NameCensus.

UK surname

Shemilt

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Shemilt surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alton, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall and Milwich. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Derbyshire Dales and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shemilt is 254 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.1%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

2000

254 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shemilt had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Shemilt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shemilt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shemilt 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 86 #18,820
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 154 #18,004
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 181 #18,763
1998 modern 249 #15,720
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 254 #15,578
2001 modern 242 #15,832
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 247 #15,733
2004 modern 235 #16,379
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 216 #17,397
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 221 #17,848
2010 modern 219 #18,319
2011 modern 233 #17,426
2012 modern 234 #17,291
2013 modern 236 #17,472
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Shemilts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alton, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall, Milwich, London parishes and Ipstones. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Derbyshire Dales and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Alton Staffordshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
3 Milwich Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Ipstones Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 042 Cheshire East
2 Derbyshire Dales 009 Derbyshire Dales
3 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
4 Staffordshire Moorlands 008 Staffordshire Moorlands
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 007 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shemilt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shemilt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shemilt, 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 Shemilt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Shemilt 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shemilt is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Shemilt is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shemilt falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Shemilt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shemilt 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 114 Shemilts recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.38x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 114 24.38x
Lancashire 9 0.55x
Shropshire 9 7.52x
Warwickshire 9 2.58x
Hampshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Milwich in Staffordshire leads with 36 Shemilts recorded in 1881 and an index of 13846.15x.

Place Total Index
Milwich 36 13846.15x
Ipstones 12 1791.04x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 24.20x
Checkley 11 909.09x
Alton 10 2000.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 34.47x
Claverley 8 987.65x
Elmdon 8 8000.00x
Leigh 8 2580.65x
Caverswall 7 288.07x
Haughton 7 2916.67x
Penkridge 7 578.51x
Ellastone 2 1538.46x
Alverstoke 1 9.73x
Birmingham 1 0.86x
Leigh Field 1 769.23x
Seighford 1 270.27x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 33.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Martha 6
Ann 5
Catherine 4
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Frances 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Millicent 2
Priscilla 2
Susan 2
Adeline 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Felicia 1
Jesse 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maude 1
Milicant 1
Nelly 1
Patty 1
Susannah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 13
Thomas 12
Edward 8
David 6
George 4
James 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Jesse 2
Archibal 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Eustace 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Shemilt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shemilt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Shemilt surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shemilt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Shemilt a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Shemilt map show?

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