NameCensus.

UK surname

Shellard

An Old French occupational surname denoting a maker or seller of wooden vessels and utensils.

In the 1881 census there were 475 people recorded with the Shellard surname, ranking it #7,031 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 791, ranked #6,984, up from #7,031 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shellard is 821 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.5%.

1881 census count

475

Ranked #7,031

Modern count

791

2016, ranked #6,984

Peak year

2013

821 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shellard had 475 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,031 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016, ranked #6,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 704 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shellard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shellard surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shellard 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 314 #7,361
1861 historical 363 #7,045
1881 historical 475 #7,031
1891 historical 653 #5,944
1901 historical 704 #6,257
1911 historical 699 #6,088
1997 modern 786 #6,637
1998 modern 808 #6,703
1999 modern 795 #6,832
2000 modern 803 #6,749
2001 modern 766 #6,876
2002 modern 780 #6,920
2003 modern 765 #6,904
2004 modern 752 #7,005
2005 modern 760 #6,886
2006 modern 786 #6,724
2007 modern 789 #6,765
2008 modern 796 #6,775
2009 modern 801 #6,882
2010 modern 817 #6,896
2011 modern 798 #6,970
2012 modern 798 #6,846
2013 modern 821 #6,796
2014 modern 821 #6,832
2015 modern 810 #6,854
2016 modern 791 #6,984

Geography

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Where Shellards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Lyncombe and Widcombe and Nettleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Lyncombe and Widcombe Somerset
5 Nettleton Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 015 Stroud
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 005 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
4 North Somerset 010 North Somerset
5 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shellard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shellard

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shellard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Shellard is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Shellard

The surname Shellard has its origins in England, first appearing in records from the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "scill," meaning a loud noise or clatter, combined with the suffix "-ard," indicating a person associated with that particular attribute or occupation. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who made a lot of noise, perhaps a drummer or someone involved in a noisy trade.

One of the earliest known records of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1197, where a certain Roger Schillard is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire from 1214, with a reference to a William Schillard. These early spellings highlight the variability in the way the name was recorded in medieval times.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners in England, there is an entry for a John Shillard holding lands in Oxfordshire. This suggests that by the 13th century, the Shellard family had established itself as landowners in various parts of the country.

The name Shellard has also been linked to place names in England, such as Shillard's Green in Oxfordshire, which may have derived its name from an early Shellard landowner or resident in the area.

Notable individuals with the surname Shellard include:

1. Sir John Shellard (c. 1570 - 1632), an English soldier and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. 2. Thomas Shellard (1614 - 1680), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. William Shellard (1789 - 1867), an English engraver and illustrator known for his work on topographical publications. 4. Alice Shellard (1858 - 1944), a British suffragette and activist for women's rights. 5. Robert Shellard (1908 - 1998), a British architect and town planner who designed several notable buildings in London during the mid-20th century.

While the Shellard surname may not be as prevalent as some others, it has a long and interesting history in England, tracing back to the medieval period and reflecting the country's rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shellard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shellard 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. Gloucestershire leads with 163 Shellards recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.90x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 163 17.90x
Somerset 101 13.51x
Middlesex 47 1.01x
Northamptonshire 26 5.95x
Warwickshire 22 1.88x
Monmouthshire 20 5.96x
Wiltshire 19 4.63x
Worcestershire 17 2.80x
Yorkshire 10 0.22x
Surrey 9 0.40x
Leicestershire 8 1.55x
Cheshire 5 0.49x
Lancashire 5 0.09x
Berkshire 4 1.15x
Hampshire 3 0.32x
Pembrokeshire 3 2.03x
Staffordshire 3 0.19x
Devon 2 0.21x
Durham 2 0.14x
Glamorgan 2 0.25x
Kent 2 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.34x
Royal Navy 1 1.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 30 Shellards recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.99x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 30 34.99x
Lyncombe Widcombe 30 153.30x
Bristol St George 26 61.73x
Bedminster 18 25.63x
Mangotsfield 18 198.24x
Bitton 16 201.77x
Bitton Oldland 15 161.12x
Combe Hay 12 4000.00x
South Stoke 12 1935.48x
Clifton 11 23.89x
Monmouth 11 123.60x
Nettleton 11 1692.31x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 32.93x
Linthorpe 9 32.77x
Northampton Priory St 9 34.34x
Barford 8 701.75x
Grittleton 8 1632.65x
Leicester All Sts 8 79.13x
Mile End Old Town 8 10.92x
Bathford 7 454.55x
Horfield 7 76.42x
Oldbury 7 23.47x
Sulgrave 7 958.90x
Bristol St Augustine 6 40.82x
Englishcombe 6 722.89x
Northfield 6 52.17x
St Marylebone London 6 2.42x
St Pancras London 6 1.61x
St Woollos 6 16.02x
Charlcombe 5 505.05x
Greens Norton 5 359.71x
Islington London 5 1.11x
Keynsham 5 93.11x
Yate 5 251.26x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 25.49x
Birmingham 4 1.03x
New Windsor 4 34.13x
Towcester 4 88.89x
Yardley 4 25.79x
Darlaston 3 13.85x
Harrow 3 42.25x
Milford Haven 3 250.00x
Paddington London 3 1.76x
St George Hanover 3 4.95x
St Giles In Fields 3 18.74x
Stapleton 3 17.36x
Tooting Graveney 3 47.62x
Tottenham 3 4.06x
Avon Dassett 2 465.12x
Boldon 2 40.65x
Bristol St Paul In 2 8.24x
Budbrooke 2 168.07x
Clevedon 2 25.74x
Frampton Cotterell 2 62.50x
Higher Bebington 2 30.49x
Hollingworth 2 47.28x
Lambeth 2 0.49x
Newbold Pacey 2 333.33x
Pucklechurch 2 97.56x
St Andrew Holborn 2 12.71x
St Martin In Fields 2 7.19x
Ventnor 2 22.10x
Walcot 2 5.02x
West Littleton 2 1250.00x
Aberdare 1 1.80x
Barnstaple 1 6.59x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.98x
Great Badminton 1 128.21x
Horseheath 1 114.94x
Macclesfield 1 2.19x
Middlesbrough 1 1.67x
Newport 1 6.25x
North Stoke 1 322.58x
Royal Navy 1 2.11x
Slimbridge 1 73.53x
South Hamlet 1 17.76x
Thorpe Mandeville 1 294.12x
Warwick St Mary 1 9.83x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 11.64x
West Dean 1 6.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 17
Ann 15
Sarah 14
Emma 11
Alice 9
Emily 9
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Ellen 7
Jane 7
Clara 5
Fanny 5
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Hannah 4
Julia 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Amy 3
Anne 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Charlotte 2
Cordelia 2
Edith 2
Elizath. 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Rebecca 2
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Ella 1
Frederick 1
Grace 1
Hester 1
Hesther 1
Hetty 1
Hitua 1
Jemima 1
Katharine 1
Katherine 1
Kezia 1
Walter 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 24
William 21
John 15
Joseph 14
Henry 12
Thomas 10
Edward 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Charles 8
Frederick 8
James 8
Robert 6
Harry 5
Richard 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Walter 4
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Stephen 3
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Nathaniel 2
Richmond 2
Sidney 2
Charley 1
Cornelius 1
Danl. 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.W. 1
Farley 1
Fredic 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Horrace 1
Hy. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Lewis 1
Nathan 1
Norman 1
Orlando 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Reuben 1
Sam 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Shellard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shellard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 475 people were recorded with the Shellard surname. That placed it at #7,031 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shellard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016. That gives Shellard a modern rank of #6,984.

What does the Shellard surname mean?

An Old French occupational surname denoting a maker or seller of wooden vessels and utensils.

What does the Shellard map show?

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