This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Silverwood family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Silverwood Family History

Silverwood Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from one or more places called with Middle English silver ‘silver’ (Old English seolfor) + wode ‘wood’ (Old English wudu) presumably referring to the color of birch trees.

One source of the surname appears to be a lost place in Greasley (Nottinghamshire) on the edge of Sherwood Forest.

Another source may be Silver Wood in Ravenfield (Yorkshire) and there may have been yet another in the Craven area of Yorkshire.

The surname was sometimes shortened to Silwood and Selwood.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Silverwood family from?

You can see how Silverwood families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Silverwood family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Silverwood families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 441 Silverwood families living in Yorkshire. This was about 59% of all the recorded Silverwood's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Silverwood families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Silverwood surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Silverwood ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Silverwood. 9% of Silverwood men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 75% of Silverwood women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Silverwood were Cinema Manager and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Silverwood | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Colliery Hewer
    9%
  • School Master
    9%
  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Cinema Manager
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Silverwood family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Silverwood. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Silverwood census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Silverwood

Passenger Lists

There are 979 immigration records available for the last name Silverwood. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Silverwood immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 930 military records available for the last name Silverwood. For the veterans among your Silverwood ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Silverwood military records

You've only scratched the surface of Silverwood family history

Discover More

What is the average Silverwood lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Silverwood life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Silverwood in 1958 was 62, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Silverwood

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Silverwood ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Silverwood family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial