Find out how popular the last name Silvers is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Silvers.

Silvers, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Silvers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Silvers in America

Silvers is the 4664th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Silvers surname appeared 7,602 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Silvers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Silvers to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Silvers

The surname Silvers is an occupational name derived from the Old English word 'siolfor' or 'seolfor,' meaning silver. It originated in England and was likely given to someone who worked as a silversmith or dealt in silver during medieval times.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Silvers dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners in England, the name appears as 'Aylward le Seolver' from Wiltshire. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name from its Old English roots.

The Silvers surname also has ties to various place names in England. For instance, the village of Silverdale in Lancashire and Silverhill in Staffordshire likely contributed to the surname's development through association with these locations.

One notable historical figure bearing the Silvers surname was William Silvers, a merchant and alderman who lived in London during the 16th century (c. 1530-1604). He was a prominent figure in the city's trade and governance.

Another early record of the Silvers name can be found in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a John Silvers was mentioned in 1587.

In the 17th century, a Thomas Silvers (c. 1620-1690) was a notable figure in colonial America, serving as a member of the Maryland General Assembly and a Justice of the Peace in Calvert County.

The Silvers surname also has a connection to the arts, with the British painter Anita Silvers (1888-1968) gaining recognition for her landscapes and portraits during the early 20th century.

Another notable figure was Ernest Silvers (1909-1985), an American football player and coach who played for the Chicago Cardinals and later coached at several universities, including the University of Southern California.

While the Silvers surname has its roots in England, it has since spread globally, with families bearing this name found in various parts of the world, reflecting the widespread migration of people over centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Silvers

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Silvers.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Silvers was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Silvers has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Silvers was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Silvers, please contact us.

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