NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheldrick

Of English origin, indicating a sheep herder or sheep farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 598 people recorded with the Sheldrick surname, ranking it #5,850 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 727, ranked #7,484, down from #5,850 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Thriplow and Birch, Easthorpe, Copford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Hertfordshire, East Cambridgeshire and Knapdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheldrick is 879 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

598

Ranked #5,850

Modern count

727

2016, ranked #7,484

Peak year

1911

879 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheldrick had 598 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,850 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 727 in 2016, ranked #7,484.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 879 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sheldrick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheldrick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheldrick 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 376 #6,343
1861 historical 406 #6,320
1881 historical 598 #5,850
1891 historical 674 #5,786
1901 historical 731 #6,055
1911 historical 879 #5,063
1997 modern 749 #6,890
1998 modern 787 #6,846
1999 modern 804 #6,759
2000 modern 767 #6,981
2001 modern 747 #7,006
2002 modern 759 #7,045
2003 modern 737 #7,103
2004 modern 750 #7,015
2005 modern 718 #7,177
2006 modern 726 #7,164
2007 modern 733 #7,186
2008 modern 740 #7,176
2009 modern 772 #7,081
2010 modern 774 #7,206
2011 modern 761 #7,225
2012 modern 736 #7,331
2013 modern 733 #7,470
2014 modern 744 #7,432
2015 modern 731 #7,474
2016 modern 727 #7,484

Geography

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Where Sheldricks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Thriplow, Birch, Easthorpe, Copford, Lambeth and Isleham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Hertfordshire, East Cambridgeshire, Knapdale and Maldon. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Thriplow Hertfordshire
3 Birch, Easthorpe, Copford Essex
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Isleham Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 009 East Cambridgeshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 007 East Cambridgeshire
4 Knapdale Argyll and Bute
5 Maldon 001 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheldrick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheldrick

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Sheldrick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sheldrick household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sheldrick is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sheldrick is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sheldrick falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sheldrick 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 Sheldrick, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sheldrick

The surname Sheldrick has its origins in England, and its history can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from a place name, possibly referring to a location where people lived or worked near a shelter or shed.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, when a certain Richard de Schelderich was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1270. This indicates that the name was already established in northern England during that time period.

In the 14th century, variations of the spelling such as Sheldryke and Sheldricke appeared in historical records, suggesting that the name was gradually evolving into its modern form. One notable example is John Sheldryk, who was recorded as a resident of Nottinghamshire in 1379.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Sheldrick. However, it does mention various place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as Scheldewell and Scheldesford.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals with the surname Sheldrick have left their mark in various fields. One notable figure was William Sheldrick (1737-1808), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits. Another prominent Sheldrick was Sir Edmund Sheldrick (1847-1921), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1901 to 1904.

In the literary world, Edward Neubauer Sheldrick (1910-1993) was an American author and novelist, best known for his work "The Rising Sun" published in 1948. The field of paleontology also saw contributions from John Sheldrick (1841-1906), a British fossil collector and amateur paleontologist who made significant discoveries of dinosaur remains in the late 19th century.

Additionally, the name Sheldrick has been associated with conservation efforts, particularly in Africa. Dame Daphne Sheldrick (1934-2018) was a Kenyan author and conservationist who dedicated her life to protecting and rehabilitating orphaned elephants and rhinos through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, named after her late husband.

While the surname Sheldrick may have evolved and spread across different regions, its roots remain firmly grounded in the historical traditions and places of England, where it first emerged as a distinctive family name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheldrick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheldrick 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. Middlesex leads with 152 Sheldricks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 152 2.60x
Cambridgeshire 142 38.37x
Essex 121 10.49x
Surrey 67 2.35x
Lancashire 19 0.27x
Yorkshire 18 0.31x
Hertfordshire 12 2.98x
Lincolnshire 10 1.07x
Derbyshire 8 0.87x
Norfolk 8 0.89x
Warwickshire 7 0.48x
Glamorgan 5 0.49x
Kent 5 0.25x
Leicestershire 5 0.77x
Devon 4 0.33x
Sussex 4 0.41x
Bedfordshire 3 0.99x
Suffolk 3 0.42x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.72x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Durham 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 27 Sheldricks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.77x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 27 4.77x
Isleham 21 617.65x
Mile End Old Town 21 22.77x
Birch 20 1058.20x
Lambeth 20 3.93x
Sawston 18 504.20x
St Andrewthe Less 17 40.21x
Thriplow 17 1847.83x
West Ham 17 6.68x
Clerkenwell London 16 11.60x
Hackney London 15 4.58x
Inworth 14 1093.75x
St Pancras London 10 2.13x
Therfield 10 425.53x
Hammersmith London 9 6.25x
Newington 9 4.17x
Holy Trinity 8 5.74x
Swaffham Prior 8 490.80x
Bermondsey 7 4.02x
Colchester St Giles 7 61.40x
Holbeach 7 67.31x
Wanstead 7 34.65x
Cottenham 6 121.95x
Foulmire 6 545.45x
Goldhanger 6 600.00x
Hornsey 6 8.12x
Hulme 6 4.15x
Limehouse London 6 9.35x
Putney 6 22.53x
Soham 6 75.38x
Southwark Christchurch 6 21.91x
St George In East 6 15.10x
West Mersea 6 271.49x
Westminster St John 6 8.43x
All Saints Cambridge 5 192.31x
Battersea 5 2.33x
Brightside Bierlow 5 4.40x
Chesterton 5 43.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 4.54x
Colchester All Sts 5 555.56x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.25x
Duxford 5 322.58x
Leicester St Margaret 5 3.17x
Leyton 5 25.16x
Newton 5 347.22x
Pollington 5 649.35x
Romford 5 27.43x
St Andrewthe Great 5 104.60x
Stanford Rivers 5 256.41x
Sutton 5 24.27x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.58x
Birmingham 4 0.81x
Litchurch 4 10.87x
Little Wigborough 4 2222.22x
Llandaff 4 11.82x
Newbold Dunston 4 46.03x
Norwich St Peter 4 67.80x
St Marylebone London 4 1.28x
Aston 3 0.74x
Brighton 3 1.51x
Camberwell 3 0.80x
Colchester St Peter 3 65.08x
Diss 3 38.96x
Flitwick 3 182.93x
Hampstead London 3 3.30x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 3 74.63x
Prestwich 3 17.34x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 3 36.28x
Tollesbury 3 103.81x
Tormoham 3 5.83x
Trumpington 3 159.57x
West Derby 3 1.48x
Westminster St James 3 4.99x
Whittlesford 3 176.47x
Wimbledon 3 9.38x
Aldershot 2 4.99x
Chelsea London 2 1.14x
Holton 2 219.78x
Tottenham 2 2.15x
Woodham Walter 2 190.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 27
Mary 22
Sarah 18
Eliza 14
Alice 13
Ann 13
Ellen 12
Emily 12
Emma 12
Jane 10
Annie 7
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Julia 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Susan 5
Edith 4
Florence 4
Harriett 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Sophia 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Maria 3
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Flora 2
Grace 2
Lucy 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Rhoda 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Dorothy 1
Eda 1
Ethel 1
Johanna 1
Uillo 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 29
George 24
Charles 15
Thomas 15
James 13
Alfred 12
Frederick 11
Henry 11
Robert 9
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Richard 8
Ernest 6
Isaac 5
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Frank 3
Frederic 3
Percy 3
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Horace 2
Wm. 2
Aphraim 1
Archbould 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Edwd.Chas.Ferguson 1
Elliott 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Gilbert 1
Golden 1
Josias 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Nathaniel 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
R. 1
Roderick 1

FAQ

Sheldrick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheldrick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 598 people were recorded with the Sheldrick surname. That placed it at #5,850 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheldrick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 727 in 2016. That gives Sheldrick a modern rank of #7,484.

What does the Sheldrick surname mean?

Of English origin, indicating a sheep herder or sheep farmer.

What does the Sheldrick map show?

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