NameCensus.

UK surname

Slesser

A locational surname originating from a place in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Slesser surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 212, ranked #18,843, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rathen, Old Deer and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns and Laurencekirk, South Tyneside and Aboyne and South Deeside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slesser is 212 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 271.9%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

212

2016, ranked #18,843

Peak year

2016

212 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slesser had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016, ranked #18,843.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 120 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Slesser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slesser surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slesser 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 77 #27,169
1901 historical 71 #26,277
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 176 #19,829
2003 modern 186 #18,928
2004 modern 182 #19,306
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 174 #20,166
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 187 #20,132
2012 modern 191 #19,802
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 212 #18,843

Geography

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Where Slessers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rathen, Old Deer, Gateshead, Strichen and Fraserburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mearns and Laurencekirk, South Tyneside, Aboyne and South Deeside and Mearns South and Benholm. 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 Rathen Aberdeen
2 Old Deer Aberdeen
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Strichen Aberdeen
5 Fraserburgh Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns and Laurencekirk Aberdeenshire
2 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside
3 South Tyneside 016 South Tyneside
4 Aboyne and South Deeside Aberdeenshire
5 Mearns South and Benholm Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slesser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slesser

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Slesser surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Slesser household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Slesser 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

Slesser is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slesser falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Slesser is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Slesser

The surname Slesser is believed to have originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "slæcc," meaning "valley" or "hollow," combined with the suffix "-er," indicating someone who lived in or near such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of homage rolls documenting those who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "John de Slascher" is thought to be an early variation of the Slesser surname.

The name can also be traced back to the Scottish village of Slessors, located in Fife. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time. In the 16th century, records show a John Slesser was a burgess (a respected citizen) of Cupar, a town in Fife.

During the 17th century, the surname gained some prominence in Scotland. Robert Slesser (1592-1668) was a notable Presbyterian minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1638.

Another historical figure was Sir John Slesser (1745-1825), a Scottish merchant and landowner who made his fortune in the West Indies. He acquired extensive property in Aberdeenshire and served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen from 1812 to 1815.

In the 19th century, Sir Henry Slesser (1838-1912) was a prominent British lawyer and judge. He served as Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1905 to 1909 and later became a Lord Justice of Appeal.

During the early 20th century, Henry Handel Slesser (1886-1948) was a notable British author and journalist. He wrote several works of non-fiction, including biographies of politicians and commentaries on contemporary issues.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir John Slesser (1897-1979), a Royal Air Force air marshal who served as Commander-in-Chief of RAF Coastal Command during World War II. He played a crucial role in the Battle of the Atlantic against German U-boats.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slesser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slesser 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 25 Slessers recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.55x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 25 48.55x
Durham 11 6.65x
Banffshire 7 60.71x
Essex 7 6.38x
Lancashire 3 0.45x
Yorkshire 2 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 2.61x
Middlesex 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 11 Slessers recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.27x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 11 117.27x
Inverkeithny 6 3333.33x
West Ham 6 24.76x
Aberdour 5 1219.51x
Old Deer 5 510.20x
Peterhead 5 183.82x
Strichen 4 888.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 27.91x
Salford 3 15.46x
Bramley In Bramley 2 94.79x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 10.38x
Belhelvie 1 285.71x
Elstree 1 769.23x
Fordyce 1 120.48x
Great Burstead 1 250.00x
Meldrum 1 232.56x
St Pancras London 1 2.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Bella 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Eliza 1
Elizb. 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Margery 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 2
George 2
William 2
Charles 1
David 1
Hy. 1
John 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Slesser households.

FAQ

Slesser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slesser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Slesser surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slesser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016. That gives Slesser a modern rank of #18,843.

What does the Slesser surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place in Scotland.

What does the Slesser map show?

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