NameCensus.

UK surname

Sliney

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name Ó Sluaghadáin meaning "descendant of the host or army leader".

In the 1881 census there were 21 people recorded with the Sliney surname, ranking it #30,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, up from #30,609 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Havering and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sliney is 112 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 395.2%.

1881 census count

21

Ranked #30,609

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

2000

112 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sliney had 21 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sliney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sliney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Sliney 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 21 #30,609
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 50 #28,590
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 94 #28,797
2003 modern 94 #28,686
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

Back to top

Where Slineys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, Havering, Tendring, St Albans and South Gloucestershire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 011 Teignbridge
2 Havering 018 Havering
3 Tendring 016 Tendring
4 St Albans 008 St Albans
5 South Gloucestershire 030 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Sliney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Sliney

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Sliney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sliney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Sliney 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

Sliney is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sliney falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sliney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sliney

The surname Sliney is of Irish origin, stemming from the Gaelic word "Sliney" which means "sly" or "cunning." It is believed to have originated in the 16th or 17th century in the western counties of Ireland, particularly in Connacht and Munster.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Sliney can be found in the Irish Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a family named "Sliney" who were prominent landowners in County Mayo during the 16th century.

In the late 17th century, a man named Dermot Sliney was recorded as being a member of the Irish Jacobite army, which fought for the deposed King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland. Sliney was captured at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691 and later exiled to France.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Sliney surname was most commonly found in counties such as Mayo, Galway, and Clare. Several notable individuals with the surname Sliney emerged during this period, including:

1. Michael Sliney (1770-1845), an Irish Catholic priest and historian from County Mayo. 2. Patrick Sliney (1824-1897), a successful merchant and landowner in County Galway. 3. John Sliney (1842-1912), a prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and supporter of Irish independence. 4. Mary Sliney (1855-1936), a renowned Irish traditional singer and storyteller from County Clare. 5. Thomas Sliney (1878-1964), an Irish-American labor leader and activist in New York City.

The name Sliney was also associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Sliney's Hill in County Mayo and Sliney's Bridge in County Galway. These place names likely derived from the Sliney family's landholdings or settlements in those areas.

While the Sliney surname is most closely associated with Ireland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through Irish emigration over the centuries. However, the origins and early history of the name can be traced back to the western counties of Ireland and the Gaelic word "Sliney" meaning "sly" or "cunning."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Sliney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sliney 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 7 Slineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7 3.26x
Kent 5 6.83x
Glamorgan 4 10.71x
Cornwall 3 12.36x
Essex 1 2.36x
Hampshire 1 2.28x
Royal Navy 1 39.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greenwich in Kent leads with 5 Slineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 146.63x.

Place Total Index
Greenwich 5 146.63x
St George In East 5 342.47x
Constantine 2 1428.57x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 55.71x
Swansea Town 2 65.36x
Falmouth 1 116.28x
Hammersmith London 1 18.94x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 1428.57x
Heston 1 140.85x
Royal Navy 1 45.87x
Shalfleet 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 2
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
Andrew 1
Edward 1
Fredrick 1
Michael 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 Sliney households.

FAQ

Sliney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sliney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21 people were recorded with the Sliney surname. That placed it at #30,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sliney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Sliney a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Sliney surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name Ó Sluaghadáin meaning "descendant of the host or army leader".

What does the Sliney map show?

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