NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheen

An anglicized Irish surname derived from Ó Síodhacháin, meaning "descendant of Síodhachán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 2,001 people recorded with the Sheen surname, ranking it #2,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,105, ranked #3,067, down from #2,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, Warrington and Skye North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheen is 2,187 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.2%.

1881 census count

2,001

Ranked #2,202

Modern count

2,105

2016, ranked #3,067

Peak year

2010

2,187 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheen had 2,001 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,105 in 2016, ranked #3,067.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,074 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sheen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheen 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 1,418 #2,031
1861 historical 1,251 #2,278
1881 historical 2,001 #2,202
1891 historical 1,768 #2,581
1901 historical 1,979 #2,680
1911 historical 2,074 #2,407
1997 modern 2,109 #2,927
1998 modern 2,172 #2,950
1999 modern 2,168 #2,978
2000 modern 2,120 #3,016
2001 modern 2,080 #3,009
2002 modern 2,137 #3,003
2003 modern 2,085 #3,003
2004 modern 2,126 #2,950
2005 modern 2,094 #2,950
2006 modern 2,082 #2,974
2007 modern 2,115 #2,965
2008 modern 2,131 #2,966
2009 modern 2,175 #2,983
2010 modern 2,187 #3,034
2011 modern 2,152 #3,041
2012 modern 2,057 #3,115
2013 modern 2,099 #3,112
2014 modern 2,121 #3,096
2015 modern 2,094 #3,103
2016 modern 2,105 #3,067

Geography

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Where Sheens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, Warrington, Skye North East, Craigneuk Wishaw and Gwynedd. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 012 New Forest
2 Warrington 007 Warrington
3 Skye North East Highland
4 Craigneuk Wishaw North Lanarkshire
5 Gwynedd 015 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheen

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sheen 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

Sheen is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sheen falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sheen

The surname Sheen is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "scinan," which means "to shine" or "to glitter." This name was likely given to someone who had a bright or radiant appearance or personality.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Sheen can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Robert Schene in Oxfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 list a William Shene in Somerset. These early spellings, such as Schene and Shene, were variations of the modern Sheen.

In some cases, the name Sheen may have been derived from various place names in England, such as Sheen in Surrey or Sheene in Staffordshire. These place names were likely derived from the same Old English word "scinan," referring to a shining or bright area.

One notable historical figure with the surname Sheen was John Sheen, a 15th-century English cleric and academic who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1450 to 1459.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Sheen (c. 1459-1526), an English courtier and soldier who served under King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. He was knighted for his military services and held various positions, including Lieutenant of the Tower of London.

In the 16th century, Edward Sheen (c. 1520-1572) was an English composer and organist who served as the Master of the Choristers at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

During the 17th century, Sir Matthew Sheen (1628-1688) was an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1687-1688.

Sir Martin Sheen (born 1940) is a well-known American actor of Spanish descent, whose birth name was Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez. He adopted the stage name Sheen for his acting career, which includes roles in films such as "Apocalypse Now" and "The Departed."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheen 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 531 Sheens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 531 2.72x
Surrey 197 2.07x
Cheshire 142 3.30x
Glamorgan 123 3.62x
Gloucestershire 105 2.74x
Lancashire 101 0.44x
Monmouthshire 99 7.02x
Kent 95 1.43x
Yorkshire 62 0.32x
Leicestershire 53 2.45x
Staffordshire 46 0.70x
Radnorshire 45 28.59x
Worcestershire 43 1.69x
Hampshire 30 0.75x
Norfolk 24 0.80x
Warwickshire 24 0.49x
Sussex 23 0.70x
Essex 22 0.57x
Lanarkshire 22 0.35x
Durham 20 0.34x
Somerset 19 0.61x
Devon 16 0.39x
Herefordshire 16 2.00x
Suffolk 16 0.67x
Wiltshire 15 0.87x
Flintshire 14 2.67x
Oxfordshire 13 1.08x
Brecknockshire 12 3.08x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.93x
West Lothian 9 3.06x
Pembrokeshire 8 1.29x
Derbyshire 7 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.73x
Hertfordshire 6 0.45x
Lincolnshire 6 0.19x
Berkshire 2 0.14x
Dorset 2 0.16x
Midlothian 2 0.08x
Northumberland 2 0.07x
Shropshire 2 0.12x
Berwickshire 1 0.42x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.13x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Perthshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.43x
Stirlingshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedwellty in Monmouthshire leads with 60 Sheens recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.10x.

Place Total Index
Bedwellty 60 24.10x
Bethnal Green London 57 6.73x
Lambeth 40 2.35x
Cheltenham 35 11.86x
Battersea 32 4.46x
Llandaff 32 28.31x
Poplar London 32 8.69x
Whitechapel London 32 16.64x
Shoreditch London 31 3.67x
Camberwell 30 2.41x
Leicester St Margaret 30 5.69x
St Pancras London 30 1.91x
Merthyr Tydfil 29 8.88x
St Marylebone London 29 2.78x
Deptford St Paul 28 5.45x
Ratcliffe London 25 23.20x
Bermondsey 23 3.96x
St George In East 21 15.83x
Kensington London 19 1.75x
Manchester 19 1.83x
Spitalfields London 17 11.59x
Greenwich 16 5.15x
Limehouse London 16 7.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 3.82x
St Andrew Holborn 15 22.68x
Chelsea London 14 2.38x
Aston 13 0.96x
Hackney London 13 1.19x
Islington London 13 0.69x
Kingswinford 13 5.44x
Chester St Mary On Hill 12 32.49x
Eddisbury 12 727.27x
Fulham London 12 4.24x
Gorleston 12 19.88x
Berrow 11 441.77x
Bromley London 11 2.56x
Bunbury 11 186.44x
Cardiff St John 11 9.91x
Carisbrooke 11 19.81x
Everton 11 1.49x
Glascomb 11 415.09x
Hawarden 11 26.70x
Hulme 11 2.28x
Lyncombe Widcombe 11 13.38x
Southwark Christchurch 11 12.03x
Tattenhall 11 150.07x
West Derby 11 1.62x
Westminster St John 11 4.63x
Aberystruth 10 8.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.98x
Norwich St George Colegate 10 91.66x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 3.20x
Rotherhithe 10 4.15x
St Botolph Aldgate 10 37.55x
St Giles In Fields 10 14.86x
Batley 9 4.90x
Boness 9 22.22x
Bristol St George 9 5.09x
Mile End Old Town 9 2.92x
St Mary Le Strand 9 145.16x
West Ham 9 1.06x
Wolstanton 9 4.50x
Ackworth 8 53.87x
Boarstall 8 571.43x
Brindley 8 645.16x
Clotton Hoofield 8 350.88x
Gloucester St John Baptist 8 32.38x
Hammersmith London 8 1.66x
Headingley Cum Burley 8 6.43x
Lewisham 8 2.25x
Llantillio Pertholey 8 97.09x
Newnham 8 81.38x
Paddington London 8 1.12x
Portsea 8 1.02x
St Anne Soho London 8 7.18x
Tarporley 8 88.69x
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 8 140.11x
Wilsford 8 325.20x
Alpraham 7 238.91x
Wolverhampton 7 1.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 164
Elizabeth 91
Ellen 65
Margaret 50
Sarah 42
Ann 38
Catherine 34
Jane 32
Annie 25
Alice 24
Eliza 19
Emily 19
Emma 19
Hannah 16
Julia 16
Bridget 15
Louisa 15
Charlotte 14
Kate 14
Agnes 11
Maria 11
Caroline 10
Martha 10
Clara 8
Fanny 8
Anne 7
Johanna 7
Florence 6
Frances 6
Harriet 6
Harriett 6
Minnie 6
Edith 5
Esther 5
Rebecca 5
Susannah 5
Eleanor 4
Laura 4
Margret 4
Matilda 4
Anna 3
Betsy 3
Catharine 3
Jessie 3
Lucy 3
Mabel 3
Marie 3
Miriam 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 147
William 90
Thomas 81
James 63
Edward 41
George 34
Charles 27
Patrick 27
Henry 26
Daniel 25
Alfred 24
Samuel 23
Michael 22
Frederick 20
Joseph 19
Arthur 15
David 11
Frank 9
Albert 8
Cornelius 8
Dennis 8
Edwin 8
Robert 8
Walter 8
Ernest 6
Richard 6
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Owen 5
Timothy 5
Wm. 5
Chas. 4
Harry 4
Mike 4
Morris 4
Willie 4
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Jeremiah 3
Septimus 3
Sydney 3
Danny 2
Dantsey 2
Eugene 2
Jerimiah 2
Patk. 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2

FAQ

Sheen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,001 people were recorded with the Sheen surname. That placed it at #2,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,105 in 2016. That gives Sheen a modern rank of #3,067.

What does the Sheen surname mean?

An anglicized Irish surname derived from Ó Síodhacháin, meaning "descendant of Síodhachán" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

What does the Sheen map show?

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