UK surname

Silverstein

A Jewish occupational surname referring to a jeweler or silversmith.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Silverstein surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 121, ranked #27,399, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to -, St George in the East and Christ Church Spitalfields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill, Selkirk and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silverstein is 292 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 830.8%.

1881 census count

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

121

2016, ranked #27,399

Peak year

1911

292 bearers

Map years

1901 to 2016

Key insights

• Silverstein had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016, ranked #27,399.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 292 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Map

Silverstein surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silverstein surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Silverstein 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
1861	historical	5	#33,418
1881	historical	13	#31,761
1891	historical	83	#26,376
1901	historical	207	#14,803
1911	historical	292	#11,674
1997	modern	105	#26,188
1998	modern	112	#25,856
1999	modern	113	#25,913
2000	modern	106	#26,848
2001	modern	103	#26,927
2002	modern	106	#26,985
2003	modern	107	#26,617
2004	modern	105	#27,181
2005	modern	118	#25,301
2006	modern	113	#26,267
2007	modern	113	#26,641
2008	modern	114	#26,796
2009	modern	113	#27,520
2010	modern	116	#27,704
2011	modern	117	#27,334
2012	modern	122	#26,696
2013	modern	127	#26,452
2014	modern	128	#26,490
2015	modern	123	#27,088
2016	modern	121	#27,399

Geography

Where Silversteins are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill, Selkirk, Barnet and Hackney. 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	-	City Of London
2	St George in the East	London (East Districts)
3	Christ Church Spitalfields	London (East Districts)
4	St Mary Whitechapel	London (East Districts)
5	London parishes	London 3

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill	East Renfrewshire
2	Selkirk	Scottish Borders
3	Barnet 013	Barnet
4	Barnet 037	Barnet
5	Hackney 010	Hackney

Forenames

First names often paired with Silverstein

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

Historical female names

Sarah Fanny Annie Esther Rebecca Dora Rachel Leah Rose Hannah

Historical male names

Isaac Jacob Morris Simon David Abraham Harris Hyman Joseph Nathan

Recent female names

Edna Emma Angela Natasha Amanda Teresa Alison Sarah Susan Laura

Recent male names

David Richard Irwin Daniel Anthony Robert Stephen Adam Alan Nicholas

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Silverstein

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

Silverstein 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Silverstein falls in decile 8 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silverstein 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Other

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Silverstein

The surname Silverstein originated in the Germanic regions of Europe, specifically in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and Austria. It can be traced back to the late Middle Ages, around the 13th to 15th centuries. The name is derived from the occupational term "Silberstein," which translates to "silver stone" or "silver ore" in German. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in silver mining or metalworking trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Silverstein name can be found in the 14th century Moravian municipal records, where a certain "Ulricus Silberstein" is mentioned as a resident of the town of Brno (formerly Brünn) in what is now the Czech Republic. This region had a rich history of silver mining and metalworking during the medieval period, which aligns with the occupational origins of the name.

In the 16th century, the Silverstein name appeared in various records across different German-speaking regions. For example, a "Hans Silberstein" is documented as a citizen of the town of Nürnberg (Nuremberg) in 1527. Around the same time, a "Johannes Silberstein" is recorded as a resident of the city of Augsburg in Bavaria.

One notable figure bearing the Silverstein surname was Johann Silberstein (1492-1570), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was born in the town of Schotten, near Frankfurt, and later became a prominent figure in the Lutheran church.

Another historical figure with the Silverstein name was Abraham Silberstein (1632-1694), a Jewish banker and financial advisor to the Elector of Brandenburg (later King of Prussia) in the 17th century. He was born in the town of Halberstadt, in what is now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

In the 19th century, the Silverstein name gained prominence in the United States, with many immigrants from German-speaking regions arriving in the country. One notable American Silverstein was Morris Silverstein (1859-1925), a businessman and philanthropist from New York City, who founded the Silverstein Foundation for charitable causes.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the Silverstein name have been observed, such as Silberstein, Silberstyn, and Silbersteine. However, the core meaning and occupational origins of the name have remained consistent across different regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Silverstein families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silverstein 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 13 Silversteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.25x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Middlesex	13	0.00%	10.25x

Top districts and towns

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 Silversteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Whitechapel London	10	0.03%	800.00x
Spitalfields London	3	0.01%	315.79x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Esther	2
Sarah	2
Kitty	1
Rachel	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
Bonett	1
Davis	1
Harris	1
Henry	1
Isaac	1
Jacob	1
Marcus	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 Silverstein households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	3
Tailors Machinist	2
Machinist (Und)	1
Tailor	1

FAQ

Silverstein surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silverstein surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Silverstein surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silverstein surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016. That gives Silverstein a modern rank of #27,399.

What does the Silverstein surname mean?