NameCensus.

UK surname

Sleet

A surname derived from the word for the frozen precipitation.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Sleet surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 336, ranked #13,583, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chertsey, London parishes and Chobham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Surrey Heath, Wyre and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sleet is 414 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.4%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

336

2016, ranked #13,583

Peak year

1999

414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sleet had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 336 in 2016, ranked #13,583.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 347 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Sleet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sleet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sleet 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 308 #10,886
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 347 #10,318
1997 modern 411 #10,782
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 414 #11,156
2000 modern 391 #11,591
2001 modern 379 #11,676
2002 modern 376 #11,989
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 357 #12,272
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 342 #12,809
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 357 #12,766
2010 modern 357 #13,036
2011 modern 340 #13,375
2012 modern 337 #13,345
2013 modern 334 #13,648
2014 modern 333 #13,770
2015 modern 329 #13,800
2016 modern 336 #13,583

Geography

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Where Sleets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chertsey, London parishes, Chobham, Wimbledon and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Surrey Heath, Wyre, Wakefield and East 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 Chertsey Surrey
2 London parishes London 3
3 Chobham Surrey
4 Wimbledon Surrey
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Surrey Heath 006 Surrey Heath
2 Wyre 001 Wyre
3 Wakefield 034 Wakefield
4 Wyre 003 Wyre
5 East Lindsey 010 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sleet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sleet

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

London Fringe

Within London, Sleet 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

Sleet is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sleet falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sleet

The surname SLEET has its origins in the Germanic languages and is believed to have first appeared in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word 'slēt', meaning 'sleet' or 'frozen rain'. The name likely referred to someone who lived in an area prone to sleet or severe winter weather conditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Sleta'. This early spelling variation suggests that the name may have been more widespread in certain regions of England during the 11th century.

By the 13th century, the surname had evolved into various spellings, including 'Sleet', 'Slete', and 'Sleyt'. Records from this period indicate that the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where it may have been associated with local place names or landmarks.

Notable individuals with the surname SLEET include:

1. John Sleet (c. 1480-1557), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Yorkshire. 2. William Sleet (1592-1647), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 17th century. 3. Mary Sleet (1622-1688), an English Quaker and early advocate for women's rights, known for her writings on religious freedom. 4. Thomas Sleet (1712-1783), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War and was later granted land in Upper Canada (modern-day Ontario). 5. Elizabeth Sleet (1795-1872), a noted English botanist and horticulturist, known for her extensive collection of rare plant specimens.

Over the centuries, the SLEET surname has been found in various parts of Britain, as well as in other English-speaking countries where British settlers migrated. While it may have derived from a specific geographic location or environmental factor in its origins, the name has since become more broadly dispersed and associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sleet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sleet 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 69 Sleets recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 69 3.61x
Surrey 49 5.26x
Yorkshire 12 0.63x
Warwickshire 10 2.07x
Lincolnshire 9 2.94x
Berkshire 7 4.88x
Hertfordshire 7 5.31x
Northumberland 7 2.46x
Kent 6 0.92x
Durham 5 0.88x
Staffordshire 5 0.77x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.60x
Cheshire 3 0.71x
Essex 2 0.53x
Lanarkshire 1 0.16x
Sussex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 24 Sleets recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.90x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 24 28.90x
Chobham 21 1280.49x
Islington London 20 10.79x
Aston 10 7.53x
Bow London 9 36.98x
Kingston On Thames 9 40.21x
Great Grimsby 8 41.24x
Wimbledon 8 76.48x
Elswick 7 30.84x
Sculcoates 6 19.98x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 68.18x
Mile End Old Town 5 16.57x
Walsall Foreign 5 15.00x
Whitburn 5 375.94x
Newington 4 5.66x
North Mimms 4 481.93x
Old Windsor 4 240.96x
Clerkenwell London 3 6.65x
St Andrew Holborn 3 46.30x
Chertsey 2 33.22x
Deptford St Paul 2 3.98x
Hatfield 2 74.91x
Sunninghill 2 100.50x
Upton Cum Chalvey 2 43.38x
Bexton 1 1666.67x
Brighton 1 1.54x
Buckland In Dover 1 46.30x
Byfleet 1 120.48x
Canterbury St Mary 1 22.83x
Cheadle 1 12.41x
Corringham 1 357.14x
Croydon 1 1.93x
Ealing 1 5.85x
Govan 1 0.65x
Goxhill 1 133.33x
Hampton Wick London 1 71.43x
Hayes 1 51.28x
Horsell 1 169.49x
Ludgershall 1 357.14x
Margate St John Baptist 1 8.38x
Sandhurst 1 35.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.60x
St George Bloomsbury 1 9.12x
St Pancras London 1 0.65x
Stayley 1 20.75x
Teston 1 476.19x
Watford 1 9.78x
Woking 1 17.83x
Woodford 1 23.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Eliza 8
Elizabeth 8
Alice 7
Emily 5
Emma 5
Sarah 3
Adelaide 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Ellenor 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clar 1
Clara 1
Elizbth 1
Esther 1
Flore 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jeannette 1
Julia 1
Katharine 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Louise 1
Mable 1
Magaret 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Masill 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sleet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sleet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Sleet surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sleet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 336 in 2016. That gives Sleet a modern rank of #13,583.

What does the Sleet surname mean?

A surname derived from the word for the frozen precipitation.

What does the Sleet map show?

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