SYLVESTER
Sylvester is a surname of Latin origin, derived from the personal name Silvester, which in turn stems from the Latin word silva meaning “forest” or “wood”. The term denotes a person who dwelt in, or worked within, wooded areas.
The personal name was widely used in antiquity and was borne by three Popes, including a contemporary of Constantine the Great. In medieval England it appears to have been first adopted by clerics. The name appears in the earliest English records as “Silvester” in 1154 at Leicestershire, and as “Selvester” in 1204 at Yorkshire. By 1212 the surname was recorded as “Silvestr” in the Book of Fees for Hampshire during the reign of King John.
Subsequent medieval examples include William Silvester of Lancashire in 1250 and William Sevester of Kent in 1455. The modern spelling has evolved into a number of variants, such as Silvester, Sylvester, Selvester, Siviter and Seveter.
In heraldry the Silvester family is granted a silver shield featuring an eradicated green oak tree and two red crescents in chief, with a crest of a lion's head erased green. The oak tree symbolizes antiquity and strength, while the crescent symbols convey faith and hope.
One noted bearer of the name was Abram Silvester, aged fourteen, who emigrated from London to Virginia in January 1634, making him an early settler in the New World.
The surname is fairly common in regions of the United Kingdom and the United States. In the UK it ranks among the approximately seven hundred most frequent surnames, with the highest concentrations in London and Greater Manchester. In the United States it is the 868th most common surname, most prevalent in the northeast, especially Pennsylvania, New York and Rhode Island.
Globally the name is also found in France, Italy, Poland, Canada, Malta, India, Australia and South Africa. Most bearers of the name can trace historical ties to western European countries, consistent with the Latin roots of the surname.
Other recognised variants include Silvester, Silvesteri, Silvestri, Sylvesteri, Sylvestero, Sylvestre and Sylvé. The Italian form Silvestri and the French form Sylvestre are particularly common in their respective countries, whereas Synchronic spelling Sylvester remains predominant in England.
Typical given names associated with the Sylvester surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Gary
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Sylvester in...
Braille
⠎⠽⠇⠧⠑⠎⠞⠑⠗
Morse
...-.--.-.....-....-..-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 4,006 people named Sylvester in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,333rd most common surname in Britain. Around 62 in a million people in Britain are named Sylvester.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Sylvester
- Rhys Thomas Sylvester -
- Jules Sylvester - Actor
- Terry Sylvester - Musician
- David Sylvester - Art critic and author (1924 to 2001)
- Steven Sylvester - Chartered Sports Psychologist
- George Sylvester - Politician (1898 to 1961)
- Jessica Sylvester - Swimmer, Olympic athlete
- William Henry Thomas Sylvester - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1831 to 1920)
- Megan Sylvester - Synchronised diver
- Jamie Sylvester - Welsh cricketer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.