Sleeper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Sleeper surname is thought to be a habitational name taken from any of the several places so named, such as Slape in Dorset or Sleap in Shropshire. 1 2 The word "slape" comes from Middle English, and means a "slippery" or "miry" place."
Alternatively, the name could have been occupational for a "sword-slyper, a cutler, one whose principal work was to whet swords. " 3 "Slyper is the name of a diamond-cutter in London. Hence no doubt the surname Sleeper. " 4
Early Origins of the Sleeper family
The surname Sleeper was first found in Kent where John le Slepere was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1212. A few years later, Hugh le Slepere was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1232. 5
In Oxfordshire, we found Simon le Slepar in the Hundredorum Rolls for 1273. 2 All these entries point to the occupational nature of the name at that time.
Later, Johannes Slipar was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2
Early History of the Sleeper family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sleeper research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1276, 1574, 1600, 1729 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Sleeper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sleeper Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Slape, Sleep, Sleap, Slape, Slepe, Sleip, Sleape, Sleapa, Sleeper and many more.
Early Notables of the Sleeper family
More information is included under the topic Early Sleeper Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sleeper Ranking
In the United States, the name Sleeper is the 9,631st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6
Sleeper migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Sleeper Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Thomas Sleeper, who arrived in Hampton, NH in 1646 7
Sleeper Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Adam Sleeper, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1758 7
Sleeper Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- S.W. Sleeper, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Cartagena, in 1894
- Henry Dike Sleeper, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
- Jacob Sleeper, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
- Elizabeth Sleeper, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1896
- H. D. Sleeper, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1897
Sleeper Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Alden B. Sleeper, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
- Jacob Sleeper, aged 33, who immigrated to America from Paris, in 1903
- Jacko Sleeper, aged 34, who settled in America from Paris, in 1904
- Jacob Sleeper, aged 29, who landed in America, in 1907
- Harold Sleeper, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sleeper migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Sleeper Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Edward Sleeper, aged 45, who settled in Montreal, Canada, in 1913
Contemporary Notables of the name Sleeper (post 1700) +
- Thomas M. Sleeper (1956-2022), American composer and conductor, Director of Orchestral Activities and Conductor of the University of Miami Frost Symphony Orchestra until his retirement in 2018
- Henry Davis Sleeper (1878-1934), American antiquarian, collector, and interior decorator, recipient of the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honor
- John Sherburne Sleeper (1794-1878), American sailor, ship master and novelist, 6th Mayor of Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Jim Sleeper (b. 1947), American writer and lecturer in political science at Yale University
- Albert Edson Sleeper (1862-1934), American politician, the 29th Governor of Michigan, eponym of Albert E. Sleeper State Park
- Josiah Sleeper (d. 1946), American businessman who founded Sleeper's College, Chester, Pennsylvania (1910)
- Martha Sleeper (1910-1983), American silent film comedienne of the 1920s
- Elias Sleeper Stover (1836-1927), American businessman, politician, and university president
Citations +
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)