NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheilds

A surname derived from an occupation related to shield-making or armor smithing.

In the 1881 census there were 297 people recorded with the Sheilds surname, ranking it #9,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 208, ranked #19,062, down from #9,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Bothwell and Dundonald. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Middlesbrough, Hackney and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheilds is 383 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.0%.

1881 census count

297

Ranked #9,792

Modern count

208

2016, ranked #19,062

Peak year

1861

383 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheilds had 297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016, ranked #19,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 383 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Sheilds surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheilds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheilds 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 383 #6,680
1881 historical 297 #9,792
1891 historical 276 #11,810
1901 historical 230 #13,851
1911 historical 146 #18,179
1997 modern 316 #13,080
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 262 #15,308
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 229 #16,467
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 222 #17,020
2005 modern 219 #17,126
2006 modern 225 #16,941
2007 modern 233 #16,752
2008 modern 222 #17,442
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 242 #17,138
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 213 #18,422
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 209 #19,128
2015 modern 212 #18,842
2016 modern 208 #19,062

Geography

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Where Sheilds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Bothwell, Dundonald, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Middlesbrough, Hackney, Liverpool, Wirral and Dartford. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Dundonald Ayr
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Middlesbrough 019 Middlesbrough
2 Hackney 004 Hackney
3 Liverpool 028 Liverpool
4 Wirral 026 Wirral
5 Dartford 003 Dartford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheilds

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheilds

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Sheilds surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Sheilds household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sheilds 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

Sheilds 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

Sheilds falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sheilds is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sheilds

The surname Sheilds is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "scield" which means "shield" or "protector". It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, likely as an occupational name for a shield maker or someone who carried a shield into battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sheilds can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where a John le Shieldmaker was listed. This suggests that the surname was already in use as an occupational name by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Schelde, Shelde, and Shyld in various records across England. The variant spelling Sheilds is thought to have emerged in the 16th or 17th century.

The surname Sheilds has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Sir Ralph Sheilds, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Sheilds (1615-1690), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, James Sheilds (1722-1793) was a celebrated Scottish painter and portraitist, known for his works depicting members of the British aristocracy.

During the American Revolutionary War, John Sheilds (1747-1824) served as a Colonel in the Continental Army and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

In the 19th century, Samuel Sheilds (1825-1897) was a prominent American politician who served as a United States Senator from Missouri and played a significant role in the debate over slavery leading up to the Civil War.

While the Sheilds surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and the British Empire. Today, it remains a relatively common surname, particularly in the United Kingdom, United States, and other English-speaking countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheilds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheilds 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. Lanarkshire leads with 85 Sheilds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.23x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 85 9.23x
Lancashire 42 1.24x
Ayrshire 36 16.89x
Renfrewshire 30 13.59x
Yorkshire 23 0.81x
Middlesex 17 0.60x
Midlothian 15 3.93x
Dunbartonshire 11 14.37x
Kent 6 0.62x
Cheshire 4 0.64x
Durham 4 0.47x
Northumberland 4 0.94x
Essex 2 0.36x
Fife 2 1.19x
Stirlingshire 2 1.90x
Warwickshire 2 0.28x
Berkshire 1 0.47x
Buteshire 1 5.79x
Cumberland 1 0.41x
Lincolnshire 1 0.22x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.10x
Surrey 1 0.07x
West Lothian 1 2.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 26 Sheilds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.90x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 26 15.90x
Port Glasgow 26 243.67x
Dundonald 17 216.29x
Govan 16 7.02x
Bothwell 15 60.05x
Old Kilpatrick 11 121.55x
Liverpool 10 4.87x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 82.39x
Ratcliffe London 8 50.86x
Shettleston 8 96.97x
St Quivox 8 110.96x
Beith 7 110.06x
Ince In Makerfield 7 44.50x
Old Monkland 7 19.15x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 62.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 3.91x
Maidstone 6 20.73x
Shotts 6 54.45x
Manchester 5 3.29x
Everton 4 3.71x
Islington London 4 1.45x
Maryhill 4 22.19x
Tranmere 4 17.31x
Tweedmouth 4 75.76x
Marton Cum Grafton 3 833.33x
Norton 3 96.15x
Over Darwen 3 11.11x
Preston 3 3.32x
West Derby 3 3.03x
Abbey 2 5.94x
Barony 2 0.86x
Birmingham 2 0.84x
Kilmarnock 2 7.88x
Leeds 2 1.25x
Ormesby 2 26.35x
Sculcoates 2 4.47x
St Sepulchre London 2 47.96x
Wortley In Bramley 2 8.95x
Ardwick 1 3.28x
Balmerino 1 153.85x
Blackburn 1 1.11x
Bothkennar 1 31.85x
Burnley 1 3.51x
Darlington 1 3.06x
Dunfermline 1 3.86x
Ellel 1 57.47x
Harome 1 232.56x
Isleworth 1 7.90x
Kilbirnie 1 19.53x
Kirkdale 1 1.76x
Kirkmichael 1 51.55x
Linlithgow 1 18.18x
Lochwinnoch 1 30.40x
Middlesbrough 1 2.72x
Milford Haven 1 135.14x
Morley 1 6.82x
New Monkland 1 3.67x
Newington 1 12.87x
North Leith 1 5.66x
Paisley Middle Church 1 7.78x
Penrith 1 11.04x
Pickworth 1 454.55x
Putney 1 7.70x
Remenham 1 166.67x
Rothesay 1 11.96x
Shadwell 1 93.46x
Slamannan 1 17.39x
South Shoebury 1 44.25x
St Marylebone London 1 0.66x
St Pancras London 1 0.44x
Toxteth Park 1 0.87x
Warrington 1 2.50x
Wawne 1 333.33x
West Ham 1 0.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 6
Jane 4
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Lilian 2
Amelia 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Dorothy 1
Eliabeth 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Isabella 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Michael 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Thomas 8
Joseph 5
William 5
Edward 3
George 3
James 3
Robert 2
Adolphus 1
Charles 1
Clifford 1
Denis 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Reginald 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Sheilds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheilds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 297 people were recorded with the Sheilds surname. That placed it at #9,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheilds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 208 in 2016. That gives Sheilds a modern rank of #19,062.

What does the Sheilds surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation related to shield-making or armor smithing.

What does the Sheilds map show?

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