NameCensus.

UK surname

Shanks

An English surname referring to someone with long legs or an uneven gait.

In the 1881 census there were 2,281 people recorded with the Shanks surname, ranking it #1,958 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,417, ranked #1,995, down from #1,958 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenmavis and Greengairs, Bo'ness - Newtown and Drumgelloch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shanks is 3,452 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.8%.

1881 census count

2,281

Ranked #1,958

Modern count

3,417

2016, ranked #1,995

Peak year

2010

3,452 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • • Shanks had 2,281 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,958 surname in that year.
  • • The latest modern count shown here is 3,417 in 2016, ranked #1,995.
  • • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,723 in 1901.
  • • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Shanks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shanks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shanks 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 1,608 #1,788
1861 historical 1,703 #1,683
1881 historical 2,281 #1,958
1891 historical 2,369 #1,981
1901 historical 2,723 #2,041
1911 historical 1,268 #3,746
1997 modern 3,191 #2,014
1998 modern 3,316 #2,016
1999 modern 3,337 #2,031
2000 modern 3,356 #2,010
2001 modern 3,285 #2,009
2002 modern 3,377 #2,007
2003 modern 3,335 #1,979
2004 modern 3,312 #1,995
2005 modern 3,289 #1,981
2006 modern 3,285 #1,998
2007 modern 3,319 #1,995
2008 modern 3,357 #1,989
2009 modern 3,425 #1,992
2010 modern 3,452 #2,020
2011 modern 3,427 #2,008
2012 modern 3,371 #1,999
2013 modern 3,390 #2,024
2014 modern 3,440 #2,009
2015 modern 3,410 #2,005
2016 modern 3,417 #1,995

Geography

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Where Shanks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Govan Combination, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Glenmavis and Greengairs, Bo'ness - Newtown, Drumgelloch, Northumberland and Lochside and Lincluden. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glenmavis and Greengairs North Lanarkshire
2 Bo'ness - Newtown Falkirk
3 Drumgelloch North Lanarkshire
4 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
5 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shanks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shanks

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Shanks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Shanks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shanks is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shanks is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shanks falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shanks 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 Shanks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shanks

The surname "SHANKS" is believed to have originated in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "shank," which referred to a leg or the part of the leg between the knee and the ankle.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "SHANKS" can be found in medieval Scottish records and documents. One notable example is the mention of a "John Shanks" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1327.

In some cases, the surname "SHANKS" may have originated as a descriptive nickname, referring to a person with particularly notable or distinctive legs or calves. It could also have been an occupational name for someone who worked with or made leg coverings or armor.

The surname "SHANKS" is also associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Shankston and Shanks Glen. These place names likely originated from individuals or families bearing the surname "SHANKS" who lived in or owned land in those areas.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname "SHANKS" was Sir John Shanks, a Scottish knight who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Robert Shanks, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who was active in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, the surname "SHANKS" gained prominence with the birth of Sir Michael Shanks (1601-1679), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland.

Another individual of historical significance was John Gaspard Shanks (1764-1842), a British mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the calculation of pi and other mathematical constants.

In the 19th century, the name "SHANKS" was carried by John James Shanks (1820-1869), an Irish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a key role in the exploration and mapping of Western Australia.

One final notable individual with the surname "SHANKS" was Sir Michael Shanks (1896-1971), a British Army officer who served with distinction during World War I and World War II, receiving numerous military honors and decorations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shanks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shanks 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. Lanarkshire leads with 543 Shanks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.56x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 543 7.56x
Northumberland 222 6.72x
Durham 171 2.59x
Stirlingshire 163 19.90x
Midlothian 146 4.91x
West Lothian 115 34.38x
Surrey 101 0.93x
Lancashire 87 0.33x
Renfrewshire 77 4.47x
Morayshire 71 20.57x
Middlesex 66 0.30x
Angus 61 2.96x
Ayrshire 58 3.49x
Yorkshire 47 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 43 7.20x
Aberdeenshire 36 1.75x
Cumberland 26 1.36x
Cambridgeshire 19 1.35x
Hampshire 19 0.42x
Suffolk 17 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 14 1.04x
Essex 13 0.30x
Huntingdonshire 13 2.95x
Wigtownshire 11 3.73x
Banffshire 10 2.17x
Berkshire 9 0.54x
Ross-shire 9 1.48x
Argyllshire 8 1.29x
Dumfriesshire 8 1.63x
Kent 8 0.11x
Norfolk 8 0.23x
Staffordshire 8 0.11x
Bedfordshire 7 0.61x
Perthshire 7 0.70x
Somerset 7 0.20x
Devon 6 0.13x
Fife 6 0.46x
Buteshire 5 3.72x
Northamptonshire 4 0.19x
Shropshire 4 0.21x
Sussex 4 0.11x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.93x
Lincolnshire 3 0.08x
Cornwall 2 0.08x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.55x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 0.24x
Kincardineshire 1 0.37x
Peeblesshire 1 0.96x
Royal Navy 1 0.38x
Selkirkshire 1 0.50x
Westmorland 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. New Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 168 Shanks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.12x.

Place Total Index
New Monkland 168 79.12x
Govan 106 5.97x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 68 5.68x
Barony 48 2.64x
Glasgow 47 3.68x
Old Monkland 46 16.14x
Chertsey 33 47.19x
Denny 33 75.74x
Bothwell 31 15.91x
Gateshead 29 5.86x
Bermondsey 28 4.23x
Falkirk 27 14.08x
Longbenton 27 19.29x
Elgin 26 38.73x
Bathgate 24 33.05x
Campsie 23 51.16x
Muiravonside 23 110.52x
Polmont 22 72.73x
Linlithgow 21 48.95x
Chatton 20 197.24x
Maryhill 20 14.22x
Slamannan 20 44.58x
Whitburn 20 41.38x
Arbroath 18 26.40x
Bishopwearmouth 18 3.17x
North Leith 18 13.07x
Portsea 18 2.02x
Monifieth 17 23.39x
South Leith 17 5.08x
Shotts 16 18.61x
West Calder 16 27.28x
Westoe 15 4.00x
Abbey 14 5.33x
Elswick 14 5.31x
Neilston 14 16.20x
Rusholme 14 19.91x
Blantyre 13 17.38x
Carriden 13 85.75x
Framwellgate 13 33.21x
Southwick 13 20.77x
Abercorn 12 181.27x
Shettleston 12 18.66x
Aberdeen Old Machar 11 2.56x
Acklington 11 614.53x
Benwell 11 30.45x
Cambusnethan 11 6.89x
Great Lumley 11 97.26x
Islington London 11 0.51x
New Spynie 11 88.57x
Paisley High Church 11 8.03x
Parton 11 97.52x
Torphichen 11 94.42x
Beith 10 20.16x
Hetton Le Hole 10 11.94x
Little Bolton 10 2.95x
Sculcoates 10 2.87x
St Vigeans 10 9.00x
Withersfield 10 228.83x
Carmunnock 9 163.34x
Cathcart 9 9.66x
Chatteris 9 25.08x
Dalmellington 9 18.41x
Dundee 9 1.17x
Edmonton 9 5.03x
Kirkintilloch 9 11.10x
Kyloe 9 118.11x
Sunderland 9 7.71x
West Greenock 9 2.91x
Wraysbury 9 179.64x
Alves 8 93.35x
Bonhill 8 8.35x
Brockdish 8 242.42x
Clapham 8 2.88x
Dallas 8 113.96x
East Greenock 8 4.92x
Manchester 8 0.67x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 6.20x
Ovingham Whittle Spital 8 159.36x
Riccarton Hurlford 8 27.43x
Somersham 8 74.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 69
Elizabeth 43
Sarah 33
Jane 23
Margaret 23
Hannah 16
Ann 15
Isabella 12
Alice 11
Emma 9
Annie 8
Eliza 7
Frances 7
Eleanor 6
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Edith 5
Esther 5
Margret 5
Caroline 4
Florence 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Barbara 3
Charlotte 3
Helen 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Francis 2
Janet 2
Jeanie 2
Laura 2
Lily 2
Louise 2
Maggie 2
Phoebe 2
Susan 2
Elizabets 1
Elizb. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
William 67
George 36
Robert 35
Thomas 32
James 31
Henry 22
Richard 15
Charles 10
Walter 9
Edward 7
Joseph 7
Alexander 6
Arthur 6
Francis 6
Ralph 6
Frederick 5
Mark 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Alfred 3
Andrew 3
Harry 3
Hugh 3
Anthony 2
Daniel 2
Hemsley 2
Luke 2
Owen 2
Reuben 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Amos 1
Ben 1
Bishop 1
Cain 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Flowers 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fuller 1
Jesse 1
Martin 1
Mather 1
Wm.M.M. 1

FAQ

Shanks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shanks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,281 people were recorded with the Shanks surname. That placed it at #1,958 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shanks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,417 in 2016. That gives Shanks a modern rank of #1,995.

What does the Shanks surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone with long legs or an uneven gait.

What does the Shanks map show?

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