NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheil

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word 'sciath', meaning shield or guard.

In the 1881 census there were 213 people recorded with the Sheil surname, ranking it #12,328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 372, ranked #12,539, down from #12,328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, St. Helens and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheil is 378 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.6%.

1881 census count

213

Ranked #12,328

Modern count

372

2016, ranked #12,539

Peak year

2015

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheil had 213 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016, ranked #12,539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 215 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sheil surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheil surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheil 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 213 #12,328
1891 historical 151 #18,242
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 360 #11,929
1998 modern 358 #12,349
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 375 #11,949
2001 modern 373 #11,830
2002 modern 367 #12,198
2003 modern 347 #12,479
2004 modern 349 #12,473
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 343 #12,899
2009 modern 352 #12,918
2010 modern 370 #12,701
2011 modern 364 #12,713
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 373 #12,550
2014 modern 376 #12,553
2015 modern 378 #12,405
2016 modern 372 #12,539

Geography

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Where Sheils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, St. Helens, Copeland and Rochdale. 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 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 019 Wrexham
2 St. Helens 002 St. Helens
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Rochdale 025 Rochdale
5 St. Helens 007 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheil

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheil

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Sheil surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sheil household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sheil is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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.

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Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Sheil is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sheil 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 Sheil 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 Sheil, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sheil

The surname Sheil originated in Ireland, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 12th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Séidheadha, which means "descendant of Séidheadh." Séidheadh is derived from the Irish word "séideadh," meaning "to blow" or "to puff," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a windy or boastful person.

The Sheil family was prominent in County Tipperary, where they held lands and were considered part of the Gaelic aristocracy. They were among the few Irish families who retained their ancestral territories after the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sheil can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. In 1315, the annals mention a Donnchadh Ó Séidheadha, who was described as the "chief professor of poetry in Munster."

Sir Justin Sheil (1803-1871) was a notable British diplomat who served as the British Envoy to Persia (modern-day Iran) from 1844 to 1854. He played a significant role in shaping British foreign policy in the region during that period.

Another prominent individual with the surname Sheil was Richard Lalor Sheil (1791-1851), an Irish politician, writer, and orator. He was a member of the British House of Commons and a prominent advocate for Catholic emancipation in Ireland.

In the United States, Bishop Bernard John Sheil (1892-1966) was a prominent Catholic clergyman and social activist. He was the founder of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and played a significant role in promoting social justice and civil rights causes in Chicago.

Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke (1554-1628), an English poet and statesman, is believed to have had ancestral connections to the Sheil family through his mother, Anne Neville, who was of Irish descent. Greville was a prominent figure at the court of Queen Elizabeth I and wrote several notable works, including a biography of Sir Philip Sidney.

Throughout history, the Sheil surname has been subject to various spellings, including Shiel, Sheill, and Sheils, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheil 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. Lancashire leads with 75 Sheils recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 75 3.04x
Northumberland 30 9.70x
Middlesex 15 0.72x
Surrey 15 1.48x
Yorkshire 11 0.53x
Roxburghshire 10 26.57x
Durham 9 1.46x
Hampshire 9 2.11x
Kent 8 1.13x
Wiltshire 5 2.72x
Angus 4 2.08x
Monmouthshire 4 2.66x
Denbighshire 3 3.82x
Dumfriesshire 3 6.54x
Selkirkshire 2 10.64x
Somerset 2 0.60x
Ayrshire 1 0.64x
Cheshire 1 0.22x
Essex 1 0.24x
Fife 1 0.81x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.43x
Midlothian 1 0.36x
Shropshire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 18 Sheils recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.02x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 18 12.02x
Toxteth Park 16 19.17x
Everton 11 14.00x
Hawick 9 106.89x
Portsea 9 10.78x
Salford 9 12.41x
Branton 8 13333.33x
Guston 7 2500.00x
Camberwell 6 4.52x
Gateshead 6 12.96x
Methley 6 206.90x
Parr 6 68.03x
Roseden 6 12000.00x
Tweedmouth 6 155.84x
Windle 6 43.26x
Batley 5 25.55x
Frimley 5 173.61x
Islington London 5 2.48x
Loan End 5 5000.00x
Bradford On Avon 4 68.03x
Dundee 4 5.57x
Lambeth 4 2.21x
Manchester 4 3.61x
Trevethin 4 28.21x
Abergele 3 132.74x
Dumfries 3 66.23x
Kensington London 3 2.60x
Sunderland 3 27.47x
Thornton 3 3750.00x
Cullercoates 2 206.19x
Galashiels 2 28.78x
Kirkdale 2 4.82x
Taunton St Mary 2 32.57x
Westminster St John 2 7.91x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.44x
Cavers 1 106.38x
Chelsea London 1 1.60x
Edinburgh Old 1 59.17x
Glasgow 1 0.84x
Hammersmith London 1 1.95x
Hutton 1 312.50x
Huyton With Roby 1 34.60x
Inner Temple London 1 909.09x
Kilmarnock 1 5.40x
Largo 1 62.50x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 63.29x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 15.87x
St Pancras London 1 0.60x
Warburton 1 333.33x
Westminster St 1 13.05x
Whitwick 1 34.13x
Withington 1 12.59x
Woolwich 1 3.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Margaret 7
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Elizabeth 5
Ann 4
Anne 4
Bridget 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Isabella 2
Margret 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Blanche 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Geoyce 1
Grace 1
Honor 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Louisa 1
Lucie 1
Marg. 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Susanna 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 14
William 11
John 10
Anthony 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
George 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Wm. 3
Alfred 2
Harry 2
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Chas.N. 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ferederik 1
Justin 1
Martin 1
Michel 1
Myles 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Sheil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 213 people were recorded with the Sheil surname. That placed it at #12,328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016. That gives Sheil a modern rank of #12,539.

What does the Sheil surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word 'sciath', meaning shield or guard.

What does the Sheil map show?

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