NameCensus.

UK surname

Slyfield

A locative surname derived from a place named "Sly Field" referring to a sly or cunning field.

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Slyfield surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, down from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stoke-next-Guildford, Woking and Binfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wokingham, Rother and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Slyfield is 188 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.6%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1901

188 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Slyfield had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Slyfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Slyfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Slyfield 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 115 #15,634
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 155 #17,920
1901 historical 188 #15,742
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 147 #22,081
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 148 #23,697
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Slyfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stoke-next-Guildford, Woking, Binfield, Winkfield with Ascot and Easthampstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wokingham, Rother, Derbyshire Dales, Darlington and Guildford. 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 Stoke-next-Guildford Surrey
2 Woking Surrey
3 Binfield Berkshire
4 Winkfield with Ascot Berkshire
5 Easthampstead Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wokingham 018 Wokingham
2 Rother 001 Rother
3 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
4 Darlington 010 Darlington
5 Guildford 006 Guildford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Slyfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Slyfield

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Slyfield is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Slyfield is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Slyfield 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 Slyfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Slyfield

The surname Slyfield has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'sly' meaning cunning or sly, and 'feld' meaning field or open land. This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived in a field or open area, or perhaps someone who was known for their cunning or sly nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Slyfield is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a John Slyfeld is mentioned. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1279, where a William Slyfeld is listed.

The Slyfield surname may have originated from a place name, as was common practice during the Middle Ages. There is a village called Slyfield in Surrey, England, which could potentially be the source of the name. The name Slyfield is also similar to the place name Slyfield in Yorkshire, which was recorded as Slighfeld in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In the 14th century, a notable individual named Robert Slyfield was a Member of Parliament for the borough of Shoreham in Sussex in 1332. Another early record is of a John Slyfield, who was a landowner in the village of Bray, Berkshire, in 1381.

During the 16th century, a prominent figure was William Slyfield (1522-1590), who was a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was known for his philanthropic work and contributed to the rebuilding of several churches in the city.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Slyfield (1625-1698), who was a renowned lawyer and served as Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1687 to 1688.

Another significant figure was Richard Slyfield (1672-1734), who was a celebrated architect and designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Martin-in-the-Fields church and the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

While the Slyfield surname may not be as common today as some other English surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages and is deeply rooted in the English countryside and its place names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Slyfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Slyfield 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. Surrey leads with 49 Slyfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.31x.

County Total Index
Surrey 49 8.31x
Berkshire 41 45.16x
Essex 9 3.77x
Middlesex 7 0.58x
Hampshire 5 2.02x
Sussex 4 1.96x
Devon 2 0.79x
Kent 2 0.48x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.37x
Herefordshire 1 2.02x
Oxfordshire 1 1.34x
Somerset 1 0.51x
Wiltshire 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Woking in Surrey leads with 13 Slyfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 366.20x.

Place Total Index
Woking 13 366.20x
Wokingham 11 531.40x
Fordham 8 2758.62x
Reading St Giles 8 89.79x
Thames Ditton 8 655.74x
Binfield 7 1000.00x
Worplesdon 7 985.92x
Battersea 6 13.48x
Winkfield 6 397.35x
Chelsea London 5 13.72x
Eversley 5 1785.71x
Walton On Thames 4 147.60x
Stoke 3 107.91x
Axminster 2 169.49x
Bisley 2 740.74x
Compton 2 1000.00x
Hastings St Clement 2 104.17x
Hurst 2 168.07x
Sandhurst 2 113.64x
Warfield 2 243.90x
Bourton 1 833.33x
Bromley 1 15.90x
Bromyard 1 153.85x
Deal 1 28.41x
Guildford St Mary 1 138.89x
Hastings St Leonards 1 33.33x
Islington London 1 0.85x
Kingston On Thames 1 7.06x
Long Ditton 1 104.17x
New Windsor 1 32.79x
North Mundham 1 500.00x
Oxford St Thomas 1 28.65x
Ramsbury 1 103.09x
Southwark St Saviour 1 16.08x
St George Hanover 1 6.33x
Sunninghill 1 79.37x
Taplow 1 227.27x
Walcot 1 9.64x
West Ham 1 1.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 7
Henry 7
John 6
James 5
Arthur 2
David 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edd.John 1
F.A. 1
Harry 1
Harvy 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Slyfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Slyfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Slyfield surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Slyfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Slyfield a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Slyfield surname mean?

A locative surname derived from a place named "Sly Field" referring to a sly or cunning field.

What does the Slyfield map show?

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