Silverstein History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The English surname Silverstein is of several distinct origins. Firstly, it is derived from the Old English "silfor," meaning "silversmith"; in this instance, the progenitor of the name would have been someone who practiced this profession. 1

Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Old English "seolfre," meaning "silvery stream," and would in this case refer to someone who lived by such a stream. 2

Early Origins of the Silverstein family

The surname Silverstein was first found in Lincolnshire where the Book of Seals recorded Lucas Siluer in 1205 during the reign of King John, of England (1199-1216.) Later in Yorkshire, the Subsidy Rolls recorded John Siluer in 1301. Robert Silverhewer was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Yorkshire in 1212 and William Sylverour was a Freeman Of York in 1417. Thomas atte Selure (1327) and Thomas del Silvere (1332) were both recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. 3

Up north in Scotland, "John Syllar was tenant of the garden of the Hospital of Dundee, 1464. James Silvir, "succentor Glasguensi," appears as witness in 1497, and may be James Siluer, rector of Durisdere, 1504. William Silver de Stobo was a charter witness, 1506, and another William Siluer or Silwer was a cleric in Aberdeen, 1540, and chaplain of Folaroull, 1546. The name Silver on a tomb in the Calton cemetery, Edinburgh, near the Stevenson 'lair' probably suggested to Robert Louis Stevenson the surname of his 'Long John Silver' in Treasure Island." 4

Early History of the Silverstein family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Silverstein research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1464, 1504, 1560, 1599, 1620 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Silverstein History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Silverstein Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Silver, Silvar, Silber, Silvers, Silvars, Silvia, Sylvia and many more.

Early Notables of the Silverstein family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Batholemew Silver, who was seated in Hertfordshire about 1350; Alexander Silver, a wealthy East India trader from Aberdeenshire, Scotland in the 1700s; and George Silver (c.1560s-1620s), an English gentleman...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Silverstein Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Silverstein Ranking

In the United States, the name Silverstein is the 6,249^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Silverstein family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Silver, who settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1637; Mary Silver, who came to Virginia in 1643; Archibald Silver, a Scottish Quaker who settled in West New Jersey in 1680.

Contemporary Notables of the name Silverstein (post 1700) +

Charles Silverstein (1935-2023), American writer, therapist, and LGBTQ rights advocate
Stanley Oscar Silverstein (1924-2016), Lithuania-born American entrepreneur
Joseph Silverstein (1932-2015), American violinist and conductor, Music Director, Utah Symphony Orchestra (1983-1998)
Joseph Silverstein (b. 1932), American violinist and conductor
Keith Silverstein (b. 1970), American voice actor
Eva Silverstein (b. 1970), American string theorist
Max Silverstein (1911-1931), American lieutenant aboard the USS Sims (DD-409), posthumously awarded the Silver Cross, eponym of the USS Silverstein (DE-534), a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort
Michael Silverstein (b. 1945), American professor of anthropology, linguistics, and psychology at the University of Chicago
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (1930-1999), American poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children's books

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/