NameCensus.

UK surname

Sly

A nickname-derived surname referring to a cunning or clever person, from the Middle English word "sly."

In the 1881 census there were 1,127 people recorded with the Sly surname, ranking it #3,534 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,018, ranked #5,725, down from #3,534 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Wiltshire and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sly is 1,219 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.7%.

1881 census count

1,127

Ranked #3,534

Modern count

1,018

2016, ranked #5,725

Peak year

1901

1,219 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sly had 1,127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,534 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,018 in 2016, ranked #5,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,219 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sly 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 780 #3,420
1881 historical 1,127 #3,534
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1901 historical 1,219 #4,049
1997 modern 1,099 #5,072
1998 modern 1,121 #5,173
1999 modern 1,108 #5,263
2000 modern 1,096 #5,285
2001 modern 1,060 #5,323
2002 modern 1,096 #5,285
2003 modern 1,061 #5,334
2004 modern 1,058 #5,360
2005 modern 1,012 #5,496
2006 modern 1,024 #5,457
2007 modern 1,011 #5,554
2008 modern 1,026 #5,533
2009 modern 1,059 #5,508
2010 modern 1,081 #5,513
2011 modern 1,057 #5,554
2012 modern 1,007 #5,705
2013 modern 1,039 #5,663
2014 modern 1,057 #5,602
2015 modern 1,039 #5,626
2016 modern 1,018 #5,725

Geography

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Where Slys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy and Brinkworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Wiltshire, Tewkesbury and Sunderland. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
5 Brinkworth Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 008 Bassetlaw
2 Bassetlaw 010 Bassetlaw
3 Wiltshire 006 Wiltshire
4 Tewkesbury 009 Tewkesbury
5 Sunderland 016 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sly

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sly is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sly is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sly falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sly

The surname Sly is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "slæge," meaning "cunning" or "sly." This name likely emerged in the Middle Ages, used to describe someone with a crafty or shrewd demeanor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries mentioning individuals with the surname Sly or similar spellings, such as Slie or Slye. These early records suggest the name was well-established in various regions of England by the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sly can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1195, which mention a William Sly. Other early examples include John Sly, who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310, and Robert Sly, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327.

The surname Sly is also linked to various place names in England, such as Slyfield in Surrey and Sly Willows in Derbyshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Sly throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Sly (c. 1420-1490), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 15th century. 2. John Sly (c. 1550-1608), an English playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era, known for his work "The Yorkshire Tragedy." 3. Elizabeth Sly (c. 1670-1735), an English Quaker author and preacher who published several religious works. 4. William Sly (1856-1939), a British artist and illustrator known for his etchings and engravings of rural landscapes. 5. James Sly (1905-1987), an American actor and stuntman who appeared in numerous Hollywood films throughout the 20th century.

The surname Sly has a rich history, deeply rooted in the English language and culture, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the Middle Ages. Its evolution and spread across various regions of England have contributed to its enduring legacy as a surname with a distinctive meaning and fascinating origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sly 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 167 Slys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 167 1.51x
Wiltshire 143 14.63x
Gloucestershire 98 4.52x
Surrey 82 1.52x
Warwickshire 69 2.48x
Devon 68 2.96x
Kent 63 1.67x
Hampshire 54 2.38x
Yorkshire 46 0.42x
Somerset 44 2.47x
Dorset 40 5.51x
Staffordshire 31 0.83x
Northamptonshire 24 2.31x
Lincolnshire 21 1.19x
Durham 18 0.55x
Lancashire 15 0.11x
Monmouthshire 15 1.88x
Worcestershire 14 0.97x
Cornwall 13 1.04x
Norfolk 12 0.71x
Suffolk 12 0.89x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.57x
Berkshire 8 0.96x
Essex 8 0.37x
Glamorgan 8 0.42x
Sussex 8 0.43x
Leicestershire 7 0.57x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.73x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.40x
Shropshire 6 0.63x
Royal Navy 5 3.80x
Bedfordshire 4 0.70x
Oxfordshire 2 0.29x
Angus 1 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.31x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warminster in Wiltshire leads with 34 Slys recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.73x.

Place Total Index
Warminster 34 158.73x
Brinkworth 33 750.00x
St Marylebone London 27 4.58x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 26 65.56x
Walsall Foreign 24 12.45x
Portsea 23 5.18x
Shoreditch London 21 4.38x
Aston 20 2.61x
Lambeth 20 2.08x
Tavistock 20 76.31x
Camberwell 18 2.55x
Lamerton 17 389.02x
Stoke Newington London 17 19.75x
Greenwich 16 9.09x
Spalding 16 45.62x
Rastrick 15 49.31x
Birmingham 14 1.51x
Bishopwearmouth 14 4.96x
Purton 14 160.92x
Deptford St Paul 13 4.47x
Lewisham 13 6.47x
Limington 12 1071.43x
Melcombe Regis 12 39.92x
Islington London 11 1.03x
Stoke Damerel 11 6.83x
Swindon 11 14.51x
Battersea 10 2.46x
Beddington 10 48.01x
Bristol St Paul In 10 17.32x
Chelsea London 10 3.00x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 18.91x
Poplar London 10 4.79x
Rowington 10 318.47x
Salisbury St Edmund 10 63.73x
Sherborne 10 46.82x
St Giles In Fields 10 26.23x
Wootton Wawen 10 113.90x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 4.41x
Calstock 9 36.67x
Dover St Mary Virgin 9 24.66x
Gamlingay 9 123.46x
St Andrew Holborn 8 21.35x
St George Hanover 8 5.55x
Ystradyfodwg 8 4.74x
Azerley 7 268.20x
Cheriton 7 45.54x
Kensington London 7 1.14x
Leckhampton 7 52.43x
Leicester St Margaret 7 2.34x
Liddiard Tregooze 7 280.00x
Paddington London 7 1.72x
Peterborough 7 9.30x
Stratton St Margaret 7 46.70x
West Pennard 7 244.76x
Aldershot 6 7.91x
Bruton 6 85.71x
Dorchester St Peter 6 114.07x
Dudley 6 3.42x
Hambledon 6 78.53x
Lancaster 6 7.69x
Leek Lowe 6 12.09x
Morley 6 10.54x
North Stainley Cum 6 384.62x
Plymouth Charles The 6 5.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.70x
Wylye 6 322.58x
Amport 5 194.55x
Bovey Tracey 5 62.11x
Dursley 5 56.12x
Halstead 5 19.65x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 13.25x
Kings Norton 5 3.86x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 32.83x
Millbrook 5 8.76x
Richards Castle 5 173.01x
Richmond 5 6.63x
Royal Navy 5 4.44x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 16.87x
Tottenham 5 2.84x
Westbury On Trym 5 6.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 62
Elizabeth 47
Sarah 33
Emma 26
Jane 26
Ellen 22
Ann 21
Annie 21
Eliza 20
Emily 19
Alice 14
Anne 11
Frances 10
Maria 10
Hannah 9
Louisa 9
Edith 8
Fanny 8
Florence 8
Harriet 8
Kate 7
Lucy 7
Martha 7
Elizth. 6
Caroline 5
Harriett 5
Margaret 5
Rose 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Bessie 4
Ethel 4
Jessie 4
Ruth 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Charlotte 3
Esther 3
Julia 3
Rosa 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Eleanor 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rachel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 73
John 55
George 36
Henry 28
James 27
Thomas 19
Samuel 18
Alfred 17
Charles 17
Edward 16
Robert 15
Albert 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 13
Richard 13
Edwin 12
Joseph 8
Ernest 6
David 5
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Percy 5
Tom 5
Edmund 3
Ephraim 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Jesse 3
Jonathan 3
Mark 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Andrew 2
Bertie 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Peter 2
Sanford 2
Seth 2
Sydney 2
Allen 1
Edley 1
Edwd. 1
Elliot 1
Worthey 1

FAQ

Sly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,127 people were recorded with the Sly surname. That placed it at #3,534 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,018 in 2016. That gives Sly a modern rank of #5,725.

What does the Sly surname mean?

A nickname-derived surname referring to a cunning or clever person, from the Middle English word "sly."

What does the Sly map show?

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