Slattery
An Irish surname likely meaning “strong” or “robust,” though older sources also proposed a few other readings.
The #4,082 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 35,508 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally treated as Irish in origin. Harrison’s dictionary connects it with Irish forms glossed as “straight, tall” or “strong, robust,” pointing to a descriptive nickname rather than a place-name or occupation. Earlier writers also noticed a possible resemblance to English "Slaughter," but for Slattery the Irish explanation is the one that best fits the historical evidence.
History
The name is found among Irish surnames in 19th- and early-20th-century reference works, and modern bearers are overwhelmingly associated with Ireland and Irish diaspora communities. Like many Irish surnames, it appears in Anglicized spellings that reflect older Gaelic forms and later English spelling habits. The historical sources here do not show a single settled derivation, but they consistently treat it as an established Irish family name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One early source tried to link Slattery to two different Irish adjectives: one meaning “straight/tall” and another meaning “strong/robust.”
From the historical record
“SLATTERY (Celt.) i Straight, Tall [Ir. slatarrd\ 2 Strong, Robust [Ir. slatra] SLAUGHTER (Eng.) i for Slaughterer;”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)