NameCensus.

UK surname

Slack

An occupational surname for someone who operated a ferry or barge.

In the 1881 census there were 4,720 people recorded with the Slack surname, ranking it #939 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,933, ranked #1,135, down from #939 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slack is 6,606 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

4,720

Ranked #939

Modern count

5,933

2016, ranked #1,135

Peak year

1999

6,606 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slack had 4,720 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #939 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,933 in 2016, ranked #1,135.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Slack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slack 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 3,123 #927
1861 historical 2,704 #1,086
1881 historical 4,720 #939
1891 historical 4,717 #985
1901 historical 5,709 #975
1911 historical 6,189 #833
1997 modern 6,316 #1,040
1998 modern 6,590 #1,037
1999 modern 6,606 #1,041
2000 modern 6,545 #1,046
2001 modern 6,391 #1,045
2002 modern 6,483 #1,054
2003 modern 6,243 #1,071
2004 modern 6,191 #1,078
2005 modern 6,048 #1,085
2006 modern 5,979 #1,093
2007 modern 6,008 #1,097
2008 modern 6,049 #1,095
2009 modern 6,183 #1,102
2010 modern 6,214 #1,119
2011 modern 6,138 #1,116
2012 modern 5,904 #1,129
2013 modern 6,039 #1,123
2014 modern 6,047 #1,132
2015 modern 5,983 #1,132
2016 modern 5,933 #1,135

Geography

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Where Slacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Amber Valley and West Lindsey. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Mansfield Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 006 Derbyshire Dales
2 Amber Valley 008 Amber Valley
3 Derbyshire Dales 007 Derbyshire Dales
4 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
5 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slack

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Slack, 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 Slack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Slack 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, Slack 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

Slack is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slack 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 Slack is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Slack

The surname SLACK is of English origin, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "slæc," meaning "slack" or "hollow," which was likely used to describe a person who lived in a small valley or depression in the landscape.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a William Slak. The Domesday Book of 1086 also contains references to place names like Slacca and Slachestone, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Slak, Slakke, and Slaik, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The SLACK spelling became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One notable bearer of the surname was John Slack (c. 1530-1608), an English Protestant minister and writer who served as the chaplain to Sir Francis Walsingham, the principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Thomas Slack (1617-1677) was a prominent English Puritan minister who played a significant role in the Presbyterian movement during the English Civil War.

Another historical figure was Benjamin Slack (1756-1826), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

The name SLACK has also been associated with several place names, such as Slack in West Yorkshire, which likely influenced the adoption of the surname by families living in or near those locations.

Sir Benjamin Slack (1886-1967) was a notable 20th-century British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Slack Shoes company and supported various charitable causes.

Throughout history, the SLACK surname has been borne by individuals across various professions, from clergymen and soldiers to businessmen and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slack 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. Derbyshire leads with 878 Slacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.19x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 878 12.19x
Yorkshire 800 1.75x
Lancashire 572 1.05x
Nottinghamshire 540 8.70x
Cheshire 417 4.10x
Middlesex 243 0.53x
Staffordshire 196 1.26x
Durham 188 1.37x
Cumberland 137 3.46x
Surrey 93 0.41x
Lincolnshire 70 0.95x
Shropshire 52 1.31x
Northumberland 50 0.73x
Warwickshire 45 0.39x
Westmorland 45 4.45x
Kent 40 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 34 3.72x
Leicestershire 34 0.67x
Gloucestershire 27 0.30x
Dumfriesshire 25 2.46x
Devon 22 0.23x
Norfolk 22 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 21 0.72x
Berkshire 17 0.49x
Essex 17 0.19x
Glamorgan 15 0.19x
Hampshire 14 0.15x
Sussex 14 0.18x
Lanarkshire 13 0.09x
Northamptonshire 13 0.30x
Herefordshire 7 0.37x
Royal Navy 7 1.28x
Suffolk 7 0.12x
Flintshire 6 0.49x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.18x
Somerset 5 0.07x
Hertfordshire 4 0.13x
Midlothian 4 0.06x
Worcestershire 4 0.07x
Perthshire 3 0.15x
Ayrshire 2 0.06x
Isle of Man 2 0.23x
Monmouthshire 2 0.06x
Stirlingshire 2 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.30x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mansfield in Nottinghamshire leads with 125 Slacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.23x.

Place Total Index
Mansfield 125 58.23x
Sheffield 115 7.92x
Nottingham St Mary 91 5.67x
Ecclesall Bierlow 83 8.95x
Sutton In Ashfield 77 57.20x
Basford 60 20.98x
Sutton In Macclesfield 57 54.06x
Manchester 56 2.28x
Chesterfield 54 19.99x
Ashton Under Lyne 52 4.36x
Tideswell 51 163.10x
Brightside Bierlow 50 5.59x
Macclesfield 50 11.07x
Arkengarthdale 48 302.84x
Crich 40 85.05x
Snenton 40 16.41x
Over 38 36.80x
Middletonby Wirksworth 36 507.76x
Wirksworth 36 54.95x
Brassington 35 321.99x
Toxteth Park 34 1.84x
Brampton 33 32.76x
Nether Hallam 32 5.19x
Salford 32 1.99x
Burslem 31 6.97x
Morley 31 13.07x
St Pancras London 31 0.84x
Little Bolton 30 4.27x
Derby St Werburgh 29 6.97x
Hurdsfield 29 46.39x
Hackney London 28 1.09x
Ripley 28 31.44x
Stanhope 28 19.80x
Derby St Peter 27 11.76x
Stockport 26 4.97x
Canonbie 25 57.87x
St Marylebone London 25 1.02x
Codnor Loscoe 24 42.06x
Northenden 24 129.52x
Rotherham 23 8.95x
Islington London 22 0.49x
Hollinsclough 21 381.82x
Hulme 21 1.84x
Kensington London 21 0.82x
Middleton By Wirksworth 20 263.50x
Radford 20 6.35x
Hasland 19 25.90x
Leeds 19 0.74x
Rickergate 19 22.66x
Doncaster 18 5.40x
Everton 18 1.03x
Heaton Norris 18 5.79x
Liverpool 18 0.54x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 1.09x
Duffield 17 29.93x
Keighley 17 3.50x
Kimberworth 17 6.72x
Matlock 17 17.57x
Alfreton 16 7.31x
Congleton 16 9.12x
Glossop Dale 16 4.74x
Great Yarmouth 16 2.73x
Calver 15 218.98x
High Low Bishopside 15 37.07x
Hunslet 15 2.11x
Quarndon 15 171.62x
Quarnford 15 218.02x
Rawmarsh 15 9.31x
Shadwell London 15 11.65x
Shap 15 67.23x
Tibshelf 15 42.43x
Berwick Upon Tweed 14 9.65x
Bury 14 254.55x
Ipstones 14 62.72x
Alston 13 17.80x
Belton 13 43.49x
Elvaston 13 146.89x
Gateshead 13 1.27x
Stapenhill 13 12.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 1.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 350
Elizabeth 220
Sarah 202
Ann 115
Hannah 99
Annie 86
Ellen 72
Jane 72
Eliza 70
Emma 66
Alice 62
Martha 51
Margaret 46
Emily 35
Ada 30
Harriet 30
Maria 30
Florence 28
Louisa 28
Lucy 21
Charlotte 20
Edith 20
Frances 18
Anne 17
Catherine 17
Fanny 17
Gertrude 17
Isabella 17
Clara 15
Harriett 15
Rebecca 14
Agnes 13
Caroline 13
Ethel 12
Kate 12
Matilda 12
Esther 10
Elizth. 9
Amelia 8
Dorothy 8
Grace 8
Julia 8
Ruth 8
Dinah 7
Selina 7
Susannah 7
Betsy 6
Maud 6
Susan 6
Lilian 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 296
William 293
Thomas 182
James 160
George 140
Joseph 130
Samuel 99
Henry 81
Charles 68
Robert 48
Alfred 44
Walter 42
Edward 41
Richard 36
Frederick 32
Herbert 25
Albert 24
Arthur 22
Isaac 21
Edwin 18
Ernest 18
Ralph 17
Harry 16
Thos. 16
Daniel 13
Frank 13
Tom 12
Wm. 12
Francis 11
Job 11
David 10
Abraham 9
Joe 8
Fred 6
Geo. 6
Josiah 6
Leonard 6
Percy 6
Peter 6
Anthony 5
Hiram 5
Mark 5
Matthew 5
Moses 5
Saml. 5
Wilfred 5
Amos 4
Andrew 4
Benjamin 4
Edgar 4

FAQ

Slack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,720 people were recorded with the Slack surname. That placed it at #939 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,933 in 2016. That gives Slack a modern rank of #1,135.

What does the Slack surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who operated a ferry or barge.

What does the Slack map show?

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