NameCensus.

UK surname

Silverwood

An English surname originating from a place name meaning a woods with trees of silvery appearance.

In the 1881 census there were 640 people recorded with the Silverwood surname, ranking it #5,564 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 664, ranked #8,037, down from #5,564 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Wigston, Magna and Silkstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Leeds and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Silverwood is 882 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

640

Ranked #5,564

Modern count

664

2016, ranked #8,037

Peak year

1911

882 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Silverwood had 640 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,564 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016, ranked #8,037.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 882 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Silverwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Silverwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Silverwood 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 438 #5,615
1861 historical 501 #5,220
1881 historical 640 #5,564
1891 historical 725 #5,454
1901 historical 837 #5,427
1911 historical 882 #5,048
1997 modern 653 #7,633
1998 modern 693 #7,538
1999 modern 674 #7,733
2000 modern 691 #7,557
2001 modern 679 #7,532
2002 modern 683 #7,656
2003 modern 667 #7,680
2004 modern 674 #7,634
2005 modern 671 #7,593
2006 modern 666 #7,659
2007 modern 664 #7,745
2008 modern 654 #7,879
2009 modern 685 #7,771
2010 modern 697 #7,805
2011 modern 701 #7,691
2012 modern 684 #7,749
2013 modern 682 #7,897
2014 modern 678 #7,979
2015 modern 676 #7,943
2016 modern 664 #8,037

Geography

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Where Silverwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Wigston, Magna, Silkstone, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Leeds and Barnsley. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Wigston, Magna Leicestershire
3 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley
2 Leeds 103 Leeds
3 Leeds 092 Leeds
4 Leeds 094 Leeds
5 Barnsley 011 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Silverwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Silverwood

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Silverwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Silverwood 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Silverwood is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Silverwood is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Silverwood falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Silverwood 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Silverwood

The surname Silverwood is of English origin, emerging in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. It is a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a wooded area known for its silvery-leaved trees or bushes, such as willows or aspens.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Silverwood can be found in the Suffolk Feet of Fines from 1310, which mentions a John de Syluerwode. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name from its original form.

In the 15th century, records show a Robert Silverwode from Yorkshire, born around 1420. This suggests the name had spread to different regions of England by that time.

The Silverwood name is also linked to several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is William Silverwood (c. 1530-1592), an English churchman and academic who served as the Dean of Arches, a prestigious ecclesiastical court in London.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir John Silverwood (1586-1648), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He supported the Parliamentarian cause and was known for his significant financial contributions to the war effort.

In the 18th century, a family of Silverwoods made their mark in the field of literature. Thomas Silverwood (1701-1768) was a poet and critic, while his son, George Silverwood (1735-1809), was a renowned playwright and author.

Moving into the 19th century, the Silverwood name is associated with Joseph Silverwood (1819-1892), a prominent industrialist who owned several coal mines and ironworks in the West Midlands region of England.

While the surname Silverwood has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, when it first emerged as a locational name reflecting the natural surroundings of its earliest bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Silverwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Silverwood 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. Yorkshire leads with 404 Silverwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 404 6.52x
Lancashire 115 1.55x
Leicestershire 44 6.35x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.19x
Cheshire 9 0.65x
Middlesex 9 0.14x
Derbyshire 8 0.82x
Lincolnshire 8 0.80x
Cumberland 7 1.30x
Kent 5 0.23x
Staffordshire 5 0.24x
Westmorland 5 3.64x
Surrey 4 0.13x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Rutland 2 4.36x
Devon 1 0.08x
Durham 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 32 Silverwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.45x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 32 48.45x
Leeds 27 7.72x
Wigston Magna 21 228.26x
Barnsley 16 25.04x
Leicester St Margaret 15 8.87x
Waddington 15 1562.50x
Shelley 14 386.74x
Penistone 13 269.15x
Dewsbury 11 17.31x
Preston 11 5.54x
Barrowford Booth 10 121.80x
Hoyland Swaine 10 621.12x
Monk Bretton 10 159.49x
Brampton Bierlow 9 113.49x
Habergham Eaves 9 13.27x
Havercroft Cum Cold 9 849.06x
Wooldale 9 85.63x
Austhorpe 8 1194.03x
Darton 8 125.98x
Ecclesfield 8 17.61x
Garforth 8 168.78x
Halliwell 8 29.63x
Manningham 8 10.48x
Newchurch 8 13.18x
Ackworth 7 147.06x
Ardsley 7 98.04x
Barrow In Furness 7 6.94x
Birkenhead 7 6.36x
Bradford 7 4.67x
Emley 7 252.71x
Flockton 7 276.68x
Hoyland Nether 7 46.05x
Normanton 7 37.59x
Nottingham St Nicholas 7 60.98x
Saddleworth 7 14.64x
St Cuthbert W O Harraby 7 958.90x
Thurlstone 7 114.57x
Castleton 6 8.10x
Giggleswick 6 287.08x
Rawmarsh 6 27.41x
Worsbrough 6 33.06x
Accrington 5 7.41x
Audley 5 23.95x
Barugh 5 95.60x
Bradfield 5 20.93x
Cawthorne In Wortley 5 200.00x
Chadderton 5 13.79x
Featherstone 5 71.84x
Holy Trinity 5 3.35x
Hulme 5 3.23x
Ilkley 5 49.36x
Kirkby Lonsdale 5 134.41x
Wardleworth 5 11.79x
Warley 5 27.92x
Ashford 4 19.25x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 6.93x
Dronfield 4 31.90x
Kimberworth 4 11.63x
Layton With Warbreck 4 14.69x
Methley 4 45.87x
North Bierley 4 11.96x
Redmile 4 380.95x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 25.45x
Wickenby 4 689.66x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.85x
Blackburn 3 1.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.55x
Fulstone 3 66.23x
Gorton 3 4.30x
Honley 3 27.65x
Hoveringham 3 428.57x
Norton 3 37.17x
Shepley 3 87.72x
Stainbrough 3 260.87x
Toxteth Park 3 1.19x
Wombwell 3 16.60x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 3.58x
Hammersmith London 2 1.30x
Liverpool 2 0.44x
Sheffield 2 1.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 37
Sarah 30
Alice 18
Ann 16
Jane 16
Emma 13
Hannah 12
Annie 11
Martha 11
Clara 9
Margaret 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Eliz. 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Eleanor 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Lilian 2
Maria 2
Minerva 2
Rhoda 2
Agness 1
Angelina 1
Anice 1
Barbery 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Candace 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Edna 1
Eli 1
Elizth. 1
Grace 1
Kitty 1
Lavinia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
William 35
Joseph 21
Thomas 19
George 17
James 11
Henry 10
Richard 10
Robert 9
Benjamin 8
Arthur 7
Charles 7
Tom 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Christopher 5
Fred 5
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Leonard 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Alonzo 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Edward 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Joshua 2
Matthew 2
Timothy 2
Amos 1
Ben 1
Benjman 1
Edwin 1
Emmanuel 1
Enock 1
Ephrain 1
Frances 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Silverwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Silverwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 640 people were recorded with the Silverwood surname. That placed it at #5,564 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Silverwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016. That gives Silverwood a modern rank of #8,037.

What does the Silverwood surname mean?

An English surname originating from a place name meaning a woods with trees of silvery appearance.

What does the Silverwood map show?

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