NameCensus.

UK surname

Sleep

A surname potentially derived from the Old English word "slæp," meaning "sleep."

In the 1881 census there were 559 people recorded with the Sleep surname, ranking it #6,192 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 620, ranked #8,494, down from #6,192 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Alternon and Northill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sleep is 738 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.9%.

1881 census count

559

Ranked #6,192

Modern count

620

2016, ranked #8,494

Peak year

1911

738 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sleep had 559 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,192 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 620 in 2016, ranked #8,494.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 738 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sleep surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sleep surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sleep 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 448 #5,502
1861 historical 391 #6,549
1881 historical 559 #6,192
1891 historical 601 #6,375
1901 historical 644 #6,684
1911 historical 738 #5,810
1997 modern 629 #7,868
1998 modern 648 #7,930
1999 modern 640 #8,060
2000 modern 652 #7,916
2001 modern 624 #8,038
2002 modern 624 #8,218
2003 modern 614 #8,178
2004 modern 622 #8,126
2005 modern 640 #7,855
2006 modern 634 #7,958
2007 modern 619 #8,161
2008 modern 611 #8,284
2009 modern 621 #8,376
2010 modern 604 #8,749
2011 modern 619 #8,482
2012 modern 597 #8,640
2013 modern 606 #8,678
2014 modern 619 #8,588
2015 modern 617 #8,541
2016 modern 620 #8,494

Geography

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Where Sleeps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Alternon, Northill, Liskeard, St Cleer and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Alternon Cornwall
3 Northill Cornwall
4 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 003 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 011 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sleep

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sleep

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sleep is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sleep 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

Sleep falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sleep

The surname SLEEP is an English habitational name derived from the Old English word "slæp" meaning a slope or small valley. It likely originated in the county of Gloucestershire in the west of England during the Anglo-Saxon period, referring to someone who lived near a sloping landscape feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Slep". This suggests the name was already well-established in parts of England during the Norman conquest. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form of "SLEEP".

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Slep living in Gloucestershire, indicating the name's continued presence in the region. By the 14th century, variants like "Slepe" and "Sleepe" began appearing in records across southern England.

Notable bearers of the SLEEP surname include Sir William Sleep (c.1505-1568), an English Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Thomas Sleep (1621-1679), a prominent Puritan minister and author who served as the Rector of St Saviour's Church in Norwich.

In the 18th century, John Sleep (1718-1781) was a renowned English engraver and cartographer who produced maps for various publishers. Around the same time, Edward Sleep (1756-1833) was a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Fast forward to the 19th century, and we find Charles Stanhope Sleep (1838-1919), an English-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Windsor, Ontario.

While the surname SLEEP is not amongst the most common in English-speaking countries today, its long history can be traced back over a millennium to the rural landscapes of southwestern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sleep families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sleep 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. Cornwall leads with 266 Sleeps recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.94x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 266 42.94x
Devon 89 7.81x
Middlesex 47 0.86x
Surrey 43 1.61x
Durham 23 1.41x
Somerset 16 1.82x
Sussex 10 1.08x
Gloucestershire 9 0.84x
Kent 8 0.43x
Lancashire 7 0.11x
Midlothian 7 0.95x
Shropshire 7 1.48x
Essex 5 0.46x
Glamorgan 5 0.52x
Staffordshire 5 0.27x
Hampshire 3 0.27x
Hertfordshire 3 0.80x
Berkshire 2 0.49x
Royal Navy 2 3.07x
Merionethshire 1 1.00x
Oxfordshire 1 0.30x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Yorkshire 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. Bere Ferrers in Devon leads with 24 Sleeps recorded in 1881 and an index of 1276.60x.

Place Total Index
Bere Ferrers 24 1276.60x
Altarnun 20 930.23x
St Cleer 20 372.44x
Callington 14 387.81x
Calstock 13 107.00x
Saltash 13 270.83x
Plymouth Charles The 12 23.91x
St Neot 12 491.80x
Lambeth 11 2.31x
North Hill 11 552.76x
St Thomas Apostle 11 575.92x
Stoke Damerel 11 13.80x
Buckfastleigh 10 190.11x
Lewannick 10 826.45x
Linkinhorne 10 231.48x
Tintagel 10 591.72x
Camberwell 9 2.57x
Egham 9 54.98x
Landulph 9 947.37x
Phillack 9 112.50x
Southill 9 947.37x
St Blazey 9 165.44x
Bedminster 8 9.67x
East Stonehouse 8 35.65x
Hackney London 8 2.61x
Kyo 8 104.44x
Lanlivery 8 307.69x
St Stephen 8 363.64x
Bishopwearmouth 7 5.01x
Dartmouth Townstall 7 150.86x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 40.37x
Hastings St Mary In The 7 35.57x
Houghton Le Spring 7 62.22x
Lanteglos 7 244.76x
Newington 7 3.46x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 7.98x
St Pancras London 7 1.59x
Wentnor 7 510.95x
Barrow In Furness 6 6.79x
Laneast 6 1224.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.45x
St Germans 6 138.89x
St Marylebone London 6 2.05x
St Teath 6 160.86x
Stoke Climsland 6 151.52x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 4.95x
Hammersmith London 5 3.71x
Sheviock 5 476.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 2.55x
Cardiff St Mary 4 7.62x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.78x
Islington London 4 0.75x
Menheniot 4 155.64x
Ramsey 4 281.69x
South Petherwin 4 258.06x
St Mary Magdalene 4 87.91x
Clifton 3 5.53x
Maker 3 52.45x
New Romney 3 156.25x
St Clether 3 750.00x
St George Bloomsbury 3 9.55x
St Pinnock 3 319.15x
St Stephens By Saltash 3 112.36x
Weston Super Mare 3 13.49x
Wraxall 3 178.57x
Hampstead London 2 2.35x
Hastings St Mary 2 8.71x
Lidford 2 39.06x
Royal Navy 2 3.59x
St Albans St Peter 2 15.71x
St Endellion 2 93.02x
St George Hanover 2 2.80x
Tavistock 2 15.41x
Treneglos 2 645.16x
Westminster St John 2 3.00x
Aldershot 1 2.66x
Chelsea London 1 0.61x
Great Baddow 1 26.04x
Hertford St John 1 17.79x
Liskeard 1 9.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 24
Emma 18
Jane 12
Ann 11
Eliza 10
Ellen 9
Kate 8
Amelia 7
Louisa 7
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Jessie 6
Maria 6
Alice 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Susan 4
Florence 3
Grace 3
Helen 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Minnie 3
Rosina 3
Susanna 3
Amy 2
Betsey 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Cornelia 2
Harriett 2
Hester 2
Isabella 2
Lilian 2
Phoebe 2
Rosallah 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Angelina 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Britannia 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Leah 1
Levenia 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 25
James 22
George 17
Samuel 17
Richard 16
Thomas 14
Henry 11
Alfred 8
Joseph 8
Charles 7
Albert 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Willm. 4
Philip 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Isaac 2
Claud 1
Elijah 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Erwin 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Mark 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Ralph 1
Reuben 1
Richd. 1
Sampson 1
Shadrick 1
Sidney 1
Silas 1
Silvester 1
Simeon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sleep surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sleep surname in 1881?

In 1881, 559 people were recorded with the Sleep surname. That placed it at #6,192 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sleep surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 620 in 2016. That gives Sleep a modern rank of #8,494.

What does the Sleep surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the Old English word "slæp," meaning "sleep."

What does the Sleep map show?

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