NameCensus.

UK surname

Sollis

An English topographic surname derived from a location name referring to land with sunny or bright qualities.

In the 1881 census there were 308 people recorded with the Sollis surname, ranking it #9,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, up from #9,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Farringdon, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Cotswold and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sollis is 642 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 92.5%.

1881 census count

308

Ranked #9,542

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

1999

642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sollis had 308 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 509 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sollis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sollis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sollis 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 209 #10,066
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 308 #9,542
1891 historical 323 #10,480
1901 historical 436 #8,907
1911 historical 509 #7,732
1997 modern 589 #8,262
1998 modern 641 #7,986
1999 modern 642 #8,039
2000 modern 611 #8,322
2001 modern 597 #8,321
2002 modern 614 #8,316
2003 modern 577 #8,555
2004 modern 579 #8,550
2005 modern 570 #8,582
2006 modern 568 #8,626
2007 modern 582 #8,555
2008 modern 586 #8,575
2009 modern 598 #8,620
2010 modern 613 #8,647
2011 modern 618 #8,490
2012 modern 583 #8,784
2013 modern 600 #8,752
2014 modern 608 #8,709
2015 modern 594 #8,798
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Sollis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Farringdon, Great, London parishes and Bishops Cleeve. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Cotswold, West Oxfordshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Farringdon, Great Berkshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bishops Cleeve Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 003 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Cotswold 007 Cotswold
3 Cotswold 005 Cotswold
4 West Oxfordshire 012 West Oxfordshire
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 006 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sollis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sollis

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sollis is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Sollis 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

Sollis falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sollis

The surname Sollis has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational surname derived from the place name "Sollers", which was a hamlet in Worcestershire. The name itself is thought to have its roots in the Old English word "soler", meaning an upper chamber or loft.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire, where a Robert de Soleres is mentioned in 1275. The spelling variations of the name during that time included Sollers, Solers, and Sollis.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John de Soleres as a taxpayer. This suggests that the Sollis family had established themselves in the area by that point.

In the 16th century, the surname began to spread beyond Worcestershire. In 1567, a William Sollis was recorded as a resident of Berkshire in the Lay Subsidy Rolls. This could indicate that members of the family had migrated to other parts of England.

One notable figure bearing the surname was Sir William Sollis, a wealthy merchant and alderman of London who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1612 and was knighted by King James I in 1616.

Another prominent individual was Samuel Sollis, born in 1629, who was a renowned clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire and published several religious works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the Sollis family continued to make their mark. John Sollis, born in 1704, was a successful businessman and landowner in Gloucestershire. His son, also named John Sollis (1737-1812), followed in his footsteps and expanded the family's holdings.

The 19th century saw the birth of George Sollis (1819-1898), a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Masonic School for Boys.

Throughout its history, the surname Sollis has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, with individuals from the family contributing to various fields such as business, religion, and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sollis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sollis 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. Gloucestershire leads with 69 Sollis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.86x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 69 11.86x
Oxfordshire 51 27.85x
Berkshire 47 21.11x
Surrey 28 1.94x
Warwickshire 26 3.48x
Worcestershire 17 4.39x
Devon 13 2.11x
Shropshire 10 3.90x
Wiltshire 8 3.05x
Essex 7 1.20x
Middlesex 7 0.24x
Staffordshire 7 0.70x
Yorkshire 6 0.20x
Northamptonshire 3 1.08x
Somerset 2 0.42x
Glamorgan 1 0.19x
Herefordshire 1 0.82x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishops Cleeve in Gloucestershire leads with 18 Sollis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1224.49x.

Place Total Index
Bishops Cleeve 18 1224.49x
Great Faringdon 15 468.75x
Winterbourne 12 373.83x
Ilfracombe 11 173.23x
Bristol St Paul In 10 64.56x
Ludlow St Lawrence 10 196.08x
Cow Honeybourne 9 2432.43x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 15.08x
Curbridge 8 1311.48x
Letcombe Regis 8 1860.47x
Longworth 8 1333.33x
Minety 8 1095.89x
Birmingham 7 2.81x
Bretforton 7 1228.07x
Neithrop 7 113.82x
Reigate Foreign 7 44.73x
Studley 7 218.75x
West Ham 7 5.42x
Wigginton Hopwas Hays 7 2121.21x
Betchworth 6 337.08x
Brize Norton 6 769.23x
Buckland 6 821.92x
Leek Wootten 6 1463.41x
Pershore St Andrew 6 280.37x
Saddleworth 6 26.47x
Steeple Barton 6 645.16x
Buscot 5 1315.79x
Salford Priors 5 595.24x
St Pancras London 5 2.09x
Steeple Aston 5 724.64x
Alvescot 4 1081.08x
Battersea 4 3.67x
Charlbury 4 194.17x
Clifton 4 13.61x
Eaton Hastings 4 2857.14x
Sarsden 4 2500.00x
Willersey 4 1000.00x
Bitton 3 59.29x
Aston Cote 2 277.78x
Bath St Peter St Paul 2 94.79x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.65x
Cirencester 2 25.41x
Dawlish 2 43.48x
Over Worton 2 3333.33x
Abbots Morton 1 454.55x
Bibury 1 142.86x
Bristol Christchurch 1 119.05x
Bristol St Augustine 1 10.65x
Camberwell 1 0.53x
Cheltenham 1 2.23x
Culworth 1 212.77x
Deddington 1 50.25x
Edgbaston 1 4.31x
Inkberrow 1 63.69x
Kensington London 1 0.61x
Leominster 1 19.88x
Llanwonno 1 5.39x
Narberth North 1 59.52x
Nether Worton 1 1666.67x
Newbottle 1 192.31x
Oxford St Giles 1 11.44x
Reading St Mary 1 5.61x
Redditch 1 12.74x
Rotherhithe 1 2.73x
Sulgrave 1 212.77x
Tewkesbury 1 19.27x
Whistones 1 35.71x
Willesden 1 3.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 18
Mary 16
Jane 8
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Lizzie 3
Phebe 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Amey 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Elen 1
Ellin 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Isbell 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Louis 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Marion 1
Millicent 1
Minnie 1
Mrs. 1
Nellie 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 18
James 13
George 12
Thomas 10
Charles 9
Henry 7
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Enos 2
Ernest 2
Joseph 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Abel 1
Charlie 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Clements 1
Daniel 1
Eli 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.J. 1
Giles 1
Herbert 1
Hy.Geo. 1
Jethro 1
Levi 1
Louis 1
Rewben 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Sollis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sollis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 308 people were recorded with the Sollis surname. That placed it at #9,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sollis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Sollis a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Sollis surname mean?

An English topographic surname derived from a location name referring to land with sunny or bright qualities.

What does the Sollis map show?

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