NameCensus.

UK surname

Shephard

An occupational surname referring to someone who herded or tended sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 2,864 people recorded with the Shephard surname, ranking it #1,567 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,846, ranked #2,363, down from #1,567 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Copeland and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shephard is 3,530 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.6%.

1881 census count

2,864

Ranked #1,567

Modern count

2,846

2016, ranked #2,363

Peak year

1861

3,530 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shephard had 2,864 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,567 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,846 in 2016, ranked #2,363.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,530 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shephard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shephard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shephard 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 2,626 #1,124
1861 historical 3,530 #800
1881 historical 2,864 #1,567
1891 historical 3,413 #1,396
1901 historical 3,268 #1,705
1911 historical 3,398 #1,541
1997 modern 2,937 #2,206
1998 modern 3,042 #2,214
1999 modern 3,044 #2,225
2000 modern 2,994 #2,252
2001 modern 2,938 #2,242
2002 modern 2,969 #2,264
2003 modern 2,877 #2,284
2004 modern 2,856 #2,306
2005 modern 2,779 #2,342
2006 modern 2,768 #2,346
2007 modern 2,798 #2,336
2008 modern 2,810 #2,348
2009 modern 2,874 #2,344
2010 modern 2,913 #2,373
2011 modern 2,849 #2,386
2012 modern 2,843 #2,347
2013 modern 2,901 #2,343
2014 modern 2,918 #2,337
2015 modern 2,868 #2,354
2016 modern 2,846 #2,363

Geography

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Where Shephards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Copeland, Northumberland and Charnwood. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 035 Doncaster
2 Copeland 008 Copeland
3 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
4 Charnwood 003 Charnwood
5 Charnwood 010 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shephard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shephard

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Shephard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Shephard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Shephard 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

Shephard is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shephard falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shephard

The surname Shephard is of English origin and derives from the Old English word "sceaphyrde," which means "shepherd" or someone who tends to sheep. It is an occupational surname, indicating that the original bearer of the name was likely a shepherd by profession.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century in various parts of England, particularly in rural areas where sheep farming was a common occupation. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Scepherde."

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to appear in various forms, such as "Sheppard," "Shepard," and "Shepperd," reflecting the differences in pronunciation and spelling patterns across different regions of England.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Robert Shepherd (c. 1195-1268), a medieval English chronicler and monk who wrote the "Chronica Maiorum et Vicecomitum Londoniarum," a chronicle of the mayors and sheriffs of London.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name became more widely distributed across England, with some variations in spelling emerging. For example, in the town of Ipswich, Suffolk, the name was often spelled "Sheppard," while in Lincolnshire, it was commonly spelled "Shephard."

William Shepherd (c. 1554-1623) was an English clergyman and theologian who served as the rector of Bocking, Essex, and published several religious works, including "The Times Displayed in Six Books" and "The Whole Office of the Holy Week."

In the 17th century, the surname was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled "Schipherd" or "Schippert." One notable bearer of the name from this period was James Shepherd (1616-1696), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the principal of the University of St. Andrews.

Another notable figure with the surname Shephard was Thomas Shephard (1605-1649), a Puritan minister and one of the founders of Harvard College in Massachusetts. He was born in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England, and later emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The surname Shephard has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Shephard's Hill in Hertfordshire, Shephard's Well in Warwickshire, and Shephard's Farm in Kent, further highlighting the name's connection to rural areas and occupations related to sheep farming.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shephard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shephard 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 439 Shephards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 439 1.57x
Yorkshire 379 1.36x
Lancashire 194 0.58x
Surrey 165 1.21x
Nottinghamshire 154 4.08x
Hampshire 103 1.79x
Staffordshire 95 1.00x
Lincolnshire 87 1.94x
Gloucestershire 81 1.47x
Warwickshire 80 1.13x
Devon 79 1.35x
Kent 79 0.83x
Derbyshire 74 1.69x
Essex 66 1.19x
Worcestershire 60 1.64x
Oxfordshire 59 3.41x
Cornwall 58 1.83x
Durham 56 0.67x
Cumberland 41 1.70x
Dorset 39 2.12x
Sussex 39 0.83x
Norfolk 38 0.88x
Hertfordshire 35 1.81x
Wiltshire 31 1.25x
Buckinghamshire 29 1.71x
Glamorgan 28 0.57x
Somerset 28 0.62x
Suffolk 28 0.82x
Berkshire 27 1.28x
Leicestershire 27 0.87x
Westmorland 24 3.90x
Lanarkshire 22 0.24x
Cheshire 17 0.27x
Northumberland 13 0.31x
Angus 12 0.46x
Herefordshire 12 1.04x
Channel Islands 11 1.32x
Midlothian 8 0.21x
Shropshire 8 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.39x
Monmouthshire 7 0.35x
Brecknockshire 6 1.07x
East Lothian 4 1.08x
Royal Navy 4 1.20x
Bedfordshire 3 0.21x
Flintshire 3 0.40x
Inverness-shire 3 0.36x
Denbighshire 2 0.19x
Northamptonshire 2 0.08x
Renfrewshire 2 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.16x
Stirlingshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 51 Shephards recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.27x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 51 3.27x
Islington London 46 1.69x
Lambeth 44 1.80x
Bethnal Green London 43 3.53x
St Marylebone London 35 2.34x
Manchester 32 2.14x
Birmingham 30 1.27x
Radford 30 15.63x
Hackney London 28 1.78x
Horton In Bradford 28 6.46x
Rowley Regis 28 10.62x
Portsea 26 2.31x
Clerkenwell London 25 3.78x
Handsworth 24 32.69x
West Ham 24 1.96x
Aston 22 1.13x
Lenton 22 24.72x
Stratton 22 127.83x
Preston Quarter 21 31.06x
Shere 21 127.27x
Shoreditch London 20 1.65x
Bristol St George 19 7.47x
Glossop Dale 19 9.25x
Great Grimsby 19 6.68x
Leeds 19 1.21x
Paddington London 19 1.84x
Battersea 17 1.65x
St Pancras London 17 0.75x
Barony 16 0.70x
Boston 16 11.77x
Lewisham 16 3.14x
Mullion 16 274.91x
Woughton On Green 16 720.72x
Brightside Bierlow 15 2.75x
Croydon 15 1.98x
Sculcoates 15 3.41x
Willesden 15 5.68x
Camberwell 14 0.78x
Nottingham St Nicholas 14 27.21x
Rotherham 14 8.94x
Sherborne 14 254.55x
Ardwick 13 4.33x
Liverpool 13 0.64x
Over Wallop 13 249.52x
Tottington Lower End 13 8.23x
Aspull 12 15.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 2.32x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.63x
Handsworth 12 5.15x
Kirkland 12 91.39x
Nether Hallam 12 3.19x
Nottingham St Mary 12 1.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 2.13x
Bridgewater 11 8.98x
Carlton 11 25.52x
Chesilborne 11 323.53x
Enfield 11 5.98x
Greenwich 11 2.47x
Hammersmith London 11 1.59x
Long Newton 11 395.68x
Snenton 11 7.41x
Standlake 11 162.00x
Stourbridge 11 11.68x
Stranton 11 3.92x
Sunbury 11 32.68x
Beaminster 10 48.92x
Bermondsey 10 1.20x
Bishops Sutton 10 242.72x
Bromley London 10 1.62x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 1.77x
Gateshead 10 1.60x
Harpsden 10 431.03x
Hipperholme Cum 10 8.19x
Ribbesford 10 32.83x
Thruscross 10 330.03x
Tydd St Mary 10 112.23x
Woodford 10 15.97x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 6.74x
Glemsford 9 37.55x
St Albans St Peter 9 13.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 173
Elizabeth 123
Sarah 107
Ann 63
Eliza 49
Annie 45
Jane 44
Emily 42
Emma 42
Ellen 41
Alice 34
Hannah 31
Louisa 25
Charlotte 22
Florence 22
Catherine 19
Margaret 19
Maria 19
Ada 18
Harriet 18
Martha 18
Caroline 16
Edith 15
Susan 12
Anne 11
Fanny 11
Kate 11
Clara 10
Isabella 10
Harriett 9
Rebecca 9
Rose 9
Amy 8
Betsy 7
Lucy 7
May 7
Agnes 6
Bessie 6
Esther 6
Julia 6
Lydia 6
Selina 6
Amelia 5
Frances 5
Grace 5
Henrietta 5
Ruth 5
Jessie 4
M. 4
Minnie 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 179
John 162
George 104
Thomas 98
Henry 74
James 73
Joseph 68
Charles 54
Alfred 34
Arthur 34
Edward 33
Robert 32
Samuel 32
Richard 25
Harry 24
Walter 22
Frederick 21
Ernest 20
Frank 19
Herbert 18
Albert 15
Francis 11
Stephen 9
Benjamin 7
Daniel 7
David 7
Edwin 7
Fred 7
Isaac 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Christopher 5
Robt. 5
Henery 4
Jacob 4
Jesse 4
Mark 4
Tom 4
Willm. 4
Alexander 3
Chas. 3
Edmund 3
Frances 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Infant 3
Levi 3
Percy 3
Luke 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Shephard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shephard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,864 people were recorded with the Shephard surname. That placed it at #1,567 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shephard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,846 in 2016. That gives Shephard a modern rank of #2,363.

What does the Shephard surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who herded or tended sheep.

What does the Shephard map show?

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