NameCensus.

UK surname

Shearman

An occupational surname denoting one who sheared wool or cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 1,228 people recorded with the Shearman surname, ranking it #3,298 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,158, ranked #5,099, down from #3,298 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, Winchester and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shearman is 1,625 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.7%.

1881 census count

1,228

Ranked #3,298

Modern count

1,158

2016, ranked #5,099

Peak year

1911

1,625 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shearman had 1,228 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,298 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,158 in 2016, ranked #5,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,625 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shearman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shearman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shearman 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 971 #2,872
1861 historical 847 #3,265
1881 historical 1,228 #3,298
1891 historical 1,276 #3,387
1901 historical 1,476 #3,466
1911 historical 1,625 #2,990
1997 modern 1,309 #4,380
1998 modern 1,327 #4,468
1999 modern 1,344 #4,459
2000 modern 1,311 #4,540
2001 modern 1,281 #4,543
2002 modern 1,285 #4,619
2003 modern 1,253 #4,636
2004 modern 1,250 #4,641
2005 modern 1,232 #4,658
2006 modern 1,218 #4,722
2007 modern 1,203 #4,809
2008 modern 1,185 #4,886
2009 modern 1,200 #4,939
2010 modern 1,233 #4,932
2011 modern 1,219 #4,910
2012 modern 1,205 #4,897
2013 modern 1,185 #5,049
2014 modern 1,196 #5,034
2015 modern 1,167 #5,088
2016 modern 1,158 #5,099

Geography

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Where Shearmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, Winchester, Powys and East Hampshire. 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 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 014 Braintree
2 Winchester 004 Winchester
3 Braintree 015 Braintree
4 Powys 017 Powys
5 East Hampshire 002 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shearman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shearman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shearman, 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 Shearman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Shearman 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Shearman 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

Shearman 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

Shearman falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shearman

The surname Shearman originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "scearra" meaning to cut, and "mann" meaning man. It refers to a person who was a shearer, an occupation involving cutting or shearing wool from sheep.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century. In 1273, a Johannes le Shereman was mentioned in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 listed a William Shereman.

In the 14th century, the surname was well-established across various regions of England. The Calendarium Genealogicum from 1347 recorded a Henry Shearman in Yorkshire. The Poll Tax Returns of 1379 mentioned a John Shereman in Oxfordshire.

The name has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Shereman, Sherman, and Shearman. Some variations may have derived from place names, such as Sherborne in Dorset, or Shermanbury in Sussex.

Notable individuals with the surname Shearman include:

1. Thomas Shearman (c. 1450 - 1518), a merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol in the early 16th century. 2. Edward Shearman (1573 - 1640), an English politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1624. 3. William Shearman (1768 - 1836), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. 4. Montagu Shearman (1857 - 1930), an English cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. 5. Ralph Shearman (1893 - 1956), an Australian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1956.

The surname Shearman has been present in England for centuries, originating as an occupational name for those involved in the shearing of wool, an important trade in medieval times. It has since spread to other parts of the English-speaking world and continues to be a respected surname with a rich history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shearman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shearman 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. Middlesex leads with 240 Shearmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 240 2.00x
Lincolnshire 136 7.10x
Gloucestershire 122 5.19x
Surrey 114 1.95x
Yorkshire 87 0.73x
Essex 74 3.13x
Hampshire 73 2.97x
Kent 65 1.59x
Lancashire 50 0.35x
Cumberland 25 2.42x
Norfolk 23 1.25x
Cambridgeshire 22 2.90x
Hertfordshire 20 2.42x
Sussex 19 0.94x
Monmouthshire 16 1.85x
Ayrshire 15 1.67x
Durham 11 0.31x
Cornwall 10 0.74x
Glamorgan 10 0.48x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 5.77x
Bedfordshire 9 1.45x
Somerset 9 0.47x
Devon 7 0.28x
Warwickshire 7 0.23x
Rutland 6 6.82x
Staffordshire 6 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.45x
Derbyshire 5 0.27x
Dorset 4 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.25x
Berkshire 3 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.79x
Westmorland 3 1.14x
Wiltshire 3 0.28x
Anglesey 2 0.94x
Roxburghshire 2 0.92x
Royal Navy 2 1.40x
Shropshire 2 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.63x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 34 Shearmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.53x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 34 6.53x
Wotton Under Edge 34 245.49x
Lambeth 26 2.49x
West Ham 24 4.60x
Deptford St Paul 22 6.98x
Billingborough 21 430.33x
St Nicholas Lincoln 21 114.69x
Hackney London 20 2.98x
Cheshunt 19 65.84x
Mile End Old Town 19 10.05x
Mortlake 19 73.05x
St Pancras London 19 1.97x
Steeple Bumpstead 18 415.70x
Cobham 16 424.40x
Kensington London 16 2.40x
Poplar London 16 7.08x
Brighton 15 3.68x
East Horndon 14 676.33x
Shoreditch London 14 2.70x
Dalmellington 13 49.32x
Newington 13 2.94x
Warmfield Cum Heath 13 324.19x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 12 27.91x
Islington London 12 1.03x
Aberystruth 11 14.41x
Bristol St Paul In 11 17.57x
Bromley London 11 4.17x
St Andrewthe Less 11 12.69x
St Thomas Winchester 11 63.44x
Broughton In Salford 10 7.69x
Cockermouth 10 46.06x
Keswick 10 75.87x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 10 18.09x
Owslebury 10 287.36x
St George Hanover 10 6.40x
Clapham 9 6.01x
Dorking 9 22.97x
North Nibley 9 267.86x
Paddington London 9 2.04x
Streatham 9 10.13x
Woodchester 9 242.59x
Cheriton 8 318.73x
Doncaster 8 9.23x
Middle Rasen 8 219.18x
North Stoneham 8 143.37x
Portsea 8 1.66x
Southampton St Mary 8 5.18x
St Blazey 8 67.17x
Birmingham 7 0.70x
Bradfield 7 208.33x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 8.94x
Bristol St Peter 7 83.33x
Drypool 7 38.53x
Elsham 7 339.81x
Roath 7 7.39x
St Bartholomew Hyde 7 119.25x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 50.84x
Camberwell 6 0.78x
Foots Cray 6 76.73x
Horfield 6 25.38x
Horn 6 4285.71x
Kexborough 6 235.29x
Lancaster 6 7.09x
Liverpool 6 0.70x
Rotherham 6 8.97x
Skegness 6 109.29x
St Marylebone London 6 0.94x
Wandsworth 6 5.20x
Wolverhampton 6 1.93x
Berkeley 5 38.26x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.15x
Bristol St George 5 4.60x
Dunston 5 156.25x
Ealing 5 4.67x
Holy Trinity 5 1.75x
Hooton Pagnell 5 416.67x
Keelby 5 164.47x
Potton 5 60.75x
Ruskington 5 102.46x
Snarford 5 1190.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 64
John 59
James 42
George 38
Thomas 33
Henry 25
Charles 22
Joseph 20
Edward 19
Frederick 18
Alfred 14
Robert 13
Arthur 12
Samuel 10
Ernest 9
Herbert 9
Richard 9
Walter 9
Albert 8
Harry 7
Francis 6
Frank 6
Edwin 4
Sidney 4
Anthony 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Fred 3
A. 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Edwd. 2
Emanuel 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Lionel 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Wm.Henry 2
Benjn.G. 1
Burt 1
Edmond 1
Elijah 1
Geo. 1
Georg 1

FAQ

Shearman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shearman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,228 people were recorded with the Shearman surname. That placed it at #3,298 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shearman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,158 in 2016. That gives Shearman a modern rank of #5,099.

What does the Shearman surname mean?

An occupational surname denoting one who sheared wool or cloth.

What does the Shearman map show?

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