NameCensus.

UK surname

Slingsby

A locational surname derived from the village of Slingsby in North Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 840 people recorded with the Slingsby surname, ranking it #4,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 930, ranked #6,144, down from #4,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Ashford and Aldington, Hurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Ashford and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slingsby is 1,059 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.7%.

1881 census count

840

Ranked #4,490

Modern count

930

2016, ranked #6,144

Peak year

1901

1,059 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slingsby had 840 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 930 in 2016, ranked #6,144.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,059 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Slingsby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slingsby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slingsby 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 600 #4,273
1861 historical 530 #4,954
1881 historical 840 #4,490
1891 historical 921 #4,487
1901 historical 1,059 #4,542
1911 historical 1,005 #4,528
1997 modern 958 #5,678
1998 modern 968 #5,828
1999 modern 975 #5,819
2000 modern 967 #5,848
2001 modern 946 #5,844
2002 modern 948 #5,933
2003 modern 914 #6,009
2004 modern 919 #5,987
2005 modern 898 #6,042
2006 modern 893 #6,081
2007 modern 918 #6,004
2008 modern 920 #6,034
2009 modern 950 #6,002
2010 modern 958 #6,084
2011 modern 960 #6,023
2012 modern 969 #5,876
2013 modern 956 #6,043
2014 modern 954 #6,107
2015 modern 939 #6,130
2016 modern 930 #6,144

Geography

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Where Slingsbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Ashford, Aldington, Hurst, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Ashford, Bradford and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Ashford Kent
3 Aldington, Hurst Kent
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 007 Doncaster
2 Ashford 004 Ashford
3 Ashford 008 Ashford
4 Bradford 004 Bradford
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slingsby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slingsby

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Slingsby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Slingsby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Slingsby 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

Slingsby is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slingsby falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Slingsby

The surname Slingsby originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "slinge" meaning "to sling" and "by" meaning a village or town, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone from a place where slingers or stone-throwers resided.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Slingsby name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Slingesbi". This ancient record indicates that the name was already established in parts of Yorkshire, particularly in the village of Slingsby, which likely gave rise to the surname.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Slyngesby" and "Slyngesbi", reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. The prevalence of the name in Yorkshire suggests that it may have originated as a place name before becoming a hereditary surname.

Notable individuals bearing the Slingsby surname include Sir Henry Slingsby (1602-1658), an English royalist who fought for King Charles I during the English Civil War and was later executed for his role in a royalist conspiracy. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Slingsby (1611-1661), an English politician and military officer who served as a Member of Parliament and fought for the Royalist cause during the Civil War.

In the 17th century, Sir Henry Slingsby (1640-1691) was a prominent English naval officer who served as a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy and played a significant role in several naval engagements against the Dutch. He was also a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire.

Moving into the 18th century, Jonathan Slingsby (1720-1790) was a noted English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the West Riding House of Correction in Wakefield.

In more recent times, Neville Slingsby (1886-1956) was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft designer who contributed to the development of early gliders and sailplanes. His innovations played a crucial role in the advancement of gliding as a sport and recreational activity.

While the Slingsby name has its roots in Yorkshire, over time it has spread across England and other parts of the world due to migration and the expansion of the British Empire. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to the surname can be traced back to its origins in the villages and towns of Yorkshire, where it emerged as a distinct surname several centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slingsby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slingsby 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. Yorkshire leads with 422 Slingsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.20x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 422 5.20x
Kent 101 3.62x
Lincolnshire 75 5.73x
Leicestershire 45 4.96x
Nottinghamshire 42 3.81x
Middlesex 33 0.40x
Lancashire 30 0.31x
Warwickshire 22 1.07x
Derbyshire 12 0.94x
Surrey 10 0.25x
Cheshire 9 0.50x
Northamptonshire 7 0.91x
Essex 5 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.81x
Cumberland 4 0.57x
Suffolk 4 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.58x
Norfolk 3 0.24x
Berkshire 2 0.33x
Hertfordshire 2 0.35x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.62x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Idle in Yorkshire leads with 66 Slingsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 175.53x.

Place Total Index
Idle 66 175.53x
Ashford 38 139.76x
Aldington 25 1322.75x
Ratby 22 483.52x
Pudsey 21 48.44x
St Pancras London 21 3.19x
Heaton 19 218.14x
Shipley 19 45.14x
Bradford 18 9.17x
Holy Trinity 18 9.23x
Crowle 17 213.57x
Gainsborough 16 51.86x
Bowling 15 18.67x
Sutton 15 162.34x
Manningham 13 13.01x
Doncaster 12 20.25x
Winteringham 12 638.30x
Brightside Bierlow 11 6.92x
Carlton In Skipton 11 232.07x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 11 59.75x
Nether Hallam 10 9.11x
Armley 9 25.16x
Derby All Sts 9 84.11x
Ecclesfield 9 15.14x
Horton In Bradford 9 7.11x
Nuneaton 9 37.64x
Edwinstowe 8 305.34x
Faversham 8 30.04x
Halifax 8 6.72x
Wortley In Bramley 8 12.46x
Bawtry 7 274.51x
Croydon 7 3.16x
Hayton 7 985.92x
Kings Cliffe 7 194.99x
Leeds 7 1.53x
Morley 7 16.60x
Sculcoates 7 5.44x
Sturry 7 212.12x
West Stockwith 7 376.34x
Eccleshill 6 30.40x
Hatfield In Thorne 6 118.58x
Keighley 6 6.94x
Luddington 6 359.28x
Mountsorrel North End 6 342.86x
North Scarle 6 416.67x
Sheffield 6 2.32x
Upton By Birkenhead 6 344.83x
York St Mary 6 17.86x
Carlton 5 39.71x
East Stockwith 5 549.45x
Leicester Augustin 5 1923.08x
St George Hanover 5 4.68x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 21.55x
Walton On Hill 5 9.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 1.88x
Coventry Holy Trinity 4 6.49x
Everton 4 1.29x
Islington London 4 0.50x
Leyton Low 4 12.18x
Long Melford 4 43.20x
Newington 4 17.91x
Owston 4 107.82x
Rickergate 4 26.83x
Salford 4 1.40x
Snenton 4 9.23x
Southcoates 4 8.88x
St Mark Lincoln 4 143.37x
Stony Stratford East 4 196.08x
Thirsk 4 42.74x
Throwley 4 229.89x
Alkborough 3 267.86x
Althorpe 3 100.67x
Beverley St Mary 3 25.34x
Enderby 3 63.83x
Pilkington 3 8.13x
Soothill 3 10.24x
South Lynn 3 21.13x
St Maryle Wigford 3 29.50x
Tenterden 3 30.46x
Wittersham 3 120.48x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 49
George 39
Thomas 28
Charles 19
James 17
Arthur 13
Henry 13
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Frederick 10
David 9
Samuel 9
Edward 7
Frank 6
Harry 6
Thos. 6
Walter 6
Ernest 5
Albert 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Jonathan 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Edwin 3
Joshua 3
Peter 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Clement 2
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Anthony 1
Cooper 1
Dinnis 1
Elias 1
Ezra 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredrick 1
J.W. 1
Jno.William 1
Josh 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Slingsby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slingsby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 840 people were recorded with the Slingsby surname. That placed it at #4,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slingsby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 930 in 2016. That gives Slingsby a modern rank of #6,144.

What does the Slingsby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the village of Slingsby in North Yorkshire, England.

What does the Slingsby map show?

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