Surname Silvester - Meaning and Origin
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Silvester: What does the surname Silvester mean?
The last name Silvester is derived from the Latin "silvester" meaning "from the forest." It is believed to be of Old French origin, as it appears in the records of Normandy in the 12th century. It was adopted by English speakers in the 13th century, likely in reference to a woodland outside of London.
The name is most commonly associated with German speaking regions where it is used in combination with other first names in Germany or countries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. In England, Silvester is sometimes found as a surname, particularly in regions surrounding London.
The surname Silvester can be traced to a number of possible origins. It appears on English nobility rolls and census records, alongside other spells such as Sylvester and Silvestor. The name was quite common in areas of Northern France and the Netherlands, suggesting it also had a part in the development of the German language.
In Eastern Europe, the surname Silvester may be found in more modern versions of the name. It is a common surname among the Czech and Slovak populations, suggesting a geographical origin.
The surname Silvester is connected with a number of stories and traditions, mostly related to religious or family histories. It is also associated with certain poems, including a poem written by nineteenth-century German poet Berthold Auerbach.
The surname Silvester continues to be common today, particularly in places of its original origin. Many modern descendants of the Silvester line still have stories to tell about their old surnames, and the names remain a reflection of their pasts.
Order DNA origin analysisSilvester: Where does the name Silvester come from?
The last name Silvester is most common in countries of Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region. Specifically, it is found most commonly in France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, and Romania. In France, the family name can be found concentrated in the Île-de-France region, where around 0.2% of the population bear this last name.
In Portugal, this surname appears in the Azores islands, but it is also present throughout continental Portugal. Approximately 0.02% of the population has this last name. The same applies in Spain, although the percentage of population with this surname is much smaller (approximately 0.01%).
In Italy, this last name is found mostly in northern regions such as Abruzzo, Liguria, Lombardy, and the Veneto. Approximately 0.02% of the population there bears this surname. The same frequency of this last name has been found in Austria, although the distributions of the Silvester surname differ.
Lastly, the highest frequency of the family name Silvester is in Romania, both in the north and south of the country. An estimated 0.07% of the population in Romania holds this last name. As a result, this surname is especially common in the regions of Bihor, Maramureş, Sălaj, Bistrița-Năsăud, Satu Mare, and Covasna.
Variations of the surname Silvester
The surname Silvester has various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include:
Silvestre: This is the French version of the name and is derived from the Latin word silver which means woods.
Silvesteri: This is the Italian rendition of the name and is also derived from the Latin term silvestris which means of the woods.
Sylvester: This is the Anglicized version of the name and it is derived from the fact that people from France and Italy were bringing this name to the Anglo-Saxon world.
Sylvest: This is a more common spelling in the United States and is derived from the French version of the surname.
Sylvester: This is one of the more popular spellings of the name and can be found throughout the world.
Selvester: This variation of the name can be found in the United States and is derived from the Latin term Silvestris.
Silvestri: This is a variation of the Italian spelling and is derived from the Latin term silvestris.
Sylvesterson: This is an uncommon variation of the name and is derived from the fact that it was once used as a patronymic; the son of Silvester.
Selvister: This is a modern spelling of the name and can be found in the United States and Canada. It is derived from the Latin term silvestris.
Selviston: This is also a modern spelling of the name and is derived from the Spanish version of Silvister.
All of the above variations of the surname have the same origin and came to us from either France or Italy. As the name has been around for centuries, more and more variations keep coming up as families move from one part of the world to another. Ultimately, the origin of the surname is Latin and has been used by many different cultures around the globe.
Famous people with the name Silvester
- Sylvester Stallone: Sylvester Stallone is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter known mainly for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa in the Rocky film series.
- Sylvester Weaver: Weaver was an American businessman, record executive, and the first African-American to head a major record label. He co-founded major Harlem-based record labels Okeh Records and Apollo Records, both of them important to the development of jazz and blues music.
- Sylvester McCoy: McCoy is a Scottish actor and comedian, best known for playing the role of the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC television series Doctor Who.
- Sylvester Levay: Levay is a Hungarian composer and musician, best known for his famous instrumental single, “Maniac” from the soundtrack of the movie Flashdance.
- Sylvester Zolotow: Zolotow is an American screenwriter who wrote the screenplay for the Charlie Chaplin comedy classic City Lights.
- Sylvester Smith: Smith was an American professional football player who played in five professional leagues from 1950 to 1968.
- Sylvester Ritter: Ritter was an American professional wrestler who was best known by his ring name “Junkyard Dog”.
- Sylvester the Jester: Sylvester was an American clown, best known for appearing on the popular TV variety show, The Ed Sullivan Show. He also appeared on dozens of other TV shows and movies.
- Sylvester Potts: Potts was an American professional boxer. He was the first African-American to win the World Boxing Council light-heavyweight championship, in 1960.
- Sylvester Baker: Baker was an American inventor and entrepreneur who is credited with inventing the world's first commercially successful electric guitar, the Fender Stratocaster.