NameCensus.

UK surname

Slade

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived by a valley or ravine.

In the 1881 census there were 5,958 people recorded with the Slade surname, ranking it #744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,462, ranked #893, down from #744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, West Somerset and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slade is 8,132 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

5,958

Ranked #744

Modern count

7,462

2016, ranked #893

Peak year

1999

8,132 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slade had 5,958 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,462 in 2016, ranked #893.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,990 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Slade surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slade surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Slade 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 3,609 #790
1861 historical 3,578 #785
1881 historical 5,958 #744
1891 historical 6,143 #754
1901 historical 7,177 #766
1911 historical 7,990 #635
1997 modern 7,842 #823
1998 modern 8,079 #831
1999 modern 8,132 #831
2000 modern 8,029 #834
2001 modern 7,915 #829
2002 modern 7,994 #842
2003 modern 7,791 #841
2004 modern 7,705 #849
2005 modern 7,481 #868
2006 modern 7,561 #857
2007 modern 7,617 #857
2008 modern 7,628 #861
2009 modern 7,732 #872
2010 modern 7,769 #887
2011 modern 7,749 #877
2012 modern 7,493 #887
2013 modern 7,594 #888
2014 modern 7,580 #897
2015 modern 7,518 #893
2016 modern 7,462 #893

Geography

Back to top

Where Slades are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, West Somerset, Wiltshire, Reading and North Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 004 Torridge
2 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
3 Wiltshire 016 Wiltshire
4 Reading 018 Reading
5 North Devon 004 North Devon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Slade

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Slade

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Slade is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Slade is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slade falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Slade 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 Slade, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Slade

The surname Slade is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'slæd' meaning 'valley' or 'dell'. It is believed to have originated as a place name referring to a location in a valley or a small valley itself.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname Slade dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, where one Richard de la Slade was mentioned in 1195. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near or came from a place called Slade.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, several places with names derived from 'slæd' are mentioned, such as Sladeburn in Wiltshire, Sladehurst in Kent, and Sladefield in Worcestershire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname Slade.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Slade was Sir Robert Slade, a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament who lived from around 1460 to 1519. He was a wealthy businessman and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1504.

Another notable figure was James Slade (1677-1731), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1722 until his death. He was also a respected legal scholar and authored several works on English law.

In the 18th century, Admiral Sir Thomas Slade (1703-1771) was a distinguished naval officer in the Royal Navy. He served during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, and was knighted for his military service in 1755.

The 19th century saw the rise of Felix Slade (1788-1868), a wealthy English lawyer and art collector. He bequeathed a significant portion of his estate to establish the Slade School of Fine Art at University College London, which remains one of the leading art schools in the United Kingdom.

Another notable figure was Sir Adolphus Slade (1804-1877), a British army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of New Zealand from 1868 to 1876. He played a significant role in the development of the colony during his tenure.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Slade families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slade 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 1,019 Slades recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.75x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,019 1.75x
Somerset 708 7.55x
Surrey 432 1.52x
Wiltshire 395 7.66x
Devon 384 3.17x
Gloucestershire 364 3.18x
Dorset 332 8.68x
Hampshire 276 2.31x
Berkshire 265 6.06x
Kent 255 1.28x
Buckinghamshire 238 6.76x
Cornwall 131 1.99x
Lancashire 131 0.19x
Oxfordshire 108 3.00x
Sussex 101 1.03x
Yorkshire 97 0.17x
Glamorgan 81 0.80x
Essex 76 0.66x
Warwickshire 76 0.52x
Hertfordshire 69 1.72x
Monmouthshire 63 1.50x
Worcestershire 63 0.83x
Staffordshire 38 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 31 2.68x
Durham 29 0.17x
Herefordshire 24 1.00x
Bedfordshire 21 0.70x
Cheshire 21 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.25x
Norfolk 16 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.35x
Northamptonshire 12 0.22x
Leicestershire 11 0.17x
Royal Navy 11 1.58x
Cumberland 9 0.18x
Shropshire 9 0.18x
Derbyshire 8 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.32x
Channel Islands 5 0.29x
Northumberland 5 0.06x
Radnorshire 4 0.85x
Flintshire 3 0.19x
Lincolnshire 3 0.03x
Suffolk 3 0.04x
Buteshire 2 0.57x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Inverness-shire 1 0.06x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Morayshire 1 0.11x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 119 Slades recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 119 2.54x
Portsea 82 3.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 70 6.51x
Deptford St Paul 65 4.24x
East West Hagbourn 65 440.38x
Trowbridge 60 26.34x
Crewkerne 58 58.22x
Kensington London 56 1.73x
Mile End Old Town 56 6.09x
St Marylebone London 56 1.80x
North Perrott 52 802.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 51 4.35x
Battersea 50 2.33x
Camberwell 49 1.32x
Lambeth 49 0.96x
Islington London 47 0.83x
Hackney London 45 1.38x
Bethnal Green London 44 1.74x
Bromley London 43 3.35x
Coleshill 41 410.41x
Aston 40 0.99x
Newington 40 1.86x
Pelynt 40 298.28x
Enfield 38 9.94x
Minehead 38 107.25x
Reading St Mary 38 10.85x
Plymouth St Andrew 36 3.85x
St George In East 36 9.08x
Cheltenham 35 3.97x
St George Hanover 35 4.60x
Bristol St George 32 6.05x
Chelsea London 32 1.82x
Yeovil 31 16.26x
Bedminster 30 3.40x
Calne 30 28.28x
Lanteglos By Fowey 30 111.73x
Paddington London 30 1.40x
West Ham 29 1.14x
Croydon 28 1.78x
Melcombe Regis 28 17.66x
Amersham 26 52.05x
Kingston On Thames 26 3.81x
Lewisham 25 2.36x
Walcot 25 5.00x
Bermondsey 24 1.38x
Ightham 24 96.04x
Reading St Giles 24 5.59x
Tormoham 24 4.68x
Bradford On Avon 23 13.94x
Chippenham 23 21.28x
Hammersmith London 23 1.60x
Leeds 23 0.71x
Laycock 22 94.18x
Lea Cleverton 22 239.13x
Northam 22 24.88x
Plymouth Charles The 22 4.12x
Bremhill 21 90.44x
Hampstead London 21 2.31x
Hillmarton 21 164.19x
Liverpool 20 0.48x
Powerstock 20 122.10x
Southampton All Sts 20 9.76x
Broadwinsor 19 75.85x
Bromley 19 6.27x
Frome 19 8.47x
Lidlington 19 144.27x
Millbrook 19 6.32x
Sidmouth 19 27.36x
Devizes St Mary 18 34.56x
Limehouse London 18 2.81x
Rowde 18 75.69x
Wellington 18 14.15x
West Derby 18 0.89x
Aylesbury 17 10.89x
Clifton 17 2.94x
East Coker 17 82.81x
Huish Episcopi 17 127.34x
Poplar London 17 1.55x
Sevenoaks 17 10.55x
Westminster St James 17 2.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 382
Elizabeth 264
Sarah 211
Emma 111
Jane 106
Emily 100
Eliza 99
Ann 93
Annie 86
Alice 81
Ellen 76
Louisa 54
Charlotte 50
Caroline 42
Edith 42
Florence 41
Hannah 41
Harriet 41
Fanny 38
Martha 37
Maria 34
Kate 32
Ada 31
Susan 29
Amelia 27
Catherine 27
Lucy 25
Margaret 23
Clara 22
Frances 22
Anne 21
Matilda 21
Agnes 20
Harriett 20
Rose 19
Jessie 18
Rebecca 18
Gertrude 16
Sophia 16
Laura 14
Maud 14
Beatrice 12
Bessie 12
Isabella 12
Julia 12
Rosa 12
Amy 11
Anna 11
Elizth. 11
Minnie 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 387
John 283
George 222
Henry 169
James 161
Charles 152
Thomas 134
Joseph 102
Alfred 91
Frederick 76
Robert 74
Edward 67
Albert 57
Arthur 57
Walter 49
Richard 46
Samuel 43
Edwin 39
Frank 35
Harry 33
Ernest 32
Benjamin 21
Francis 21
David 17
Sidney 17
Stephen 17
Herbert 15
Wm. 11
Christopher 10
Isaac 10
Mark 10
Geo. 8
Tom 8
Abraham 7
Emanuel 7
Fredrick 7
Chas. 6
Edgar 6
Eli 6
Job 6
Reginald 6
Willm. 6
Daniel 5
Fred 5
Lewis 5
Peter 5
Augustus 4
Louis 4
Maurice 4
Simon 4

FAQ

Slade surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slade surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,958 people were recorded with the Slade surname. That placed it at #744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slade surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,462 in 2016. That gives Slade a modern rank of #893.

What does the Slade surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived by a valley or ravine.

What does the Slade map show?

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