NameCensus.

UK surname

Silverman

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a silversmith or someone who worked with silver.

In the 1881 census there were 117 people recorded with the Silverman surname, ranking it #18,026 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 609, ranked #8,609, up from #18,026 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Christ Church Spitalfields and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrow, Barnet and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silverman is 1,117 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 420.5%.

1881 census count

117

Ranked #18,026

Modern count

609

2016, ranked #8,609

Peak year

1911

1,117 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Silverman had 117 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,026 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016, ranked #8,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,117 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Silverman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silverman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Silverman 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 117 #18,026
1891 historical 305 #10,976
1901 historical 865 #5,295
1911 historical 1,117 #4,159
1997 modern 696 #7,278
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 699 #7,525
2000 modern 675 #7,706
2001 modern 664 #7,668
2002 modern 681 #7,677
2003 modern 647 #7,852
2004 modern 643 #7,902
2005 modern 642 #7,841
2006 modern 621 #8,078
2007 modern 633 #8,038
2008 modern 618 #8,219
2009 modern 617 #8,414
2010 modern 643 #8,319
2011 modern 625 #8,412
2012 modern 608 #8,522
2013 modern 622 #8,501
2014 modern 621 #8,566
2015 modern 619 #8,517
2016 modern 609 #8,609

Geography

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Where Silvermans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrow, Barnet and Redbridge. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrow 001 Harrow
2 Barnet 035 Barnet
3 Barnet 033 Barnet
4 Redbridge 006 Redbridge
5 Barnet 025 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Silverman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Silverman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Silverman, 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 Silverman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Silverman 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, Silverman 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

Silverman 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

Silverman falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silverman 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Silverman

The surname Silverman is of Ashkenazic Jewish origin, derived from the German words "Silber" meaning silver, and "mann" meaning man. It likely originated in Germany or Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.

Silverman was originally an occupational name given to a silversmith or someone who worked with silver. The earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in German records from the 16th century, with variations such as Silbermann and Silberman.

In the 17th century, the name appears in Russian census records, indicating that Jewish families with the surname Silverman had settled in parts of the Russian Empire. Some variations found in these records include Silvermann and Zilberman.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Abraham Silverman, a Jewish merchant who lived in Frankfurt, Germany in the late 16th century. Another notable figure was Mordechai Silverman, a renowned Talmudic scholar who lived in Krakow, Poland in the early 17th century.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many Ashkenazi Jews with the surname Silverman immigrated to the United States and other parts of the world, fleeing persecution and seeking better opportunities. Some notable individuals from this period include:

1. Levi Silverman (1783-1856), a prominent businessman and philanthropist in New York City. 2. Sarah Silverman (1810-1892), a pioneer in the American Jewish education movement. 3. Joseph Silverman (1834-1901), a successful banker and real estate developer in San Francisco.

In the 20th century, the Silverman name continued to be prominent in various fields:

4. Sime Silverman (1909-1995), an influential American journalist and founder of the entertainment trade publication Variety. 5. George Silverman (1922-2007), a renowned physicist and professor at Harvard University.

The surname Silverman has a rich history dating back several centuries, reflecting the journeys and contributions of Jewish families across Europe and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Silverman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silverman 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 51 Silvermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 51 4.51x
Warwickshire 18 6.31x
Yorkshire 17 1.52x
Essex 10 4.48x
Lancashire 9 0.67x
Hampshire 6 2.59x
Surrey 3 0.54x
Northumberland 2 1.19x

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 17 Silvermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.88x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 17 17.88x
Spitalfields London 16 188.01x
Leeds 11 17.37x
West Ham 10 20.28x
Whitechapel London 10 89.69x
Portsea 6 13.20x
Bethnal Green London 5 10.17x
Enfield 5 67.39x
Poplar London 5 23.42x
Cheetham 4 39.96x
Mile End Old Town 4 22.40x
Sculcoates 4 22.50x
Everton 3 7.01x
Newington 3 7.18x
Liverpool 2 2.45x
St Botolph Aldgate 2 129.87x
St George In East 2 25.97x
Tynemouth 2 22.17x
Barnsley 1 8.65x
Edgbaston 1 11.30x
Linthorpe 1 14.95x
Old Artillery Ground 1 103.09x
Westminster St John 1 7.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Fanny 5
Annie 4
Leah 4
Esther 3
Rose 3
Anne 2
Rachael 2
Rebecca 2
Rosy 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Becca 1
Becky 1
Bertha 1
Bloomah 1
Ettie 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Jeanette 1
Kate 1
Lena 1
Louisa 1
Minnie 1
Polina 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Isaac 6
Harris 4
Abraham 3
David 3
Joseph 3
Myer 3
Solomon 3
Hyman 2
Israel 2
Jacob 2
John 2
Louis 2
Marks 2
Samuel 2
Simon 2
Aaron 1
Barnett 1
Bernard 1
Betsy 1
Davis 1
Edward 1
Emanuel 1
Ivian 1
Jacbb 1
James 1
Joel 1
Julius 1
Lawrence 1
Leon 1
Lewis 1
Louie 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Max 1
Mircus 1
Morris 1
Soly 1
Thomas 1
William 1
Woolf 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 Silverman households.

FAQ

Silverman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silverman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 117 people were recorded with the Silverman surname. That placed it at #18,026 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silverman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016. That gives Silverman a modern rank of #8,609.

What does the Silverman surname mean?

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a silversmith or someone who worked with silver.

What does the Silverman map show?

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