NameCensus.

UK surname

Slinger

An occupational surname referring to someone who operated a sling, such as a catapult or medieval weapon.

In the 1881 census there were 909 people recorded with the Slinger surname, ranking it #4,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,073, ranked #5,451, down from #4,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Rochdale and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Ribble Valley and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slinger is 1,259 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.0%.

1881 census count

909

Ranked #4,211

Modern count

1,073

2016, ranked #5,451

Peak year

1911

1,259 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slinger had 909 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,073 in 2016, ranked #5,451.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,259 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Slinger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slinger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slinger 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 909 #4,211
1891 historical 911 #4,532
1901 historical 1,138 #4,268
1911 historical 1,259 #3,775
1997 modern 1,073 #5,183
1998 modern 1,102 #5,255
1999 modern 1,118 #5,226
2000 modern 1,138 #5,125
2001 modern 1,090 #5,208
2002 modern 1,108 #5,238
2003 modern 1,086 #5,236
2004 modern 1,063 #5,338
2005 modern 1,026 #5,434
2006 modern 1,009 #5,522
2007 modern 1,029 #5,482
2008 modern 1,036 #5,486
2009 modern 1,070 #5,447
2010 modern 1,100 #5,439
2011 modern 1,074 #5,482
2012 modern 1,071 #5,404
2013 modern 1,104 #5,356
2014 modern 1,113 #5,343
2015 modern 1,090 #5,387
2016 modern 1,073 #5,451

Geography

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Where Slingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and South Ribble. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 001 Craven
2 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley
3 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
4 South Ribble 011 South Ribble
5 Ribble Valley 005 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slinger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slinger

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Slinger is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Slinger 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

Slinger 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 Slinger 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 Slinger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Slinger

The surname Slinger has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 12th century. Derived from the Old English word "slingan," meaning "to sling" or "to throw," it was likely an occupational surname given to those who used slings as weapons or tools.

During the Middle Ages, the Slinger surname was prominent in counties such as Lancashire and Yorkshire, where the name first appeared in historical records. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not record the name, suggesting its emergence after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Slinger surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which lists a John Slynger. This variation in spelling was common in medieval times due to the lack of standardized orthography.

Nottinghamshire's Wollaton Hall, a 16th-century country house, bears inscriptions mentioning a Richard Slinger, who was likely a builder or craftsman involved in its construction during that era.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Slinger surname was Samuel Slinger (1628-1699), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Somerby in Leicestershire.

During the 18th century, the Slinger name appeared in various parts of England, including Derbyshire, where a John Slinger (1726-1799) was a prominent landowner and local magistrate.

In the 19th century, William Slinger (1812-1879), a renowned English architect, designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Wolverhampton School and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Davenham, Cheshire.

Another noteworthy figure was John Slinger (1848-1926), a British trade unionist and Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament for North Woolwich from 1906 to 1918.

The surname Slinger has also been associated with several place names, such as Slinger Hill in Lancashire and Slinger Wood in Nottinghamshire, further reinforcing its historical roots in various regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slinger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slinger 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. Lancashire leads with 461 Slingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 461 4.40x
Yorkshire 335 3.83x
Westmorland 37 19.07x
Cumberland 19 2.50x
Durham 11 0.42x
Surrey 9 0.21x
Gloucestershire 6 0.35x
Warwickshire 5 0.22x
Cheshire 4 0.21x
Middlesex 4 0.05x
Derbyshire 3 0.22x
Devon 2 0.11x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 2 1.90x
Isle of Man 1 0.61x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lancaster in Lancashire leads with 59 Slingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.66x.

Place Total Index
Lancaster 59 94.66x
Clitheroe 40 129.74x
Accrington 27 28.35x
Leeds 27 5.47x
Bradford 21 9.92x
Colne 20 64.08x
Settle 20 298.51x
Ingleton 18 365.85x
Clint 17 1440.68x
Over Darwen 17 20.32x
High Abbotside 14 939.60x
Oldham 14 4.14x
Barrow In Furness 13 9.12x
Clapham Cum Newby 13 637.25x
Preston 13 4.64x
Walmersley Cum 12 71.68x
Oswaldtwistle 11 29.72x
Scarborough 11 13.84x
West Derby 11 3.59x
Bolton Le Sands 10 420.17x
Darlington 10 9.86x
Great Little Marsden 10 20.84x
Killinghall 10 487.80x
Penrith 10 35.61x
Pudsey 10 21.39x
Hawes 9 157.34x
Liverpool 9 1.41x
Northowram 9 14.67x
Baldersby 8 909.09x
Bingley 8 14.36x
Castleton 8 7.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 4.81x
Cleckheaton 8 24.82x
Follifoot 8 533.33x
Great Harwood 8 42.24x
Mallerstang 8 975.61x
Slaidburn 8 533.33x
Spotland 8 6.87x
Toxteth Park 8 2.26x
Upper Allithwaite E 8 470.59x
Wakefield 8 11.91x
Halifax 7 5.45x
Harpurhey 7 48.14x
Knaresborough 7 50.95x
Scotforth 7 102.79x
St Bees 7 199.43x
Walton Le Dale 7 24.87x
Warcop 7 321.10x
Wardleworth 7 11.69x
Appleby St Michael 6 137.61x
Bentham 6 89.96x
Blackburn 6 2.15x
Bowland Forest Low 6 652.17x
Clayton Le Moors 6 29.51x
Fulwood 6 53.00x
Horfield 6 34.44x
Litton 6 2500.00x
Manchester 6 1.27x
Manningham 6 5.57x
Rochdale 6 78.53x
Sedburgh 6 164.84x
Bolton By Bowland 5 235.85x
Burnley 5 5.67x
Dalton In Furness 5 12.36x
Downham 5 438.60x
Gargrave 5 128.21x
Halton 5 225.23x
North Meols 5 4.88x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 5 126.26x
Poulton Barre 5 41.95x
Waddington 5 370.37x
West Broughton 5 141.24x
Wuerdle Wardle 5 15.72x
Asby 4 266.67x
Aston 4 0.65x
Great Mitton 4 769.23x
Lambeth 4 0.52x
Ravenstonedale 4 148.15x
Timperley 4 59.00x
Yealand Redmayne 4 634.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 61
Elizabeth 46
Jane 32
Sarah 26
Alice 25
Margaret 24
Ann 23
Ellen 20
Annie 15
Martha 15
Emma 12
Hannah 11
Isabella 9
Harriet 8
Agnes 7
Eleanor 7
Eliza 6
Kate 6
Ada 5
Susannah 5
Betty 4
Clara 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Maria 4
Nancy 4
Rose 4
Amelia 3
Edith 3
Annas 2
Anne 2
Anny 2
Betsy 2
Bridget 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Grace 2
Lilly 2
Lizzie 2
Margret 2
Phillis 2
Ruth 2
Betsey 1
Dorcas 1
Dorothy 1
Elenor 1
Eliz 1
Eliz. 1
Hellen 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
William 58
Thomas 30
James 28
George 20
Henry 17
Richard 13
Robert 13
Edward 12
Joseph 10
Francis 9
Tempest 8
Charles 7
Stephen 7
Ambrose 6
Arthur 6
Matthew 5
Samuel 5
Christopher 4
Elijah 4
Fred 4
Frederick 4
Simeon 4
Thos. 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Michael 3
Sam 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
David 2
Nicholas 2
Tobias 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Barnabas 1
Bond 1
Charlie 1
Chissel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Frances 1
G. 1
Irwin 1
J.F.L. 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Joh 1

FAQ

Slinger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slinger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 909 people were recorded with the Slinger surname. That placed it at #4,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slinger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,073 in 2016. That gives Slinger a modern rank of #5,451.

What does the Slinger surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who operated a sling, such as a catapult or medieval weapon.

What does the Slinger map show?

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