Surname Sillitoe - Meaning and Origin

Sillitoe: What does the surname Sillitoe mean?

The surname Sillitoe is derived from an old Anglo Saxon/Norman name, Sillet. This surname was originally given as a nickname to someone who had a personality similar to a little jug or bottle. It may also have been used to refer to a person with a long, slender stature.

The actual name Sillitoe is derived from the Old English “sillet”, which was a diminutive form of “sille”, meaning an earthenware drinking cup or jug, or from characters in a ballad, indicating a person with a long or slender physique.

The surname Sillitoe is predominantly found in England, where it is the 457th most common name. It is also quite popular in Scotland. Other variants of the name Sillitoe include Sillett, Sillitoe, Sillet, Sylvia, Sylia and Littoe.

The Sillitoe surname has a long history and is found all around the world. There some famous people with the surname, ranging from authors and scientists to military and sports figures. Alan Sillitoe was a renowned British novelist best known for his works such as The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

Today, Sillitoe remains a common name throughout England, Scotland, and other parts of the world, and it continues to is used as a reference to a person's fanily heritage, as well as their personalities and stature.

Sillitoe: Where does the name Sillitoe come from?

The last name Sillitoe is of British origin and is mainly found in the United Kingdom today. It is an uncommon name, and is more likely to be found in the North and East England region, more specifically in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland.

The name can also be found in Scotland, mainly in Ayrshire, and Northern Ireland, mainly in Down and Antrim. It is also found in Australia and the United States with smaller numbers in the other parts of the world.

The name Sillitoe may have derived from a Middle English and Anglo-French word 'sillot', which means 'mound-like'. It could also have come from 'sill', which means 'seated' and 'tou', which is the French word for 'thorn'.

The Sillitoe family have diverse and diversely spelt variations, for example; Sillito, Sillitoe, Sillitto, Sellito, Sydillot and Sillott amongst others.

The name is a source of fascination to many as it has a rich and interesting history. For example, in the War of the Roses, a member of the Sillitoe family fought alongside Richard Davyss in defending his castle, this event is often referred to as 'The Siege of Busheymore'. Many members of the Sillitoe family have contributed to the building of churches, universities and other historical buildings in the UK, Australia, and even the United States.

Variations of the surname Sillitoe

Sillitoe is an old English surname of Norman origin, with multiple variants, spellings and associated surnames. Variants of the surname include Silletoe, Sylletoe and Sillet. Sillitoe, Silletoe, Sylletoe and Sillet are all variants belonging to a larger class of family surnames deriving from the Old English word 'sell', meaning 'fair, blessed and happy'. In this sense, the surname could be translated to 'happy toe', 'happy head' or 'happy face'.

Variations of spelling include Sillitowe, Sellitow, Sellitoe and Selitoe. Associated surnames may include Sallitoe, Sillito and Sillitoo. The related surname Syllitoe is derived from the French-Norman surname Sylliet, which is derived from the Old English surnames Sillet and Sillitoe. Other French variants can include Syllet and Sylliet.

Other ancient surnames belonging to a larger class derived from the Old English 'sell' include Sellers, Sellick, Selleck, Silliker, Sillett, Sylvan, Sylvanus, Silliment, Sellman and Sellam. These surnames can all trace their roots back to a single origin, implying some relationship between the various names.

In some cases, Sillitoe is an alteration of the Scottish and Irish surname, 'McCellatoe', derived from the Old Irish phrase 'Mac Caileatóig'. McCellatoe is related to a larger family of Scottish and Irish surnames, which are all derived from the Old Irish Mac Ceileatóig, meaning 'son of the foal-herder'. Variations on this surname include McLeatoe, McCellatoe and MacCleatoe.

Finally, other variants may include Sellers, Sillers, Soltau, Seltz, Selter and Seltzer. These variations on the surname are derived from the Old High German word 'sellen', meaning 'to bathe'. Ultimately, Sillitoe is a surname which has a large collection of associated forms, all deriving from a single origin.

Famous people with the name Sillitoe

• Alan Sillitoe: English novelist and playwright, best known for his novels Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
• Leonard Sillitoe: British military officer, cryptographer and intelligence officer, held the highest rank in British intelligence and recognised as one of its most successful and visionary officers.
• Richard Sillitoe: British journalist and writer, a foreign correspondent for the Times and Independent, and author of nine books including his autobiography Between the Lines.
• Thomas Sillitoe: English actor and voice actor, known for his works in Black Mirror, The Feed, Blithe Spirit, Watership Down and many other films.
• Simon Sillitoe: British sculptor, won the Jerwood Sculpture Prize in 2004 and is a winner of the Mark Tanner Sculpture Award.
• Emma Sillitoe: British novelist whose work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, The Guardian and New Statesman. Her debut novel, The Winter of Francis, was published in 2018.
• Ryan Sillitoe: English professional footballer, plays for WalsallFC in the National League.
• Jeffrey Sillitoe: British poet, winner of the Frinton & Walton poetry prize in 2008.
• Katie Sillitoe: British model and actress, known for her appearances in Toast of London, The Inbetweeners and The Voyage of Dr. Dolittle.
• Scott Sillitoe: English film director, his feature debut, The Common, was released in 2014 and won the Best of the Festival award at the London Independent Film Festival.

Other surnames

Sillito