NameCensus.

UK surname

Sylla

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "wooded area".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lambeth, Ealing and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sylla is 115 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2016

115 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Sylla surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sylla surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sylla 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
1997 modern 15 #36,409
1998 modern 17 #36,240
1999 modern 20 #35,923
2000 modern 13 #36,635
2001 modern 14 #36,372
2002 modern 27 #35,243
2003 modern 27 #35,279
2004 modern 38 #34,555
2005 modern 53 #33,528
2006 modern 69 #32,343
2007 modern 74 #32,190
2008 modern 77 #32,181
2009 modern 86 #31,612
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 78 #32,819
2012 modern 92 #31,528
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Syllas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lambeth, Ealing, Sandwell, Southwark and Croydon. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
2 Ealing 030 Ealing
3 Sandwell 010 Sandwell
4 Southwark 022 Southwark
5 Croydon 010 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sylla

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sylla

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Sylla surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Sylla 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sylla is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sylla 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

Sylla 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 Sylla is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Sylla

The surname Sylla originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Roman name Sulla, which was a cognomen (nickname) of the Patrician Gemina family. The name Sulla has its roots in the Oscan language, spoken by the Samnites in southern Italy, and may be related to the word 'sullus' meaning 'dark' or 'swarthy'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sylla can be found in the historical figure Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, a Roman dictator and general who lived from 138 BC to 78 BC. He played a pivotal role in the Roman Republic's transformation into the Roman Empire. His cognomen 'Felix' means 'the lucky one' in Latin.

Another notable bearer of the name Sylla was the Byzantine historian and politician Nicephorus Bryennius, who lived in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. His work 'Material for History' is a valuable source for the history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Alexios I Komnenos.

In the 15th century, a family from the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy, adopted the surname Sylla. This family produced several notable individuals, including the philosopher and theologian Carlo Sylla (1490-1558) and the Renaissance humanist and poet Paolo Sylla (1521-1589).

During the 16th century, the name Sylla was also found in France, with the French dramatist and poet Robert Garnier (1545-1590) using the pseudonym 'Sylla' for some of his works.

In the 19th century, the Italian composer and pianist Giovanni Battista Sylla (1815-1892) gained recognition for his operas and piano compositions, while the French painter and illustrator Émile Sylla (1839-1896) is known for his paintings depicting scenes from Provence and Paris.

It is worth noting that the surname Sylla has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Silla, Syla, and Sylla. Additionally, the name has been associated with certain place names, such as the town of Silla in the province of Massa-Carrara, Italy, and the Silla mountain range in northern Portugal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Sylla surname: questions and answers

How common is the Sylla surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Sylla a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Sylla surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "wooded area".

What does the Sylla map show?

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