NameCensus.

UK surname

Shen

A Chinese surname meaning "deep" or "profound," or referring to the god of the Yellow River.

In the 1881 census there were 15 people recorded with the Shen surname, ranking it #31,451 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 369, ranked #12,617, up from #31,451 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oxford, Tameside and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shen is 369 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2360.0%.

1881 census count

15

Ranked #31,451

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

2016

369 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shen had 15 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,451 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Shen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shen 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 15 #31,451
1891 historical 44 #30,838
1901 historical 47 #28,929
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 51 #32,545
1998 modern 64 #31,562
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 75 #30,668
2001 modern 71 #30,907
2002 modern 89 #29,428
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 183 #19,735
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 292 #14,770
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 339 #13,581
2015 modern 357 #12,979
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

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Where Shens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oxford, Tameside, Harlow, Barnet and Tower Hamlets. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oxford 008 Oxford
2 Tameside 028 Tameside
3 Harlow 005 Harlow
4 Barnet 038 Barnet
5 Tower Hamlets 028 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shen

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Shen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Shen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Shen is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shen is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shen 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 Shen 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Shen

The surname Shen originated in China, with records dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Chinese word "shen," which means "deep" or "profound." The name is believed to have been adopted by families residing in the areas around the Yangtze River basin during the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC).

One of the earliest documented references to the surname Shen can be found in the Shiji, a historical record written by Sima Qian during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). This work mentions a prominent scholar named Shen Buhai, who lived in the 4th century BC and is renowned for his contributions to the development of Legalist philosophy.

The Shen surname gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), when several individuals bearing this name held influential positions in the imperial court. One notable figure was Shen Kuo (1031–1095), a polymath who made significant contributions to various fields, including mathematics, astronomy, geology, and cartography.

During the Song Dynasty (960–1279), the Shen family produced several accomplished scholars and officials. Shen Gua (1031–1095), a renowned scientist and statesman, is credited with writing the Mengxi Bitan, a influential book that covers a wide range of topics, from astronomy to architecture.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the Shen surname was associated with the renowned playwright Shen Jing (1553–1610), whose works were instrumental in shaping the development of Chinese opera and drama.

Another notable figure with the Shen surname was Shen Fuzong (1658–1738), a Qing Dynasty scholar and calligrapher who played a crucial role in the compilation of the renowned Siku Quanshu, one of the largest literary collections in Chinese history.

Throughout the centuries, the Shen surname has also been associated with various place names and locations across China, such as Shenyang, a major city in the northeastern province of Liaoning, and Shenzhen, a prominent metropolis in southern China.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shen 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. Middlesex leads with 11 Shens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 11 8.68x
Cheshire 1 3.57x
Gloucestershire 1 4.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 7 Shens recorded in 1881 and an index of 292.89x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 7 292.89x
Hammersmith London 2 64.10x
Lydney 1 769.23x
Paddington London 1 21.46x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 312.50x
St Luke London 1 49.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Henry 1
Jeremiah 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Richard 1
Timothy 1
William 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 Shen households.

FAQ

Shen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15 people were recorded with the Shen surname. That placed it at #31,451 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Shen a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Shen surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "deep" or "profound," or referring to the god of the Yellow River.

What does the Shen map show?

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