NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheils

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "O'Siodhaill" meaning "descendant of the hunter".

In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Sheils surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 415, ranked #11,550, up from #14,112 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lossiemouth West, Sefton and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheils is 416 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 139.9%.

1881 census count

173

Ranked #14,112

Modern count

415

2016, ranked #11,550

Peak year

2010

416 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheils had 173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,112 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016, ranked #11,550.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 173 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sheils surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheils surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheils 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 173 #14,112
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 72 #26,162
1911 historical 69 #25,965
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 391 #11,539
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 381 #11,814
2001 modern 373 #11,830
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 370 #11,919
2004 modern 367 #12,028
2005 modern 362 #12,066
2006 modern 361 #12,178
2007 modern 369 #12,098
2008 modern 369 #12,210
2009 modern 395 #11,838
2010 modern 416 #11,627
2011 modern 410 #11,644
2012 modern 386 #12,037
2013 modern 403 #11,850
2014 modern 405 #11,880
2015 modern 400 #11,909
2016 modern 415 #11,550

Geography

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Where Sheils' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Lossiemouth West, Sefton, Liverpool and Solihull. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lossiemouth West Moray
2 Sefton 029 Sefton
3 Liverpool 003 Liverpool
4 Sefton 023 Sefton
5 Solihull 028 Solihull

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheils

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheils

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Sheils surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sheils household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sheils is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sheils 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

Sheils 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 Sheils is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Sheils

The surname Sheils has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "siodhail," which means "peaceful" or "tranquil." The name was likely given to someone who was known for their calm and peaceful demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1245, there is a reference to a man named Domhnall O'Sheil, who was a member of a prominent Irish clan.

The Sheils surname was particularly prevalent in counties Donegal and Tyrone in Ulster, where many of the early bearers of the name lived. The name also has variations in spelling, such as Shiel, Shiel, and Sheill, which reflect the different dialects and regional pronunciations of the time.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, many Irish families, including those with the Sheils surname, were displaced from their lands and forced to resettle in other parts of Ireland or abroad. This led to the spread of the name to various parts of the world, including Scotland, England, and North America.

One notable figure with the Sheils surname was Sir Robert Shiel (1786-1853), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as the Master of the Mint in Ireland. Another was Richard Lalor Sheil (1791-1851), an Irish politician, writer, and dramatist who was a prominent figure in the Irish nationalist movement.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name was William Shiel, who was born in Ireland in 1787 and later immigrated to Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the early 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the Sheils surname include Francis Sheils (1850-1919), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of El Paso, Texas, and John Sheils (1865-1919), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who was active in the early 20th century.

The Sheils surname continues to be prevalent in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Donegal and Tyrone, as well as in other parts of the world where Irish immigrants settled. It is a name with a rich history and a strong connection to the Irish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheils families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheils 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 58 Sheils' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 58 2.90x
Midlothian 32 14.16x
Lanarkshire 28 5.13x
Selkirkshire 9 58.94x
Cumberland 7 4.82x
Ayrshire 6 4.75x
Cheshire 6 1.61x
Middlesex 6 0.36x
Angus 4 2.56x
Northumberland 4 1.59x
Staffordshire 4 0.70x
Yorkshire 4 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 2.00x
Fife 1 1.00x
Herefordshire 1 1.45x
Radnorshire 1 7.35x
Stirlingshire 1 1.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Sheils' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.86x.

Place Total Index
Barony 15 10.86x
Liverpool 12 9.87x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 69.18x
Culter 9 2727.27x
Galashiels 9 159.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 8.80x
Beswick 7 136.72x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 22.01x
Ardwick 6 33.22x
Dailly 6 465.12x
Kirknewton East 6 638.30x
North Leith 6 57.36x
South Leith 6 23.58x
Tranmere 6 43.83x
Whitehaven 6 77.52x
Everton 5 7.83x
Kensington London 5 5.33x
Govan 4 2.96x
Harborne 4 21.92x
Liff Benvie 4 16.86x
Manningham 4 19.42x
West Derby 4 6.83x
Lasswade 3 58.03x
Spotland 3 13.48x
Tweedmouth 3 95.85x
Edinburgh Old 2 145.99x
Warrington 2 8.42x
Bedlington 1 11.93x
Boughrood 1 666.67x
Drymen 1 120.48x
Dysart 1 14.86x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 1 63.69x
Garway 1 322.58x
Great Crosby 1 18.32x
Seaton 1 59.17x
St Giles In Fields 1 17.18x
St Peter 1 69.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
Patrick 5
William 5
Thomas 4
Henry 3
Francis 2
George 2
Hugh 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Daniel 1
Denis 1
Harry 1
Michael 1
Patcey 1
Robert 1
Terence 1

FAQ

Sheils surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheils surname in 1881?

In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Sheils surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheils surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016. That gives Sheils a modern rank of #11,550.

What does the Sheils surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "O'Siodhaill" meaning "descendant of the hunter".

What does the Sheils map show?

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