NameCensus.

UK surname

Shek

A nickname from Hebrew meaning "to hire" or "to look for".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Marchmont West, North Tyneside and Liberton East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shek is 1,255 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,200

2016, ranked #4,958

Peak year

2010

1,255 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,200 in 2016, ranked #4,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Shek surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shek surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shek 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1997 modern 799 #6,544
1998 modern 872 #6,311
1999 modern 897 #6,215
2000 modern 930 #6,033
2001 modern 886 #6,143
2002 modern 985 #5,770
2003 modern 1,016 #5,519
2004 modern 1,010 #5,550
2005 modern 1,040 #5,375
2006 modern 1,086 #5,187
2007 modern 1,108 #5,153
2008 modern 1,152 #5,009
2009 modern 1,174 #5,033
2010 modern 1,255 #4,861
2011 modern 1,231 #4,878
2012 modern 1,167 #5,025
2013 modern 1,198 #4,986
2014 modern 1,197 #5,030
2015 modern 1,195 #4,989
2016 modern 1,200 #4,958

Geography

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Where Sheks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Marchmont West, North Tyneside, Liberton East, Bruntsfield and Firhill. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Marchmont West City of Edinburgh
2 North Tyneside 025 North Tyneside
3 Liberton East City of Edinburgh
4 Bruntsfield City of Edinburgh
5 Firhill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shek

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shek

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Shek surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Shek household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Shek is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shek is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shek falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shek 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Shek

The surname SHEK is believed to have originated in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Punjab and Haryana. It can be traced back to the 16th century and is derived from the Sanskrit word "shekh," which means "leader" or "chief."

During the Mughal rule in India, the name SHEK was commonly used by individuals who held positions of authority or leadership within their communities. It was often associated with individuals of the Khatri caste, a prominent trading and mercantile group in northern India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHEK can be found in the Mughal administrative records known as the "Ain-i-Akbari," compiled during the reign of Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname SHEK who held prominent positions within the Mughal administration.

In the 17th century, the name SHEK gained further prominence with the rise of the Sikh Empire in Punjab. Several notable figures from this period bore the surname, including Bhai Mani Singh SHEK (1644-1734), a revered Sikh scholar and warrior who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Sikh scriptures.

Another notable individual was Baba Kharak Singh SHEK (1801-1840), a prominent Sikh military leader and statesman who served as the head of the Sikh Empire's army during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In the 18th century, the name SHEK was also associated with the Maratha Empire, a dominant power in central and northern India. One notable figure from this period was Shivaji SHEK (1627-1680), a renowned Maratha warrior and statesman who founded the Maratha Empire.

During the British colonial era in India, the surname SHEK continued to be prominent among the trading and mercantile communities in northern India. One notable individual from this period was Sir Ganga Ram SHEK (1851-1927), a prominent philanthropist and civil engineer who was instrumental in the development of several urban infrastructure projects in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname SHEK has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, warriors, statesmen, and entrepreneurs, reflecting its roots as a title signifying leadership and authority.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Shek surname: questions and answers

How common is the Shek surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,200 in 2016. That gives Shek a modern rank of #4,958.

What does the Shek surname mean?

A nickname from Hebrew meaning "to hire" or "to look for".

What does the Shek map show?

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