The Sloan surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 43,261 people carried this name — #800 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 6,820 people counted. That is up 2% from 42,281 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sloan surname

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as a Celtic name: ‘Soldier, Warrior’.

From the Irish Sluaghan, Sluaghadhan: sluagh, “army, host”.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 167 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 61 births for the Sloan name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 2,700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling Sloane.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 55
Leinster 4
Connacht 1
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 24 people named Sloan.

10 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 10
Paris 7
Yvelines 2
Vendée 1
Vienne 1
Seine-Saint-Denis 1
Val-de-Marne 1
Wallis and Futuna 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

28 people named Sloan is counted in Finland.

Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 28

Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland, 1880s

Sloan was 18 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 556. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Ayrshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 594 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Sloan was recorded 80 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 328th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 115. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

108 families named Sloan, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 628 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 29
North Carolina 26
Massachusetts 14
New York 13
South Carolina 8
New Hampshire 6
Connecticut 5
Virginia 4
Maryland 2
Vermont 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 262 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sloan in American newspapers,
1886–1907.

Newspaper page from The Livingston Enterprise carrying the name Sloan
The Livingston Enterprise 1886-11-06
Newspaper page from The Columbus Commercial carrying the name Sloan
The Columbus Commercial 1903-03-17
Newspaper page from The Billings Gazette carrying the name Sloan
The Billings Gazette 1907-07-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 455,388 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sloan in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

31,736 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sloan. The most, 7,949, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 10,780
New South Wales 7,586
Queensland 7,177
Western Australia 4,099
South Australia 1,491
Tasmania 379
ACT (Canberra) 164
Northern Territory 11

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sloan.

Who carried it

People named Sloan,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Samuel Sloan
    Samuel Sloan 1817–1907 · manager
  • A. Scott Sloan
    A. Scott Sloan 1820–1895 · judge
  • Ithamar Sloan
    Ithamar Sloan 1822–1898 · lawyer
  • John Sloan d. 2011
  • James Sloan 1748–1811 · politician
  • George Sloan 1780– · naval officer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sloan,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,124 records

4,124 records of the Sloan name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,590
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 729
  • Other U.S. records 1,805
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert Leland Sloan

    Born 1948; from North Hollywood, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam. Buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ann S. Sloan

    Born 1905 in Union of Socialist Soviet Republics. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Los Angeles, California; clerk. U.S. Army veteran; died 1945, buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary A. Sloan

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,124 records for Sloan in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia868 records

868 records of the Sloan name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 446
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 231
  • Other Australian records 191
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomasin Sloan

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836. Married 1836 in Campbell Town, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Patrick Sloan

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Atlas, arriving 1802.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Gordon Sloan

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Constance, aged 25; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 868 records for Sloan in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada211 records

211 records of the Sloan name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 75
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 40
  • Other Canadian records 96
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Dan Sloan

    Killed in 1918 at the Allan Shaft, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sam'l Sloan

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Quebec, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Emily May Sloan

    Buried in 1984 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 95.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 211 records for Sloan in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand59 records

59 records of the Sloan name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 55
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Sloan

    Died 1931, aged 38; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Barbara Sloan

    Buried in 1971 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 84.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Evelina Louvima Sloan

    Born 1913, died 1985; ashes interred at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 59 records for Sloan in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands40 records

40 records of the Sloan name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 31
  • Dutch population registers 9
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mungo William Sloan

    Born 1860 in Rotterdam. Married in 1891 in Rotterdam. Died 1925 in Rotterdam, aged 64.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelis Alexander Sloan

    Born 1833 in Middelburg. Married in 1860 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Maria Sophia Sloan

    Born 1842 in Middelburg.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 40 records for Sloan in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom38 records

38 records of the Sloan name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 20
  • Stirling Council burial records 12
  • Other British records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Paul Sloan

    Died 1987, aged 66; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Henry Sloan

    Buried in 1824 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 18.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record T. Sloan

    Bast Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 38 records for Sloan in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France9 records

9 records of the Sloan name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Wendy Margaret Sloan

    Born 1937 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Frank Paul Sloan

    Born 1900 in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne); died 1990 in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yvette Jane Eugenie Sloan

    Born 1930 in Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines); died 1996 in Sai (Orne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Sloan in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Sloan.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sloan.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sloan is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Sloan volume
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