NameCensus.

UK surname

Sloane

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic term "Ó Sluaghadháin," meaning "descendant of the raid leader or expedition leader."

In the 1881 census there were 688 people recorded with the Sloane surname, ranking it #5,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 978, ranked #5,905, down from #5,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Christchurch and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sloane is 1,065 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.2%.

1881 census count

688

Ranked #5,256

Modern count

978

2016, ranked #5,905

Peak year

2002

1,065 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sloane had 688 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 978 in 2016, ranked #5,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 748 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sloane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sloane surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sloane 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 414 #5,863
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 688 #5,256
1891 historical 646 #6,010
1901 historical 748 #5,954
1911 historical 649 #6,449
1997 modern 1,004 #5,485
1998 modern 1,026 #5,561
1999 modern 1,031 #5,575
2000 modern 1,040 #5,506
2001 modern 1,025 #5,476
2002 modern 1,065 #5,411
2003 modern 1,009 #5,550
2004 modern 993 #5,634
2005 modern 967 #5,685
2006 modern 957 #5,756
2007 modern 953 #5,839
2008 modern 946 #5,901
2009 modern 965 #5,930
2010 modern 999 #5,889
2011 modern 985 #5,888
2012 modern 982 #5,821
2013 modern 1,021 #5,731
2014 modern 1,044 #5,658
2015 modern 1,016 #5,735
2016 modern 978 #5,905

Geography

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Where Sloanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Christchurch, Blackpool, Thanet and Northumberland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 002 Calderdale
2 Christchurch 005 Christchurch
3 Blackpool 018 Blackpool
4 Thanet 013 Thanet
5 Northumberland 037 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sloane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sloane

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Sloane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sloane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sloane 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

Sloane is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Sloane

The surname Sloane has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "sluana," meaning "warrior" or "person of the raiding parties." The name is believed to have originated in County Fermanagh, located in the northern part of the island.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sloane can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the 17th century. The manuscript mentions a member of the Sloane family who lived in County Fermanagh during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Sloane appeared in various historical records, such as land deeds and parish registers. One notable figure from this period was Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), a renowned physician and naturalist who served as the president of the Royal Society and founded the British Museum.

During the 18th century, the Sloane family spread across Ireland and some members emigrated to other parts of the British Isles, including England and Scotland. A prominent individual from this era was Sir Robert Sloane (1685-1768), a British politician and lawyer who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

In the 19th century, the Sloane surname gained further recognition with individuals like John Sloane (1779-1856), an American painter and architect who designed numerous buildings in Philadelphia and other cities along the East Coast. Another notable figure was William Milligan Sloane (1850-1928), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the W&J Sloane furniture company.

Other notable individuals with the surname Sloane include John Sloane (1870-1945), an American actor and playwright; Everett Sloane (1909-1965), an American actor known for his roles in films and television shows; and John Sloane Dickey (1907-1991), an American educator and diplomat who served as the president of Dartmouth College.

While the Sloane name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread globally and can be found in various parts of the world, with individuals from diverse backgrounds and achievements bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sloane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sloane 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 218 Sloanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 218 2.72x
Cumberland 67 11.53x
Middlesex 66 0.98x
Durham 48 2.39x
Yorkshire 32 0.48x
Lanarkshire 23 1.05x
Cheshire 20 1.34x
Dumfriesshire 20 13.41x
Midlothian 19 2.10x
Surrey 19 0.58x
Somerset 14 1.29x
Sussex 13 1.14x
Renfrewshire 11 2.10x
Argyllshire 10 5.32x
Isle of Man 9 7.18x
Kent 9 0.39x
Monmouthshire 9 1.84x
Bedfordshire 7 2.00x
Devon 7 0.50x
Essex 7 0.53x
Shropshire 7 1.20x
Berkshire 6 1.18x
Northumberland 6 0.60x
Warwickshire 6 0.35x
Staffordshire 5 0.22x
Wigtownshire 5 5.58x
Hampshire 4 0.29x
Worcestershire 4 0.45x
Ayrshire 3 0.59x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.70x
Suffolk 3 0.36x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.10x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Shetland 2 2.90x
Denbighshire 1 0.39x
Fife 1 0.25x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 34 Sloanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.99x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 34 6.99x
Cleator 27 111.62x
Preston 23 10.73x
Manchester 20 5.55x
Everton 17 6.66x
Barony 14 2.53x
Monkwearmouth Shore 14 35.71x
Kensington London 13 3.46x
Manningham 12 14.56x
Workington 12 36.07x
Egremont 10 72.15x
Warrington 10 10.53x
Benfieldside 9 68.13x
Chester St Peter St 9 562.50x
Crosscanonby 9 46.83x
Knapdale South 9 139.32x
Mearns 9 98.25x
St Pancras London 9 1.66x
Beswick 8 39.06x
Broughton In Salford 8 10.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 6.29x
Clapham 8 9.48x
Gorton 8 10.62x
Islington London 8 1.22x
Ardwick 7 9.69x
Bathford 7 313.90x
Cheetham 7 11.72x
Conside Knitsley 7 44.81x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 32.73x
Lewes St Ann 7 180.88x
Panteg 7 91.03x
Penpont 7 255.47x
Sanquhar 7 133.59x
West Ham 7 2.38x
Battersea 6 2.42x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.05x
Cleckheaton 6 24.35x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.65x
Glencairn 6 149.63x
Houghton Regis 6 107.72x
Malew 6 54.79x
Salford 6 2.55x
West Derby 6 2.56x
Bromley London 5 3.37x
Clewer 5 24.08x
Glasgow 5 1.29x
Guilden Sutton 5 1111.11x
Hulme 5 2.99x
Kirkdale 5 3.71x
Pendleton In Salford 5 5.24x
Ratcliffe London 5 13.41x
Standish With Langtree 5 50.71x
Thornley 5 68.78x
Toxteth Park 5 1.84x
Woolwich 5 5.88x
Ellesmere 4 39.96x
Hackney London 4 1.06x
Preston Quarter 4 24.55x
South Shields 4 22.36x
St George Martyr 4 35.15x
Ulverston 4 17.15x
Windle 4 8.88x
Ayr 3 12.58x
Birmingham 3 0.53x
Bradford 3 1.85x
Chester St Bridget 3 117.65x
Darlington 3 3.87x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 16.09x
Govan 3 0.56x
Inch 3 34.32x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 13.02x
Kings Norton 3 3.80x
Lambeth 3 0.51x
Little Clifton 3 303.03x
Middlesbrough 3 3.44x
Newton 3 4.86x
Onchan 3 8.31x
Portsea 3 1.11x
Sedgley 3 3.54x
Willington 3 25.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 21
Margaret 21
Sarah 17
Jane 16
Catherine 11
Eliza 11
Ann 10
Annie 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Ellen 6
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Marion 5
Edith 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Frances 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Lillian 2
Margt. 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Teresa 2
Anna 1
Bella 1
Bessy 1
Bridget 1
Constance 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Hetty 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 35
James 29
Thomas 14
George 12
Robert 11
Henry 10
Edward 9
Arthur 7
David 7
Joseph 7
Patrick 7
Hugh 6
Peter 5
Bernard 4
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Nicholas 4
Alexander 3
Archibald 3
Michael 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Aubrey 1
Barney 1
Bosco 1
Charles 1
Cuthbert 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herven 1
Horace 1
Irven 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Mathew 1
McNeil 1
Miles 1
Neilly 1
Philip 1

FAQ

Sloane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sloane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 688 people were recorded with the Sloane surname. That placed it at #5,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sloane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 978 in 2016. That gives Sloane a modern rank of #5,905.

What does the Sloane surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic term "Ó Sluaghadháin," meaning "descendant of the raid leader or expedition leader."

What does the Sloane map show?

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