NameCensus.

UK surname

Shelley

Derived from a place name meaning "clearing on a bank" or "meadow on a ledge" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,319 people recorded with the Shelley surname, ranking it #1,917 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,103, ranked #1,653, up from #1,917 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Brighton and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, Waveney and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shelley is 4,331 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.9%.

1881 census count

2,319

Ranked #1,917

Modern count

4,103

2016, ranked #1,653

Peak year

2002

4,331 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shelley had 2,319 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,917 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,103 in 2016, ranked #1,653.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,687 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shelley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shelley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shelley 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 1,175 #2,408
1861 historical 1,213 #2,341
1881 historical 2,319 #1,917
1891 historical 2,606 #1,828
1901 historical 3,001 #1,866
1911 historical 3,687 #1,410
1997 modern 3,973 #1,631
1998 modern 4,329 #1,554
1999 modern 4,325 #1,566
2000 modern 4,327 #1,553
2001 modern 4,233 #1,553
2002 modern 4,331 #1,552
2003 modern 4,232 #1,560
2004 modern 4,187 #1,578
2005 modern 4,163 #1,565
2006 modern 4,178 #1,563
2007 modern 4,145 #1,590
2008 modern 4,127 #1,606
2009 modern 4,196 #1,616
2010 modern 4,237 #1,632
2011 modern 4,207 #1,621
2012 modern 4,118 #1,629
2013 modern 4,225 #1,617
2014 modern 4,197 #1,637
2015 modern 4,145 #1,646
2016 modern 4,103 #1,653

Geography

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Where Shelleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Brighton and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, Waveney, Stafford and Knowsley. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brighton Sussex
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 015 Braintree
2 Braintree 017 Braintree
3 Waveney 015 Waveney
4 Stafford 005 Stafford
5 Knowsley 004 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shelley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shelley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shelley, 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 Shelley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Shelley 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, Shelley 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

Shelley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Shelley

The surname Shelley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'sciell' or 'scyll', meaning a shelter or shed, and 'leah', which refers to a woodland clearing or meadow. Thus, the surname likely referred to someone who lived in a dwelling or homestead located in a clearing or forest glade.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Seluelei' and 'Scelleslei'. These entries refer to places in Worcestershire and Essex, respectively, indicating that the name was already established in different parts of the country by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appears in various records with spellings such as 'Shelleye', 'Scelley', and 'Schelley'. One notable early bearer of the name was John de Shelley, who was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.

In the 14th century, the name continued to be well-represented in various regions of England. For instance, Robert de Shelley was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, while John Shelley was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Shelley surname. Sir Philip Shelley (1563-1627) was an English nobleman who served as the High Sheriff of Sussex. Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was a renowned English Romantic poet, acclaimed for works such as "Ozymandias" and "Ode to the West Wind".

Other notable Shelleys include Richard Shelley (1513-1587), a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851), the author of the iconic Gothic novel "Frankenstein". Sir John Shelley (1920-2021) was a British politician and peer who served as a Member of Parliament for over three decades.

The surname Shelley has endured through the centuries and continues to be well-represented in various parts of the English-speaking world, with its roots firmly grounded in the medieval English landscape and language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shelley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shelley 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. Staffordshire leads with 466 Shelleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.10x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 466 6.10x
Essex 318 7.12x
Middlesex 278 1.23x
Surrey 228 2.07x
Warwickshire 183 3.21x
Sussex 136 3.57x
Lancashire 104 0.39x
Hampshire 95 2.05x
Kent 84 1.09x
Yorkshire 81 0.36x
Suffolk 45 1.63x
Derbyshire 30 0.85x
Shropshire 26 1.33x
Wiltshire 25 1.25x
Hertfordshire 21 1.35x
Worcestershire 21 0.71x
Lincolnshire 18 0.50x
Cheshire 14 0.28x
Cornwall 14 0.55x
Monmouthshire 13 0.79x
Northamptonshire 13 0.61x
Oxfordshire 13 0.93x
Leicestershire 9 0.36x
Northumberland 9 0.27x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.84x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.33x
Durham 6 0.09x
Fife 6 0.45x
Midlothian 6 0.20x
Glamorgan 5 0.13x
Devon 4 0.08x
Rutland 4 2.41x
Somerset 4 0.11x
Berkshire 3 0.18x
Cardiganshire 3 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.15x
Denbighshire 2 0.23x
Dorset 2 0.13x
Gloucestershire 2 0.05x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.20x
Flintshire 1 0.16x
Wigtownshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 89 Shelleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.67x.

Place Total Index
Aston 89 5.67x
Brighton 65 8.45x
Birmingham 62 3.26x
Wolverhampton 60 10.22x
Camberwell 51 3.53x
Stone 48 49.15x
Hackney London 45 3.55x
Pattiswick 37 1406.84x
Lambeth 36 1.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 35 4.32x
Rivenhall 34 636.70x
Nether Hallam 29 9.56x
Bilston 27 18.24x
Newington 27 3.23x
Croydon 25 4.09x
Colwich 24 132.23x
Deptford St Paul 23 3.86x
Great Coggeshall 23 99.05x
Halstead 23 44.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 23 5.05x
Walsall Foreign 23 5.83x
Tipton 22 9.41x
Witham 22 95.65x
Shoreditch London 21 2.14x
Stafford St Mary 20 18.50x
Sudbury St Peter 19 125.83x
West Bromwich 19 4.35x
Downton 18 68.75x
Foulness 18 327.87x
Margate St John Baptist 18 12.74x
Trentham 18 27.72x
Bermondsey 17 2.52x
Eccleshall 17 58.72x
Islington London 17 0.78x
St George Hanover 17 5.76x
Boldre 16 96.33x
Burton Upon Trent 16 8.96x
Chelsea London 15 2.20x
Exbury 15 559.70x
St Pancras London 15 0.82x
Bootle Cum Linacre 14 6.57x
Eccleshall Croxton 14 622.22x
Kensington London 14 1.11x
Lewisham 14 3.40x
Liverpool 14 0.86x
Northowram 14 8.91x
St Marylebone London 14 1.16x
Bodmin 13 30.68x
Burslem 13 5.94x
Chipping Norton 13 40.25x
Derby St Peter 12 10.64x
Great Baddow 12 75.57x
Runwell 12 461.54x
Stoke Newington London 12 6.81x
Aston Le Walls 11 1410.26x
Hailsham 11 47.66x
Sedgley 11 3.88x
Wimbledon 11 8.89x
Barking 10 7.65x
Denny Lodge 10 442.48x
Heybridge 10 76.98x
Salford 10 1.27x
South Weald 10 26.14x
Cheshunt 9 16.51x
Claverley 9 68.23x
Cressing 9 214.80x
Cromford 9 108.04x
Edgbaston 9 5.09x
Heston 9 11.98x
Kingston On Thames 9 3.40x
Preston 9 13.51x
Sheffield 9 1.26x
Toxteth Park 9 0.99x
Westminster St James 9 3.87x
Burgh In Marsh 8 90.81x
Madeley 8 11.16x
Morville Aston Eyre 8 1159.42x
Oldham 8 0.92x
St Woollos 8 4.38x
Tottenham 8 2.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 137
Elizabeth 93
Sarah 88
Eliza 46
Emma 43
Ann 39
Alice 38
Ellen 37
Emily 33
Jane 33
Annie 32
Margaret 22
Martha 21
Hannah 19
Lucy 17
Florence 16
Ada 15
Kate 15
Edith 14
Harriett 14
Louisa 14
Maria 14
Anne 13
Fanny 13
Susan 13
Catherine 12
Frances 11
Harriet 11
Caroline 10
Clara 10
Charlotte 9
Amelia 8
Esther 8
Lydia 8
Agnes 7
Amy 7
Julia 7
Rebecca 7
Beatrice 6
Bridget 6
Laura 6
Maud 6
Rachel 6
Minnie 5
Rose 5
Elizth. 4
Lizzie 4
Matilda 4
Rosa 4
Rosetta 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 130
William 130
George 81
Thomas 72
James 66
Henry 53
Joseph 47
Charles 45
Samuel 37
Arthur 34
Edward 29
Robert 26
Alfred 23
Frederick 22
Frank 19
Albert 14
Harry 14
Walter 14
Francis 11
Edwin 10
Richard 10
David 8
Ernest 8
Isaac 8
Patrick 8
Herbert 7
Philip 7
Fredrick 6
Percy 6
Chas. 5
Stephen 5
Wm. 5
Edmund 4
Geo. 4
Jabez 4
Michael 4
Peter 4
Anthony 3
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Mark 3
Nicholas 3
Phillip 3
Rowland 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Edgar 2
Patk. 2

FAQ

Shelley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shelley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,319 people were recorded with the Shelley surname. That placed it at #1,917 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shelley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,103 in 2016. That gives Shelley a modern rank of #1,653.

What does the Shelley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "clearing on a bank" or "meadow on a ledge" in Old English.

What does the Shelley map show?

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