Silverstone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The English surname Silverstone 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 Silverstone family

The surname Silverstone 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 Silverstone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Silverstone 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 Silverstone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Silverstone Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Silverstone 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 Silverstone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Silverstone 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 Silverstone (post 1700) +

Abbey Silverstone, American computer pioneer, co-founder and VP of operations of Silicon Graphics (SGI)
Louis Donald "Lou" Silverstone (1924-2015), American comedy writer, one of "The Usual Gang of Idiots" at MAD Magazine from 1962 to 1990
Alicia Silverstone (b. 1976), American Golden Globe nominated actress, producer, author, and activist
Benjamin Maurice Silverstone (b. 1979), English barrister and former actor
Monty Silverstone (b. 1933), English actor and real estate investor, father of Alicia Silverstone
Mr. Howard Martin Silverstone M.B.E., British recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to British business in the USA 5
Arnold Silverstone (1911-1977), Baron Ashdown, British life peer, property developer who developed Ashdown House, on Victoria Street, London SW1

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)
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 31 October 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1