NameCensus.

UK surname

Shapley

English surname derived from the Old English word "sceoppa" meaning shepherd.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Shapley surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 207, ranked #19,118, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chudleigh, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Exeter St David (including Castle Yard). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, The Vale of Glamorgan and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shapley is 324 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.8%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

207

2016, ranked #19,118

Peak year

1911

324 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shapley had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016, ranked #19,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 324 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Shapley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shapley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shapley 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 148 #13,028
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 271 #11,992
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 324 #10,814
1997 modern 215 #16,844
1998 modern 223 #16,936
1999 modern 225 #16,931
2000 modern 223 #16,978
2001 modern 211 #17,376
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 201 #18,089
2004 modern 207 #17,821
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 196 #18,512
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 198 #18,753
2009 modern 185 #20,010
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 216 #18,705
2015 modern 212 #18,842
2016 modern 207 #19,118

Geography

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Where Shapleys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, The Vale of Glamorgan and Waverley. 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 Chudleigh Devon
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
4 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
5 London parishes London 1

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 005 Vale of Glamorgan
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 004 Vale of Glamorgan
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 008 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Waverley 005 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shapley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shapley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shapley, 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 Shapley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Shapley 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Shapley is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shapley 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

Shapley falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shapley

The surname Shapley originated in England and has its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Shapley in Derbyshire, which itself is derived from the Old English words "scep" meaning sheep and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Shapley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273, where it appears as "de Schapeleye." This suggests that the name was originally associated with someone who lived near or owned land in the area known as Shapley.

In the 14th century, various spellings of the name appeared in historical records, including "Shaplye," "Shapelegh," and "Schapeley." These variations likely reflect the changing pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Shapley was John Shapley, born around 1420 in Derbyshire. He was a landowner and local official who served as a tax collector for the region.

Another notable figure with the surname Shapley was Sir Robert Shapley (1559-1628), a member of the gentry from Staffordshire. He was a Member of Parliament and a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the name Shapley appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire, which recorded households and their payment of a tax based on the number of hearths or fireplaces they had. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Shapley was the American astronomer Harlow Shapley (1885-1972). He was born in Missouri and is best known for his groundbreaking work in determining the size and shape of the Milky Way galaxy.

Another notable figure was the British-American composer and conductor Ralph Shapley (1857-1923), who was born in England but spent much of his career in the United States, where he served as the director of music at the University of Chicago.

The surname Shapley has also been borne by several other notable individuals throughout history, including the American educator and administrator Norman Shapley (1919-2005), the British actor and director John Shapley (1940-2008), and the American mathematician and computer scientist Linda Shapley (born 1940).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shapley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shapley 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 118 Shapleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.62x.

County Total Index
Devon 118 24.62x
Middlesex 32 1.39x
Surrey 27 2.41x
Gloucestershire 12 2.66x
Wiltshire 8 3.93x
Hampshire 7 1.48x
Lancashire 6 0.22x
Yorkshire 6 0.26x
Sussex 4 1.03x
Durham 3 0.44x
Essex 3 0.66x
Somerset 3 0.81x
Cheshire 2 0.39x
Kent 2 0.25x
Warwickshire 2 0.34x
Dorset 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 26 Shapleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 128.21x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 26 128.21x
Camberwell 14 9.52x
Chudleigh 13 855.26x
Battersea 11 12.99x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 100.27x
Chippenham 8 187.35x
St Pancras London 7 3.78x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 40.87x
Paddington London 6 7.09x
Tavistock 6 109.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 11.76x
Hackney London 5 3.87x
Hammersmith London 5 8.82x
Holy Trinity 5 495.05x
Wolborough 5 82.51x
Chipping Sodbury 4 476.19x
Dartmouth St Petrox 4 579.71x
Exeter Holy Trinity 4 212.77x
Exeter St Olave 4 645.16x
Exeter St Paul 4 421.05x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 48.31x
Highweek 4 233.92x
Newton Abbot St Mary 4 99.50x
South Stoneham 4 39.06x
Bedminster 3 8.62x
Bristol Temple 3 101.01x
Exeter St David 3 73.35x
Liverpool 3 1.81x
Southampton All Sts 3 37.04x
St George In East 3 19.16x
Blackawton 2 238.10x
Chiswick 2 15.90x
Churston Ferrers 2 400.00x
Darlington 2 7.56x
Exeter Heavitree 2 56.02x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 40.98x
Holsworthy 2 148.15x
Lambeth 2 1.00x
Leamington Priors 2 14.01x
Teigngrace 2 1428.57x
Topsham 2 88.50x
Wanstead 2 25.13x
West Derby 2 2.50x
Bosden 1 64.10x
Bovey Tracey 1 59.52x
Compton Gifford 1 66.67x
Dartford 1 12.45x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 51.28x
Dawlish 1 28.01x
Denbury 1 384.62x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.65x
Exminster 1 58.14x
Ilsington 1 119.05x
Kensington London 1 0.78x
Macclesfield 1 4.43x
Malborough 1 52.63x
Medomsley 1 31.35x
Milborne St Andrew 1 222.22x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.75x
Pinhoe 1 232.56x
South Leigh 1 588.24x
St George Hanover 1 3.33x
Toxteth Park 1 1.08x
West Teignmouth 1 27.25x
Westminster St 1 11.78x
Woodford 1 19.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 11
Emma 8
Edith 5
Emily 5
Harriet 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Ethel 3
Jane 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Ann 2
Dinah 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Georgina 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rosa 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Edna 1
Eliz.M. 1
Eliza 1
Eugenie 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Judith 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Matilda 1
Pheoby 1
Rebekah 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 12
Charles 10
Samuel 7
Thomas 7
George 6
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
James 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Willie 2
Aubrey 1
Earnest 1
Edwd. 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Lenard 1
Leonard 1
Piercey 1
Richard 1
Robt.E. 1
Seymour 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Shapley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shapley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Shapley surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shapley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016. That gives Shapley a modern rank of #19,118.

What does the Shapley surname mean?

English surname derived from the Old English word "sceoppa" meaning shepherd.

What does the Shapley map show?

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