NameCensus.

UK surname

Solman

A surname derived from the Old Norse word "solmuna" meaning a place of salt or brine.

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Solman surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, up from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sidbury, Sidmouth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Bournemouth and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Solman is 253 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 97.3%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

1911

253 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Solman had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 253 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Solman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Solman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Solman 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 187 #12,690
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 241 #15,638
1998 modern 247 #15,813
1999 modern 249 #15,844
2000 modern 244 #16,004
2001 modern 233 #16,260
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 218 #17,230
2005 modern 214 #17,378
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 199 #18,699
2009 modern 215 #18,179
2010 modern 224 #18,047
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 219 #18,087
2013 modern 223 #18,135
2014 modern 227 #18,029
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Solmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sidbury, Sidmouth, London parishes and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Bournemouth, Maidstone and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Sidbury Devon
2 Sidmouth Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 008 East Devon
2 East Devon 011 East Devon
3 Bournemouth 021 Bournemouth
4 Maidstone 005 Maidstone
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 018 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Solman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Solman

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Solman 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

Solman is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Solman falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Solman

The surname Solman is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "sol" meaning "muddy" and "mann" meaning "man," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived or worked in a muddy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Solman can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it appears as "Solemon." This variation in spelling was not uncommon during that era, as names were often recorded phonetically.

In the 14th century, a John Solman was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dating back to 1317. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in northern England during that time.

The Solman surname may also be linked to various place names in England, such as Solman's Croft, a hamlet in Nottinghamshire, or Solman's Field, a location mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. These place names could have influenced the surname's origins or been named after early bearers of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Solman include William Solman (1540-1608), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the Elizabethan era. Another figure was John Solman (1677-1754), a renowned clockmaker from Berkshire who was known for his intricate timepieces.

In the literary world, Mary Solman (1792-1868) was a British author and poet who published several works, including "Poems on Various Subjects" in 1826. Robert Solman (1818-1891), on the other hand, was a celebrated landscape painter whose works captured the beauty of the English countryside.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir Edward Solman (1856-1932), a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charities and institutions in London during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Solman surname may have evolved and spread throughout different regions over time, its roots can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely originated as a descriptive name related to the occupation or living conditions of its early bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Solman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Solman 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. Kent leads with 31 Solmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.24x.

County Total Index
Kent 31 8.24x
Devon 27 11.77x
Middlesex 14 1.27x
Surrey 13 2.42x
Glamorgan 12 6.25x
Cornwall 4 3.21x
Somerset 4 2.25x
Gloucestershire 3 1.39x
Brecknockshire 1 4.54x
Durham 1 0.31x
Herefordshire 1 2.21x
Hertfordshire 1 1.32x
Lancashire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 11 Solmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.93x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 11 69.93x
Sidbury 10 2040.82x
Yalding 10 1052.63x
Battersea 8 19.72x
Maidstone 5 44.64x
Wouldham 5 1041.67x
East Farleigh 4 634.92x
Folkestone 4 54.87x
Fulham London 4 25.02x
Islington London 4 3.74x
Sidmouth 4 305.34x
St Clement 4 307.69x
Talaton 4 2352.94x
Tiverton 4 101.27x
Weston 4 294.12x
Bristol Christchurch 3 967.74x
Keston 3 1071.43x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 16.98x
Bermondsey 2 6.10x
St George Hanover 2 13.90x
St Marylebone London 2 3.40x
Bartestree 1 1250.00x
Brandon Byshottles 1 24.33x
Cheshunt 1 37.59x
Colyton 1 113.64x
Hay 1 121.95x
Little Bolton 1 5.95x
Llanishen 1 555.56x
Penge 1 14.20x
Reigate Foreign 1 17.18x
St Andrew Holborn 1 26.74x
Stoke Damerel 1 6.23x
Stoke Newington London 1 11.64x
Streatham 1 12.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 7
Ellen 4
Susan 4
Emma 3
Harriett 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Eliz.Sarah 1
Esther 1
Ethalipie 1
Fanny 1
G.L. 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Ida 1
Isabell 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lousia 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Rhosina 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
George 4
Henry 4
William 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
James 3
Thomas 3
David 2
Edward 2
Richard 2
Absalom 1
Charles 1
Chas 1
Chas. 1
Edw. 1
Edw.James 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Seward 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Solman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Solman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Solman surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Solman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Solman a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Solman surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old Norse word "solmuna" meaning a place of salt or brine.

What does the Solman map show?

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