 3,181 #2,145
2012 modern 3,144 #2,136
2013 modern 3,246 #2,113
2014 modern 3,297 #2,096
2015 modern 3,264 #2,091
2016 modern 3,244 #2,096

Geography

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Where Silvers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Odiham, Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Hertsmere and Harrow. 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 Odiham Hampshire
2 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 014 Barnet
2 Hertsmere 012 Hertsmere
3 Barnet 028 Barnet
4 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
5 Harrow 001 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Silver

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Silver

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Silver surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Silver 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Silver is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Silver 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

Silver falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silver 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Silver

The surname Silver originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from places called Silver, such as Silver Street in London or the village of Silver in Suffolk. These place names likely refer to areas where silver was mined, traded, or where silversmiths worked.

The name Silver is believed to have been first recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a Randulph de Sylvere was mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a William de Silvere from Oxfordshire was listed. The variant spelling Silvere was common in early records.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Silver, a prominent merchant and alderman in London during the 14th century. He was mentioned in various city records and served as the Sheriff of London in 1386.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Bartholomew Silver, a wealthy landowner and member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the early 15th century. He was born around 1380 and died in 1451.

During the 16th century, the Silver family established themselves as wealthy merchants and landowners in Suffolk. William Silver (1492-1558) was a successful wool merchant and served as Mayor of Ipswich in 1542.

In the literary world, Thomas Silver (1570-1616) was an English poet and playwright who was part of the literary circle around William Shakespeare. His works include the play "Paradoxes of Honour and Love" and several poems.

Not to be overlooked is the infamous pirate Captain Silver from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island" published in 1883. While a fictional character, the name has become synonymous with piracy and adventure.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Silver families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silver 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 303 Silvers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 303 1.81x
Hampshire 192 5.60x
Kincardineshire 122 59.92x
Kent 121 2.12x
Aberdeenshire 113 7.30x
Berkshire 112 8.92x
Lancashire 99 0.50x
Warwickshire 90 2.13x
Surrey 82 1.01x
Angus 40 2.58x
Staffordshire 29 0.51x
Essex 28 0.85x
Oxfordshire 26 2.52x
Lanarkshire 25 0.46x
Suffolk 24 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 22 2.18x
Yorkshire 22 0.13x
Cheshire 18 0.49x
Sussex 18 0.64x
Leicestershire 17 0.92x
Perthshire 17 2.27x
Somerset 15 0.56x
Derbyshire 13 0.50x
Gloucestershire 13 0.40x
Ayrshire 12 0.96x
Cambridgeshire 12 1.13x
Inverness-shire 12 2.40x
Midlothian 12 0.54x
Norfolk 11 0.43x
Glamorgan 10 0.34x
Bedfordshire 9 1.04x
Argyllshire 6 1.29x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.11x
Durham 5 0.10x
Northumberland 5 0.20x
Renfrewshire 5 0.39x
Wiltshire 5 0.34x
Worcestershire 5 0.23x
Devon 4 0.11x
Fife 4 0.40x
Hertfordshire 4 0.35x
Monmouthshire 4 0.33x
Northamptonshire 4 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.18x
Shropshire 4 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.56x
Ross-shire 3 0.65x
Royal Navy 3 1.51x
Cumberland 1 0.07x
Flintshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 60 Silvers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 60 4.27x
Aberdeen Old Machar 47 14.54x
Odiham 40 265.96x
Shoreditch London 37 5.10x
Newhills 30 94.61x
Hartley Wintney 29 281.55x
Fetteresso 28 87.75x
Lambeth 25 1.71x
Maryculter 25 407.17x
Spitalfields London 24 19.08x
Mile End Old Town 23 8.71x
Fettercairn 22 254.04x
Brechin 20 32.86x
Aston 19 1.64x
Kensington London 19 2.04x
Kingswinford 19 9.27x
Paddington London 19 3.09x
Bray 18 48.81x
Liverpool 18 1.49x
Crondall 17 92.34x
Long Sutton 17 928.96x
Mile End New Town 17 74.46x
Portsea 17 2.53x
Wargrave 17 157.70x
Barrow In Furness 16 5.93x
Tonbridge 16 7.78x
Whitechapel London 16 9.71x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 15 5.18x
Barony 14 1.02x
Cookham 14 35.79x
West Derby 14 2.41x
Woolwich 14 6.64x
Bedminster 13 5.14x
Westbourne 13 92.66x
Banchory Devenick 12 63.09x
Comrie 12 111.84x
Leicester St Margaret 12 2.65x
Long Melford 12 63.39x
St Pancras London 12 0.89x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 1.22x
Duirinish 10 39.29x
Halling 10 133.87x
Marykirk 10 119.05x
Montrose 10 10.65x
New Windsor 10 23.70x
Reading St Lawrence 10 37.24x
Sherborne St John 10 271.00x
Beckenham 9 12.07x
Bedford St Paul 9 15.16x
Cardiff St Mary 9 5.61x
Dunnottar 9 62.81x
Huddersfield 9 3.73x
Ickford 9 422.54x
Aldershot 8 6.97x
Alton 8 30.97x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.03x
Enfield 8 7.29x
Monkton Prestwick 8 65.68x
Preston 8 1.51x
St Cyrus 8 94.01x
St George In East 8 7.03x
Staines 8 30.21x
Ulverston 8 13.84x
Wantage 8 39.98x
West Ham 8 1.10x
Worsley 8 6.54x
Bromley 7 8.05x
Crathie Braemar 7 75.59x
Dartford 7 12.00x
Hamilton 7 4.64x
Leamington Priors 7 6.75x
New Windsor 7 194.44x
Northrepps 7 213.41x
Reading St Giles 7 5.69x
Warrington 7 2.98x
Westminster St James 7 4.07x
Westminster St John 7 3.44x
Egham 6 12.00x
Richmond 6 5.26x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Silver surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silver surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,716 people were recorded with the Silver surname. That placed it at #2,509 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silver surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,244 in 2016. That gives Silver a modern rank of #2,096.

What does the Silver surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a silversmith or a person who sells or works with silver.

What does the Silver map show?

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