NameCensus.

UK surname

Shemwell

From a Welsh surname referring to a small wooded valley or dell.

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Shemwell surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 186, ranked #20,575, up from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Brampton and Wingfield, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Caerphilly and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shemwell is 190 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 169.6%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

186

2016, ranked #20,575

Peak year

2014

190 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shemwell had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016, ranked #20,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Shemwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shemwell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Shemwell 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 137 #19,501
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 173 #19,821
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 170 #19,838
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 174 #20,166
2008 modern 174 #20,385
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 178 #20,809
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 186 #20,575

Geography

Back to top

Where Shemwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Brampton, Wingfield, North, Ault Hucknall (or Stainsby) and Youlgrave. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Caerphilly, Bolton and South Northamptonshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Brampton Derbyshire
3 Wingfield, North Derbyshire
4 Ault Hucknall (or Stainsby) Nottinghamshire
5 Youlgrave Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 012 North East Derbyshire
2 Caerphilly 010 Caerphilly
3 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
4 Bolton 019 Bolton
5 South Northamptonshire 008 South Northamptonshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Shemwell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Shemwell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Shemwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Shemwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Shemwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shemwell 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

Shemwell falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shemwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Shemwell

The surname Shemwell originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from a locational name referring to someone who lived near a shallow well or spring. This name likely evolved from the Old English words 'sceald' meaning shallow and 'well' meaning a source of water.

Variations in the spelling of this name can be found in early records, such as Shaldwell, Shalewell, and Shaldewell. The earliest known recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Schaldewell' in the county of Essex.

During the 13th century, the name Shemwell appeared in various tax rolls and legal documents across different counties in England, indicating its widespread use. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, where a Robert de Shemwell is listed as a landowner.

The village of Shemwell in Somerset, England, likely derived its name from this surname, further solidifying its historical roots in the region. In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing this name was Sir John Shemwell (1515-1578), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London.

Another notable individual was William Shemwell (1670-1743), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Gatcombe in the Isle of Wight. He published several religious works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, Thomas Shemwell (1725-1792) was a respected surgeon and physician who practiced in London and served as a governor of the Foundling Hospital.

Later, in the 19th century, Henry Shemwell (1820-1898) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol, known for his charitable contributions to various educational institutions.

The name Shemwell has also been associated with several notable military figures throughout history, including Captain John Shemwell (1845-1917), who served in the British Army during the Anglo-Zulu War and the Second Boer War.

While the name Shemwell may have evolved over time and spread to different regions, its origins can be traced back to medieval England and the locational reference to a shallow well or spring.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Shemwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shemwell 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 27 Shemwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.88x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 27 11.88x
Derbyshire 25 23.72x
Yorkshire 9 1.35x
Lancashire 7 0.88x
Warwickshire 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rugeley in Staffordshire leads with 24 Shemwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1472.39x.

Place Total Index
Rugeley 24 1472.39x
Brampton 10 680.27x
Sheffield 7 32.97x
Claylane 6 410.96x
Hulme 3 18.00x
Weston On Trent 3 2500.00x
Youlgreave 3 1000.00x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 33.28x
Brightside Bierlow 2 15.29x
Chesterfield 2 50.63x
Pendleton In Salford 2 21.01x
Tibshelf 2 384.62x
Aston 1 2.14x
Newbold Dunston 1 100.00x
Wingerworth 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Emma 2
Maria 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Franches 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
George 4
John 3
Edward 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Agar 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henery 1
Lancelot 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Shemwell households.

FAQ

Shemwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shemwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Shemwell surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shemwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016. That gives Shemwell a modern rank of #20,575.

What does the Shemwell surname mean?

From a Welsh surname referring to a small wooded valley or dell.

What does the Shemwell map show?

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