NameCensus.

UK surname

Elshaw

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Elshaw surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 151, ranked #23,615, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beighton, Bradford and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire, South Lakeland and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elshaw is 176 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.4%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

151

2016, ranked #23,615

Peak year

2004

176 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elshaw had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016, ranked #23,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Elshaw surname distribution map

The map shows where the Elshaw surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Elshaw surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elshaw over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 40 #26,118
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 98 #24,313
1901 historical 125 #20,061
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 162 #20,107
1998 modern 161 #20,754
1999 modern 160 #20,943
2000 modern 161 #20,822
2001 modern 159 #20,710
2002 modern 165 #20,619
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 173 #19,851
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 171 #21,481
2011 modern 173 #21,172
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 156 #23,004
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 151 #23,615

Geography

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Where Elshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beighton, Bradford, Sheffield, Norton and Dronfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Lincolnshire, South Lakeland, Barnsley and Chesterfield. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Beighton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Norton Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dronfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Lincolnshire 003 North East Lincolnshire
2 South Lakeland 006 South Lakeland
3 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
4 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
5 Chesterfield 005 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elshaw

These lists show first names that appear often with the Elshaw surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elshaw

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Elshaw, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Elshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Elshaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Elshaw is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Elshaw is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Elshaw falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Elshaw is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Elshaw, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Elshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elshaw surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 69 Elshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.68x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 69 7.68x
Derbyshire 16 11.27x
Surrey 7 1.58x
Middlesex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heeley in Yorkshire leads with 15 Elshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 549.45x.

Place Total Index
Heeley 15 549.45x
Ecclesall Bierlow 14 76.59x
Sheffield 13 45.42x
Brightside Bierlow 12 68.07x
Norton 12 1025.64x
Nether Hallam 9 74.01x
Bermondsey 6 22.22x
Batley 3 35.13x
Almondbury 2 45.98x
Dore 2 740.74x
Camberwell 1 1.73x
Dronfield 1 54.95x
Normanton 1 83.33x
Ormesby 1 41.32x
St Clement Danes London 1 53.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Elshaw surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Elshaw surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 7
Henry 5
John 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
James 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Percival 1
Stephen 1
Steven 1
Walter 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Elshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Elshaw surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016. That gives Elshaw a modern rank of #23,615.

What does the Elshaw map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Elshaw bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.