NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheed

A Scottish variant spelling of "Shead," derived from "shed," meaning parting or dividing.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Sheed surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 178, ranked #21,160, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Speyside and the Cabrach, Coupar Angus and Meigle and Keith and Fife Keith.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheed is 193 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.2%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

178

2016, ranked #21,160

Peak year

2007

193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheed had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016, ranked #21,160.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sheed surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheed surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheed 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 162 #20,107
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 167 #20,332
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 177 #19,759
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 193 #18,923
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 169 #21,652
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 163 #21,989
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 174 #21,449
2016 modern 178 #21,160

Geography

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Where Sheeds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar, St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace, St Marylebone and Fraserburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Speyside and the Cabrach, Coupar Angus and Meigle, Keith and Fife Keith, Malvern Hills and North 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 London parishes London 3
2 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
3 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Fraserburgh Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Speyside and the Cabrach Moray
2 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
3 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
4 Malvern Hills 007 Malvern Hills
5 North Hertfordshire 014 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheed

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheed

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sheed is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sheed is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sheed 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 Sheed is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sheed

The surname SHEED has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "scead," meaning a shed or shelter, suggesting that the name may have been adopted by someone who lived near or worked in a shed or similar structure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHEED can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, from 1275, where a Johannes Schede is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century in the West Midlands region of England.

In the 14th century, variations of the name, such as Shede and Sched, appeared in several historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire and the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire. These records often referred to people by their place of residence or occupation, indicating that the SHEED name may have been associated with specific locations or professions.

The SHEED surname has also been connected to various place names throughout England. For instance, the village of Shed in Buckinghamshire and the hamlet of Shede in Gloucestershire may have influenced the development of the name in those regions.

One notable individual with the surname SHEED was William Sheed (c. 1584-1663), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire and was known for his involvement in the English Civil War. Another person of historical significance was John Sheed (1770-1845), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Elgin Burghs in Scotland.

In the literary world, Wilfrid Sheed (1915-2002), an American novelist, essayist, and literary critic, gained recognition for his works, including "The Hack" and "People Will Always Be Kind." Additionally, Rosemary Sheed (1909-1989), an English writer and translator, made notable contributions to the field of literature.

The SHEED surname has also been associated with notable figures in the religious sphere, such as Cyril Sheed (1923-2003), an English-born American Catholic priest and author, and Frank Sheed (1897-1981), an Australian-born Catholic writer and publisher who co-founded the renowned publishing house Sheed & Ward.

While these examples highlight the historical presence of the SHEED surname in various fields and regions, it is essential to note that records and documentation from earlier periods may be incomplete or inaccurate, leaving room for further exploration and discovery about the origins and evolution of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheed families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheed 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 36 Sheeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.32x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 36 38.32x
Surrey 23 4.65x
Middlesex 21 2.07x
Banffshire 8 38.02x
Essex 6 3.00x
Kent 3 0.87x
Cheshire 2 0.89x
Cornwall 1 0.87x
Hampshire 1 0.48x
Lancashire 1 0.08x
Lincolnshire 1 0.62x
Sussex 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cabrach in Aberdeenshire leads with 21 Sheeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 8750.00x.

Place Total Index
Cabrach 21 8750.00x
Fraserburgh 8 303.03x
Battersea 7 18.76x
St Pancras London 6 7.35x
Inveravon 5 555.56x
Kensington London 5 8.87x
Lambeth 5 5.65x
Rotherhithe 5 39.90x
Camberwell 4 6.17x
St George Hanover 4 30.21x
Huntly 3 196.08x
Islington London 3 3.05x
Little Thurrock 3 1875.00x
Glass 2 555.56x
Keith 2 89.29x
Writtle 2 243.90x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 5.69x
Birkenhead 1 5.60x
Broadwater 1 25.51x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.75x
Didsbury 1 62.50x
Drumblade 1 303.03x
Haughton 1 2000.00x
Heighington 1 384.62x
Kingsnorth 1 476.19x
Lewisham 1 5.42x
Mortlach 1 97.09x
Newington 1 2.67x
Paddington London 1 2.68x
Portsmouth 1 20.88x
South Shoebury 1 125.00x
St George Martyr 1 58.48x
St Giles In Fields 1 28.57x
St Stephens By Saltash 1 204.08x
Streatham 1 13.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Alice 3
Emily 3
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Marion 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Eliz.L. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Maryan 1
Mildred 1
Rose 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Sheed surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheed surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Sheed surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheed surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016. That gives Sheed a modern rank of #21,160.

What does the Sheed surname mean?

A Scottish variant spelling of "Shead," derived from "shed," meaning parting or dividing.

What does the Sheed map show?

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