Sleeth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Sleeth family

The surname Sleeth was first found in Essex, where Walter Sleh was listed in the Feet of Fines in 1219. Thomas Sleh, Slei, Slegh was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1219 and Robert Sley was listed in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221. 1

The "epithet sly did not primarily imply anything dishonourable; though like 'crafty' and 'cunning' it has since come to be taken in a bad sense. The Slys or Sleighs were skilful men - cunning of hand. We are informed that Sly was anciently a common name in Shakespeare's own town. " 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Ralph Sly in Hertfordshire; John Sley in Cambridgeshire; and John le Slege in Oxfordshire. 3

The hamlet of Ash in Derbyshire was an ancient family seat at one time. "The place was the property of the Sleigh family, from whom it came to the Chethams, and subsequently to the Cottons." 4

Early History of the Sleeth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sleeth research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1271, 1275, 1317, 1574, 1674, 1679 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Sleeth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sleeth Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sleigh, Sleach, Sleich, Sleech, Sliach, Sleath, Sleith, Sleth, Sleight, Sley, Slie and many more.

Early Notables of the Sleeth family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sleeth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sleeth family to Ireland

Some of the Sleeth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sleeth migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sleeth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Sleeth, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1802

Sleeth migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5

Sleeth Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

William Sleeth, who settled in Jamaica in 1684

Contemporary Notables of the name Sleeth (post 1700) +

William Charles "Billy" Sleeth (b. 1979), former American soccer player
Kyle A. Sleeth (b. 1981), American Major League Baseball starting pitcher
Natalie Allyn Sleeth (1930-1992), née Wakeley, American composer
Matthew Sleeth (b. 1972), Australian visual artist
Charlotte Sleeth Farrar (1873-1943), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1924, 1932 (alternate); Member of New York Republican State Committee, 1930 6

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html