NameCensus.

UK surname

Shepheard

An English surname derived from the occupation of shepherding or herding sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 515 people recorded with the Shepheard surname, ranking it #6,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 528, ranked #9,603, down from #6,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Plymouth and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shepheard is 618 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

515

Ranked #6,619

Modern count

528

2016, ranked #9,603

Peak year

1999

618 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shepheard had 515 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016, ranked #9,603.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 603 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shepheard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shepheard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shepheard 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 367 #6,963
1881 historical 515 #6,619
1891 historical 557 #6,807
1901 historical 552 #7,515
1911 historical 603 #6,813
1997 modern 542 #8,759
1998 modern 598 #8,414
1999 modern 618 #8,282
2000 modern 585 #8,555
2001 modern 583 #8,454
2002 modern 591 #8,543
2003 modern 563 #8,691
2004 modern 528 #9,144
2005 modern 527 #9,099
2006 modern 528 #9,097
2007 modern 508 #9,455
2008 modern 520 #9,358
2009 modern 528 #9,453
2010 modern 522 #9,739
2011 modern 516 #9,731
2012 modern 484 #10,106
2013 modern 514 #9,824
2014 modern 512 #9,911
2015 modern 528 #9,633
2016 modern 528 #9,603

Geography

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Where Shepheards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston, Lambeth, Luton and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Plymouth, West Berkshire, Teignbridge and Bromley. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Luton Bedfordshire
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
2 Plymouth 028 Plymouth
3 West Berkshire 007 West Berkshire
4 Teignbridge 013 Teignbridge
5 Bromley 018 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shepheard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shepheard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shepheard, 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 Shepheard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Shepheard 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shepheard 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

Shepheard 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

Shepheard 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 Shepheard 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 Shepheard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shepheard

The surname Shepheard has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "sceap" meaning sheep and "hierde" meaning herd or keeper, referring to someone who tended flocks of sheep for a living.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Scepehyrde" in various parts of the record.

In the 12th century, the name evolved into various spellings such as "Schepeherd," "Schephird," and "Shepeherde," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period. The standardized spelling of "Shepheard" emerged in the 16th century.

The name was particularly prevalent in rural areas of England, where sheep farming was a common occupation. Families bearing the name Shepheard can be traced back to counties such as Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire, among others.

One notable figure with this surname was John Shepheard (1515-1588), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs. Another prominent individual was Richard Shepheard (1594-1670), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Bangor from 1638 to 1651.

In the 18th century, John Shepheard (1708-1768) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. William Shepheard (1780-1845) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

A more recent example is Robin Shepheard (1948-2015), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Youth Hostel Association and played a significant role in promoting sustainable tourism.

While the surname Shepheard has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the shepherding traditions of medieval England, where the name first emerged as an occupational identifier.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shepheard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shepheard 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. Devon leads with 102 Shepheards recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.70x.

County Total Index
Devon 102 9.70x
Middlesex 95 1.88x
Norfolk 62 7.98x
Cheshire 32 2.87x
Surrey 32 1.30x
Kent 24 1.39x
Lancashire 23 0.38x
Somerset 16 1.97x
Yorkshire 16 0.32x
Bedfordshire 11 4.20x
Staffordshire 11 0.64x
Warwickshire 11 0.86x
Durham 10 0.67x
Hampshire 10 0.97x
Essex 9 0.90x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.03x
Oxfordshire 7 2.24x
Herefordshire 6 2.90x
Caernarfonshire 5 2.45x
Cornwall 5 0.87x
Northamptonshire 5 1.05x
Westmorland 4 3.60x
Derbyshire 3 0.38x
Suffolk 3 0.49x
Channel Islands 2 1.34x
Glamorgan 2 0.23x
Hertfordshire 2 0.57x
Leicestershire 1 0.18x
Royal Navy 1 1.66x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Modbury in Devon leads with 27 Shepheards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1003.72x.

Place Total Index
Modbury 27 1003.72x
Plymouth Charles The 25 53.95x
Great Little Saughall 22 1788.62x
Islington London 20 4.08x
Gresham 13 1969.70x
Lambeth 13 2.95x
St Pancras London 13 3.20x
Castleton 11 18.37x
Harborne 11 20.12x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 13.58x
Deptford St Paul 10 7.52x
Ealing 10 22.14x
Luton 10 22.08x
Southrepps 9 600.00x
St Marylebone London 9 3.34x
Erpingham 8 1269.84x
Hackney London 8 2.82x
Napton On Hill 8 522.88x
North Walsham 8 142.86x
Shepton Mallet 8 87.62x
Stonehouse East 8 149.81x
Tormoham 8 17.98x
Burford 7 258.30x
Chelsea London 7 4.60x
Ermington 7 182.77x
Kenninghall 7 328.64x
Plympton St Mary 7 115.13x
Salford 7 3.97x
Sandbach 7 73.61x
West Ham 7 3.18x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.65x
Heigham 6 14.39x
Leominster 6 69.93x
St George Hanover 6 9.10x
Wymering 6 352.94x
Armley 5 22.64x
Gonalstone 5 2380.95x
Hammersmith London 5 4.02x
Llanllechid 5 34.82x
Stoke 5 43.03x
Taunton St James 5 42.16x
Warley 5 34.55x
Antony 4 72.46x
Coxhoe 4 93.68x
Hornsey 4 6.26x
Mile End Old Town 4 5.02x
Newnham 4 555.56x
Rotherhithe 4 6.41x
Stoke Damerel 4 5.43x
Wolterton 4 5000.00x
Ampleforth Birdforth 3 937.50x
Applethwaite 3 90.63x
Bacton 3 375.00x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.37x
Brasted 3 134.53x
Greenwich 3 3.73x
Newington 3 1.61x
Northfleet 3 19.75x
Shanklin 3 97.09x
Stretford 3 9.09x
Twickenham 3 13.85x
Wembdon 3 124.48x
Alvaston 2 88.89x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 12.17x
Congleton 2 10.38x
Exeter St David 2 22.25x
Leamington Priors 2 6.38x
Metton 2 1176.47x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.14x
Putney 2 8.68x
Roath 2 5.01x
Smallburgh 2 217.39x
St Peter Port 2 7.22x
Watford 2 7.41x
Barrow Upon Soar 1 21.60x
Earls Colne 1 36.36x
Eaton Socon 1 24.33x
Higher Bebington 1 14.01x
Holdenhurst 1 3.68x
Levens 1 61.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 19
Emily 11
Hannah 10
Jane 10
Alice 8
Annie 8
Emma 8
Ann 7
Louisa 7
Maria 6
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Jessie 5
Martha 5
Anna 4
Bessie 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Helen 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Ethel 3
Selina 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Harriet 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Margeret 2
Matilda 2
Avis 1
Bertha 1
Bety 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emmie 1
Hilina 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Jeanette 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 24
George 23
Charles 14
Henry 11
Thomas 10
James 8
Arthur 7
Richard 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Robert 6
Albert 4
Edmund 4
Frank 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Francis 2
Frederic 2
Ralph 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Beaumont 1
Clement 1
Edith 1
Edwin 1
Garland 1
Harding 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Lea 1
Leonard 1
Lewes 1
M. 1
Martin 1
Morgan 1
Percy 1
Rich.Stephen 1
Richerd 1
Robrt 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Shepheard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shepheard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 515 people were recorded with the Shepheard surname. That placed it at #6,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shepheard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 528 in 2016. That gives Shepheard a modern rank of #9,603.

What does the Shepheard surname mean?

An English surname derived from the occupation of shepherding or herding sheep.

What does the Shepheard map show?

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