NameCensus.

UK surname

Shapcott

An English surname derived from a place name, likely meaning "cottage on the sheep path."

In the 1881 census there were 373 people recorded with the Shapcott surname, ranking it #8,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 360, ranked #12,867, down from #8,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Tormoham with Torquay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter, Caerphilly and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shapcott is 473 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.

1881 census count

373

Ranked #8,380

Modern count

360

2016, ranked #12,867

Peak year

1911

473 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shapcott had 373 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016, ranked #12,867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 473 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shapcott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shapcott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shapcott 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 215 #11,316
1881 historical 373 #8,380
1891 historical 405 #8,789
1901 historical 429 #9,018
1911 historical 473 #8,179
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 405 #11,241
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 382 #11,792
2001 modern 380 #11,660
2002 modern 392 #11,607
2003 modern 391 #11,441
2004 modern 409 #11,095
2005 modern 392 #11,355
2006 modern 381 #11,644
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 373 #12,104
2009 modern 377 #12,269
2010 modern 383 #12,394
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 345 #13,093
2013 modern 360 #12,890
2014 modern 364 #12,876
2015 modern 351 #13,135
2016 modern 360 #12,867

Geography

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Where Shapcotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter, Caerphilly, Barnsley, Bristol and Charnwood. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 013 Exeter
2 Caerphilly 023 Caerphilly
3 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
4 Bristol 048 Bristol, City of
5 Charnwood 009 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shapcott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shapcott

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shapcott is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Shapcott 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

Shapcott falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shapcott is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Shapcott

The surname Shapcott is of English origin, specifically from the county of Devon in the southwest of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "sceap" meaning sheep and "cot" meaning cottage or shelter, suggesting that the name initially referred to a sheep shelter or a place where sheep were kept.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Shapcott name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Scapcote," referring to a place in Devon.

During the 13th century, the surname Shapcott emerged in various records and documents from the region. In 1242, a Richard de Schapcote was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Devonshire, while a Walter de Schapcote was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Somerset in 1257.

The name Shapcott is closely associated with the village of Shapcott in Devon, which likely derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname. The manor of Shapcott was held by the Shapcott family for several centuries, with records indicating their presence as early as the 13th century.

One notable figure bearing the Shapcott surname was Sir Richard Shapcott (c. 1480 - 1565), a member of the gentry from Devon who served as a Member of Parliament for Totnes in 1554 and 1555. Another prominent individual was John Shapcott (1545 - 1608), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Exeter from 1600 until his death.

In the 17th century, the Shapcott name appeared in various records, including the marriage of Roger Shapcott and Joane Quicke in Exeter in 1603, and the birth of their son, John Shapcott, in 1605.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the Shapcott surname made notable contributions. Thomas Shapcott (1770 - 1846) was an English writer and poet, while John Wyndham Shapcott (1810 - 1883) was a prominent Anglican clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Exeter from 1870 until his death.

Throughout history, the Shapcott surname has maintained a strong presence in Devon and the surrounding areas, with various branches of the family maintaining connections to the region and its rich heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shapcott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shapcott 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. Devon leads with 99 Shapcotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.04x.

County Total Index
Devon 99 13.04x
Middlesex 56 1.53x
Gloucestershire 55 7.69x
Surrey 54 3.04x
Cornwall 24 5.81x
Glamorgan 23 3.62x
Yorkshire 18 0.50x
Somerset 12 2.04x
Essex 7 0.97x
Kent 5 0.40x
Northamptonshire 4 1.17x
Staffordshire 4 0.32x
Lancashire 3 0.07x
Bedfordshire 2 1.06x
Monmouthshire 2 0.76x
Worcestershire 2 0.42x
Berkshire 1 0.37x
Dorset 1 0.42x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 2.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Looe in Cornwall leads with 24 Shapcotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1437.13x.

Place Total Index
East Looe 24 1437.13x
Battersea 17 12.66x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 25.23x
Tormoham 16 49.80x
Bristol St James St Paul 15 62.87x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 25.64x
Camberwell 14 6.01x
Horton In Bradford 14 24.80x
Roath 14 48.53x
Exeter St Mary Major 13 283.84x
Limehouse London 13 32.46x
Bedminster 10 18.12x
Lambeth 10 3.14x
Cardiff St John 9 43.37x
Croydon 8 8.11x
Islington London 8 2.26x
East Ham 7 52.40x
Bishops Nympton 6 413.79x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 34.50x
Halberton 6 338.98x
Kensington London 6 2.96x
Westbury On Severn East 6 37.08x
Deptford St Paul 5 5.21x
Exeter Heavitree 5 88.34x
Exeter St Mary Arches 5 704.23x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 64.60x
Shadwell London 5 48.97x
Tiverton 5 38.23x
Bristol St Augustine 4 34.63x
Chelsea London 4 3.64x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.65x
Kingswinford 4 8.95x
Newnham 4 217.39x
Newton Abbot St Mary 4 62.79x
Northampton Priory St 4 19.43x
St Bartholomew Less 4 212.77x
Bradford 3 3.43x
Exeter St Mary Steps 3 175.44x
Habergham Eaves 3 7.58x
Newington 3 2.23x
Bristol St George 2 6.04x
Hammersmith London 2 2.23x
Leckhampton 2 45.35x
Leighton Buzzard 2 24.60x
Oldbury 2 8.53x
Plymstock 2 50.25x
St Marylebone London 2 1.03x
St Woollos 2 6.80x
Willesden 2 5.82x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.63x
Bristol St Michael 1 16.31x
Cheltenham 1 1.81x
Cholsey 1 46.08x
Chudleigh 1 41.49x
Clapham 1 2.19x
Clifton 1 2.76x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 33.56x
Exminster 1 36.63x
Hackney London 1 0.49x
Heptonstall 1 19.72x
Mangotsfield 1 14.03x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.74x
Penge 1 4.29x
Plymouth Charles The 1 2.99x
Royal Navy 1 2.69x
Saltford 1 181.82x
Shoreditch London 1 0.63x
South Molton 1 23.98x
Southampton All Sts 1 7.79x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 23.92x
Stapleton 1 7.37x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.88x
Swanage 1 33.78x
Uffculme 1 44.25x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 21.14x
West Teignmouth 1 17.21x
Westminster St 1 7.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 15
Jane 9
Alice 8
Emily 7
Louisa 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Annie 5
Bessie 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Hannah 4
Lucy 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Sophia 4
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Gertrude 3
Rhoda 3
Rose 3
Clara 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Susan 2
Amey 1
Anna 1
Blanche 1
C.N. 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz.C. 1
Elizb. 1
Elizbh. 1
Elizh. 1
Ethel 1
Henrietta 1
Hope 1
J. 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 16
William 16
John 15
Henry 14
James 10
George 6
Albert 5
Richard 5
Samuel 5
Matthew 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Jno. 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Charles 2
Emmanuel 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Mathew 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Alexandra 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Edgar 1
Edwd.S. 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Gilbert 1
Henrietta 1
Hyla 1
Jabez 1
Joshua 1
K.H. 1
Theophelus 1
Theophilus 1
W.H. 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Shapcott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shapcott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 373 people were recorded with the Shapcott surname. That placed it at #8,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shapcott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016. That gives Shapcott a modern rank of #12,867.

What does the Shapcott surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, likely meaning "cottage on the sheep path."

What does the Shapcott map show?

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