NameCensus.

UK surname

Shemeld

In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Shemeld surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #20,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Woburn, London parishes and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shemeld is 146 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.4%.

1881 census count

91

Ranked #20,843

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

1998

146 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shemeld had 91 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Shemeld surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shemeld surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Shemeld 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 91 #20,843
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 132 #25,971
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

Back to top

Where Shemelds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Woburn, London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Lambeth and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster and Sheffield. 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 Woburn Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 007 Doncaster
2 Sheffield 032 Sheffield
3 Sheffield 061 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 076 Sheffield
5 Sheffield 026 Sheffield

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Shemeld

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Shemeld

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Shemeld surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Shemeld household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shemeld 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

Shemeld is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shemeld falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shemeld is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Shemeld families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shemeld 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. Yorkshire leads with 53 Shemelds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.03x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 53 6.03x
Surrey 14 3.24x
Middlesex 11 1.24x
Northamptonshire 5 5.99x
Essex 3 1.71x
Lancashire 3 0.28x
Hertfordshire 1 1.63x
Oxfordshire 1 1.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 23 Shemelds recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.14x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 23 82.14x
Ecclesall Bierlow 17 95.03x
Camberwell 7 12.35x
St Marylebone London 7 14.77x
Heeley 5 187.27x
Lambeth 5 6.46x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 117.65x
Nether Hallam 4 33.61x
Handsworth 3 129.31x
Salford 3 9.69x
Islington London 2 2.33x
Kelvedon 2 425.53x
St Martin In Fields 2 37.66x
Berkhampstead 1 72.46x
Dorking 1 34.48x
Maldon All Sts 1 285.71x
Reigate Foreign 1 21.37x
Swalcliffe Sibford Gower 1 769.23x
Tanshelf 1 142.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 6
Emily 5
Ann 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Agnes 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Shemeld surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shemeld surname in 1881?

In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Shemeld surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shemeld surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Shemeld a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Shemeld map show?

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