NameCensus.

UK surname

Shadbolt

A surname referring to a person who caught or sold immature fish or "shadbolts".

In the 1881 census there were 510 people recorded with the Shadbolt surname, ranking it #6,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,120, ranked #5,261, up from #6,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Weston, Old, London parishes and Tewin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Hertfordshire, Epping Forest and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shadbolt is 1,227 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 119.6%.

1881 census count

510

Ranked #6,678

Modern count

1,120

2016, ranked #5,261

Peak year

2002

1,227 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shadbolt had 510 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,120 in 2016, ranked #5,261.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 962 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shadbolt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shadbolt surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shadbolt 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 333 #7,015
1861 historical 298 #8,485
1881 historical 510 #6,678
1891 historical 651 #5,962
1901 historical 836 #5,432
1911 historical 962 #4,695
1997 modern 1,148 #4,890
1998 modern 1,209 #4,852
1999 modern 1,210 #4,896
2000 modern 1,225 #4,808
2001 modern 1,208 #4,775
2002 modern 1,227 #4,807
2003 modern 1,170 #4,907
2004 modern 1,186 #4,861
2005 modern 1,159 #4,906
2006 modern 1,145 #4,950
2007 modern 1,129 #5,072
2008 modern 1,143 #5,047
2009 modern 1,163 #5,080
2010 modern 1,197 #5,054
2011 modern 1,173 #5,085
2012 modern 1,149 #5,092
2013 modern 1,172 #5,095
2014 modern 1,184 #5,082
2015 modern 1,134 #5,217
2016 modern 1,120 #5,261

Geography

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Where Shadbolts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Weston, Old, London parishes, Tewin and Datchworth, Knebworth, Aston, Bennington, Watton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Hertfordshire, Epping Forest, West Oxfordshire, Cotswold and East Hertfordshire. 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 Weston, Old Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Tewin Hertfordshire
5 Datchworth, Knebworth, Aston, Bennington, Watton Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Hertfordshire 015 North Hertfordshire
2 Epping Forest 002 Epping Forest
3 West Oxfordshire 001 West Oxfordshire
4 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
5 East Hertfordshire 010 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shadbolt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shadbolt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shadbolt, 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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Shadbolt is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shadbolt is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shadbolt falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shadbolt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Shadbolt

The surname Shadbolt is an English name with origins dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a shaded or shady area, possibly a wooded area or grove. The first part of the name, "shad," comes from the Old English word "sceadu," meaning shade or shadow.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various parts of southern England, including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. Some of the earliest documented spellings include Shadebold, Shadebult, and Shadebolt.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John Shadebolt. Additionally, the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1334 list a Thomas Shadebolt as a resident of the county.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various records across southern England, including the Feet of Fines for Surrey from 1484, which mentions a John Shadbolt. Another early bearer of the name was William Shadbolt, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1523.

As the name spread across England, it also developed various spellings, such as Shadbolte, Shadbolte, and Shaddebolt. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Shadbolt, a merchant and alderman of Salisbury in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name continued to be found in various records across southern England. One prominent individual was John Shadbolt, a clergyman who served as the Vicar of Kilmington in Devon from 1636 until his death in 1673.

In the 18th century, the name became more widespread across England, with notable bearers including George Shadbolt, a renowned clockmaker from London who lived from 1701 to 1780, and John Shadbolt, a notable artist and engraver born in Dorset in 1746.

As the name continued to spread into the 19th century, it became associated with various professions and occupations. One notable individual was Arthur Shadboldt, a successful businessman and industrialist from Yorkshire, who lived from 1807 to 1887.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shadbolt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shadbolt 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. Hertfordshire leads with 159 Shadbolts recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.19x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 159 46.19x
Middlesex 102 2.04x
Surrey 54 2.22x
Cambridgeshire 49 15.49x
Huntingdonshire 43 43.36x
Bedfordshire 31 11.99x
Kent 21 1.23x
Lancashire 19 0.32x
Essex 15 1.52x
Northamptonshire 9 1.92x
Staffordshire 4 0.24x
Devon 2 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.27x
Durham 1 0.07x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 39 Shadbolts recorded in 1881 and an index of 107.91x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 39 107.91x
Datchworth 33 3084.11x
Islington London 27 5.58x
Tewin 18 2000.00x
Old Weston 17 3035.71x
Battersea 15 8.16x
Ayott St Lawrence 14 7368.42x
Weston 14 843.37x
Bethnal Green London 13 5.99x
Hertford St Andrew 13 305.88x
Hatfield 12 171.92x
Bedford St Cuthbert 11 478.26x
Enfield 10 30.52x
Rickmansworth 10 105.49x
St Pancras London 10 2.49x
Brickendon 9 562.50x
Hornsey 9 14.25x
Shelton 9 3461.54x
Somersham 9 373.44x
Thornton In Fylde 9 69.39x
Croydon 8 5.92x
Newington 8 4.34x
Cheshunt 7 58.19x
Chislehurst 7 76.59x
Lambeth 7 1.61x
Bythorn 6 1363.64x
Fen Stanton 6 327.87x
Harpenden 6 114.29x
South Shoebury 6 151.52x
St George Hanover 6 9.20x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 5 36.26x
Hertford St John 5 97.47x
Little Addington 5 862.07x
Luton 5 11.17x
Shoreditch London 5 2.31x
Tonbridge 5 8.14x
Warrington 5 7.12x
Edmonton 4 9.94x
North Mimms 4 184.33x
Thrapston 4 169.49x
Thundridge 4 493.83x
Wandsworth 4 8.32x
Ware 4 40.53x
Biggleswade 3 35.42x
Brington 3 1000.00x
Harwich St Nicholas 3 39.42x
Hulme 3 2.42x
Kensington London 3 1.08x
Kingston On Thames 3 5.13x
Mile End Old Town 3 3.81x
Streatham 3 8.10x
Sutton 3 17.04x
Bedford St Paul 2 11.27x
Cannock 2 6.80x
Chatteris 2 24.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.12x
Halstead 2 17.39x
Littleham 2 26.32x
Orpington 2 38.31x
Roydon 2 137.93x
St Marylebone London 2 0.75x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.14x
Tottenham 2 2.51x
West Wickham 2 121.21x
Bexley 1 6.64x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 5.63x
Chelsea London 1 0.66x
Codsall 1 41.67x
Covington 1 400.00x
Crayford 1 13.44x
Flamstead 1 31.55x
Hampstead London 1 1.29x
Little Ilford 1 58.82x
Long Stow 1 384.62x
Penge 1 3.13x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 56.18x
Tettenhall 1 9.70x
Willesden 1 2.12x
Wimbledon 1 3.66x
Woodford 1 8.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 21
John 18
James 14
Thomas 13
Alfred 12
Arthur 12
Charles 12
Henry 12
Edward 8
Frederick 8
Joseph 8
Samuel 6
Robert 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Richard 4
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Tom 2
Alford 1
Anthony 1
Blunden 1
Cecil 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1
Joshua 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Master 1
Norriss 1
Percy 1
Ronald 1
Samson 1
Solomon 1
Sydney 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Shadbolt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shadbolt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 510 people were recorded with the Shadbolt surname. That placed it at #6,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shadbolt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,120 in 2016. That gives Shadbolt a modern rank of #5,261.

What does the Shadbolt surname mean?

A surname referring to a person who caught or sold immature fish or "shadbolts".

What does the Shadbolt map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Shadbolt 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.