NameCensus.

UK surname

Shelbourn

A surname derived from a place name referring to a sheltered stream or burn.

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Shelbourn surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 176, ranked #21,298, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gonerby, Great, Hough-on-the-Hill, with Brandon and Gelston and Leasingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shelbourn is 205 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.6%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

176

2016, ranked #21,298

Peak year

1998

205 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shelbourn had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016, ranked #21,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Shelbourn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shelbourn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shelbourn 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 191 #18,817
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 194 #18,627
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 184 #20,079
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 187 #20,132
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 174 #21,449
2016 modern 176 #21,298

Geography

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Where Shelbourns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gonerby, Great, Hough-on-the-Hill, with Brandon and Gelston, Leasingham, Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael and Grantham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven and Broxtowe. 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 Gonerby, Great Lincolnshire
2 Hough-on-the-Hill, with Brandon and Gelston Lincolnshire
3 Leasingham Lincolnshire
4 Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael Lincolnshire
5 Grantham Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
2 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
3 South Kesteven 007 South Kesteven
4 South Kesteven 005 South Kesteven
5 Broxtowe 003 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shelbourn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shelbourn

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Shelbourn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Shelbourn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Shelbourn is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shelbourn is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Shelbourn

The surname Shelbourn is an English locational name that originated in the county of Derbyshire. It derives from the hamlet of Shelbourn, which translates from the Old English words 'scelfe' meaning 'hut' or 'shed' and 'burna' meaning 'stream'. This suggests the name likely referred to someone who lived near a shed or small dwelling by a stream.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname appears to be Schelfborne in the Derbyshire County Records of 1327. It is also found as Schelfburne in the same records from 1341. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern form of Shelbourn.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, there is no direct mention of the Shelbourn name. However, the village of Shelbourn itself is recorded as part of the lands held by Henry de Ferrers, a Norman noble.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Shelbourn surname was William Shelbourn, a farmer who lived in the village of Shelbourn in the late 14th century. Another early record is of John Shelbourn, who was mentioned in the Derbyshire Parish Registers in 1498.

A notable figure with this surname was Sir Thomas Shelbourn (1601-1680), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the 17th century. He was also a prominent landowner and Justice of the Peace in the county.

Another individual of note was Reverend William Shelbourn (1737-1808), an Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of Shelbourn from 1765 until his death. He was known for his charitable works and efforts to improve education in the local community.

In the 19th century, John Shelbourn (1812-1892) was a successful industrialist who owned a textile mill in the nearby town of Chesterfield. He was also a philanthropist and contributed to the construction of several churches and schools in the area.

While the Shelbourn surname originated in Derbyshire, it eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond. One example is Robert Shelbourn (1856-1921), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the riding of Shelburne in Ontario.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shelbourn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shelbourn 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. Lincolnshire leads with 100 Shelbourns recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.49x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 100 50.49x
Lancashire 7 0.48x
Northamptonshire 7 6.01x
Derbyshire 4 2.06x
Leicestershire 4 2.91x
Essex 1 0.41x
Middlesex 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.60x
Wigtownshire 1 6.08x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fulbeck in Lincolnshire leads with 20 Shelbourns recorded in 1881 and an index of 7407.41x.

Place Total Index
Fulbeck 20 7407.41x
Hough On Hill 11 6875.00x
Grantham 10 387.60x
Manthorpe Cum Little 10 662.25x
West Derby 7 16.28x
Langton By Wragby 6 4615.38x
Peterborough 6 71.09x
Great Gonerby 5 980.39x
Hough On Hill Brandon 5 5000.00x
Barkestone 4 3076.92x
Leasingham 4 2500.00x
Litchurch 4 51.28x
New Sleaford 4 314.96x
Spittlegate 4 145.99x
Stamford St Michael 4 714.29x
Kirkby Underwood 3 3333.33x
Barkstone 2 952.38x
Holdingham 2 3333.33x
St Nicholas Lincoln 2 105.82x
Waddington 2 555.56x
Barrowby 1 294.12x
Caythorpe 1 263.16x
Kirkmaiden 1 96.15x
Leyton 1 23.75x
Linwood 1 1250.00x
Morley 1 15.67x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.32x
Oundle 1 76.92x
Poplar London 1 4.28x
Roxholme 1 2000.00x
Stubton 1 1666.67x
Wickenby 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 5
Jane 4
Ann 3
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
...arley 1
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elisa 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Leonora 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Milercent 1
Parthenin 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 11
William 9
John 6
Thomas 6
Charles 4
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Matthew 3
Robert 3
Christopher 2
Mathew 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Shelbourn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shelbourn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Shelbourn surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shelbourn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016. That gives Shelbourn a modern rank of #21,298.

What does the Shelbourn surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to a sheltered stream or burn.

What does the Shelbourn map show?

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