UK surname
A Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who worked with silver or was a silversmith.
In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Silverberg surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 20, ranked #36,679, down from #31,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silverberg is 112 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.1%.
1881 census count
18
Ranked #31,019
Modern count
20
2016, ranked #36,679
Peak year
1911
112 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Silverberg surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Silverberg surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | historical | 3 | #33,861 |
| 1881 | historical | 18 | #31,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 51 | #30,158 |
| 1901 | historical | 86 | #24,508 |
| 1911 | historical | 112 | #21,274 |
| 1997 | modern | 28 | #34,904 |
| 1998 | modern | 29 | #34,948 |
| 1999 | modern | 32 | #34,717 |
| 2000 | modern | 31 | #34,798 |
| 2001 | modern | 28 | #34,936 |
| 2002 | modern | 27 | #35,243 |
| 2003 | modern | 27 | #35,279 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 27 | #35,588 |
| 2006 | modern | 27 | #35,746 |
| 2007 | modern | 27 | #35,876 |
| 2008 | modern | 28 | #35,875 |
| 2009 | modern | 26 | #36,111 |
| 2010 | modern | 28 | #36,084 |
| 2011 | modern | 29 | #36,004 |
| 2012 | modern | 24 | #36,288 |
| 2013 | modern | 23 | #36,414 |
| 2014 | modern | 23 | #36,417 |
| 2015 | modern | 21 | #36,574 |
| 2016 | modern | 20 | #36,679 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner | Hampshire |
| 5 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Silverberg surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Silverberg, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Silverberg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Silverberg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Silverberg is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silverberg is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Silverberg, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Silverberg is thought to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German words 'silber' meaning silver and 'berg' meaning mountain or hill. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a silver mine or worked in silver mining or processing.
One of the earliest known records of the Silverberg name dates back to the 14th century in the town of Nuremberg, which was a major center for metalworking and mining during that time. A man named Hans Silverberg was listed in tax records from 1367 as a silver smelter and metal worker.
In the 16th century, the Silverberg name appeared in various church records and municipal documents throughout southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Some examples include Martin Silverberg (1523-1589), a Protestant reformer and pastor in Rothenburg, and Anna Silverberg (born 1544), who was listed as a landowner in records from the town of Freiburg.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, as the Silverberg family spread across German-speaking lands, variations in spelling emerged such as Silberberg, Sylverberg, and Zilverberg. Johann Silberberg (1624-1701) was a noted mathematician and astronomer who taught at the University of Strasbourg. Another individual of note was Friedrich Zilverberg (1701-1783), a merchant and banker from Frankfurt.
As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Silverbergs left Germany and immigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas in search of new opportunities. One such individual was Carl Silverberg (1805-1879), who settled in Pennsylvania after leaving Bavaria and became a successful industrialist and landowner.
Other notable people with the Silverberg surname include Robert Silverberg (born 1935), an acclaimed American science fiction author, and Barbara Silverberg (1923-2017), a Canadian politician who served as a member of parliament. The name has maintained its presence across various countries and cultures over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silverberg surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 10 Silverbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.70x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 10 | 5.70x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 16.67x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.48x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 10 Silverbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 578.03x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Whitechapel London | 10 | 578.03x |
| Alverstoke | 6 | 461.54x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 23.92x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 7.91x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Silverberg surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Silverberg surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Silverberg households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Tailor | 4 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Merchant | 1 |
| Shop Boy | 1 |
| Tailor (Employed On Premice) | 1 |
| Tailor Master (Employing 8 Hands) | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Silverberg surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 20 in 2016. That gives Silverberg a modern rank of #36,679.
A Jewish occupational surname referring to someone who worked with silver or was a silversmith.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Silverberg bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.