NameCensus.

UK surname

Shepherd

An occupational surname referring to a person who herds or tends sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 21,923 people recorded with the Shepherd surname, ranking it #158 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 29,091, ranked #188, down from #158 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, North Lincolnshire and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shepherd is 30,184 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.7%.

1881 census count

21,923

Ranked #158

Modern count

29,091

2016, ranked #188

Peak year

1999

30,184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shepherd had 21,923 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #158 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 29,091 in 2016, ranked #188.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27,544 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shepherd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shepherd surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shepherd 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 12,347 #203
1861 historical 13,314 #185
1881 historical 21,923 #158
1891 historical 24,406 #143
1901 historical 27,544 #154
1911 historical 26,342 #157
1997 modern 28,784 #186
1998 modern 30,013 #186
1999 modern 30,184 #186
2000 modern 29,889 #186
2001 modern 29,154 #187
2002 modern 29,689 #188
2003 modern 28,964 #187
2004 modern 28,889 #186
2005 modern 28,452 #187
2006 modern 28,414 #186
2007 modern 28,599 #186
2008 modern 28,663 #187
2009 modern 29,268 #187
2010 modern 29,802 #188
2011 modern 29,474 #186
2012 modern 28,836 #187
2013 modern 29,453 #187
2014 modern 29,646 #187
2015 modern 29,294 #188
2016 modern 29,091 #188

Geography

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Where Shepherds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Aberdeen and Old Machar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, North Lincolnshire, South Lakeland, Sheffield and Northumberland. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 South Lakeland 006 South Lakeland
4 Sheffield 008 Sheffield
5 Northumberland 008 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shepherd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shepherd

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

Shepherd is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shepherd falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shepherd

The surname Shepherd is an occupational name originating in England, derived from the Old English word "sceaphierde" or "sceaphyrde", meaning a shepherd or someone who tended to sheep. This name first appeared in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Shepherd can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Scepherde" in various counties across England. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century among those who worked as shepherds or lived in areas associated with sheep farming.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Shepherd was particularly prevalent in counties known for their wool and sheep industries, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and the West Country regions of England. Variations in spelling also emerged, including Sheppard, Shephard, and Shepperd.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Shepherd throughout history include William Shepherd (c. 1554-1604), an English Protestant writer and controversialist; Thomas Shepherd (1605-1649), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of Harvard College; and William Robert Shepherd (1761-1847), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Shepherd was also found in Scotland, where it was often rendered as "Shipherd" or "Shepperd". One of the earliest recorded instances of this spelling is John Shipherd, who was born in Anstruther, Fife, Scotland in 1586.

Another notable figure with the surname Shepherd was Thomas Shepherd (1776-1859), an English astronomer and mathematician who served as the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1819 to 1844.

As the name suggests, the surname Shepherd has a strong connection to the pastoral and agricultural traditions of England and Scotland, reflecting the importance of sheep farming in the economies and cultures of these regions throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shepherd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shepherd 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. Lancashire leads with 3,625 Shepherds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,625 1.43x
Yorkshire 2,747 1.29x
Middlesex 2,365 1.10x
Surrey 1,123 1.08x
Kent 593 0.81x
Devon 590 1.32x
Angus 583 2.94x
Aberdeenshire 573 2.89x
Durham 483 0.76x
Somerset 439 1.27x
Hampshire 437 1.00x
Nottinghamshire 437 1.51x
Essex 436 1.03x
Derbyshire 422 1.26x
Sussex 401 1.11x
Staffordshire 386 0.53x
Lincolnshire 343 1.00x
Warwickshire 331 0.61x
Hertfordshire 328 2.22x
Gloucestershire 294 0.70x
Oxfordshire 289 2.19x
Cumberland 287 1.56x
Berkshire 275 1.71x
Cheshire 272 0.58x
Northumberland 262 0.82x
Westmorland 253 5.38x
Worcestershire 245 0.88x
Leicestershire 230 0.97x
Glamorgan 219 0.59x
Fife 194 1.53x
Perthshire 194 2.02x
Norfolk 182 0.55x
Lanarkshire 178 0.26x
Wiltshire 164 0.87x
Shropshire 158 0.85x
Midlothian 154 0.54x
Dorset 151 1.07x
Suffolk 132 0.51x
Bedfordshire 129 1.16x
Kincardineshire 110 4.22x
Buckinghamshire 109 0.84x
Cornwall 105 0.43x
Northamptonshire 99 0.49x
Huntingdonshire 70 1.65x
Monmouthshire 55 0.36x
Banffshire 50 1.13x
Herefordshire 49 0.56x
Clackmannanshire 43 2.43x
Renfrewshire 40 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 30 0.22x
Stirlingshire 29 0.37x
Royal Navy 26 1.02x
East Lothian 23 0.81x
Flintshire 23 0.40x
Morayshire 19 0.57x
West Lothian 15 0.47x
Dunbartonshire 14 0.24x
Selkirkshire 13 0.67x
Brecknockshire 12 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 11 0.16x
Inverness-shire 10 0.16x
Ayrshire 9 0.06x
Berwickshire 9 0.35x
Caithness 9 0.31x
Ross-shire 9 0.15x
Isle of Man 8 0.20x
Nairnshire 7 1.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 0.19x
Wigtownshire 5 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.04x
Buteshire 3 0.23x
Argyllshire 2 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.02x
Channel Islands 2 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.04x
Rutland 2 0.13x
Sutherland 2 0.12x
Denbighshire 1 0.01x
Peeblesshire 1 0.10x
Shetland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 231 Shepherds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.34x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 231 1.34x
Spotland 218 7.72x
Castleton 190 7.49x
Dundee 186 2.51x
Islington London 182 0.88x
Aberdeen Old Machar 174 4.20x
Hackney London 164 1.37x
Lambeth 160 0.86x
Oldham 155 1.89x
Camberwell 151 1.10x
St Marylebone London 151 1.32x
Newchurch 144 6.93x
Kensington London 142 1.19x
Bethnal Green London 139 1.49x
Nottingham St Mary 125 1.68x
Everton 117 1.45x
Hammersmith London 117 2.22x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 112 3.02x
Leeds 112 0.94x
Horton In Bradford 110 3.32x
Shoreditch London 110 1.19x
Battersea 108 1.37x
Brightside Bierlow 107 2.57x
Wardleworth 106 7.30x
West Ham 101 1.08x
Newington 98 1.24x
Manchester 97 0.85x
Birmingham 92 0.51x
Bradford 92 1.79x
Great Bolton 92 2.73x
Paddington London 92 1.17x
Wigan 92 2.59x
Preston 86 1.27x
Wuerdle Wardle 81 10.50x
Bury 78 2.69x
Forfar 77 7.17x
Chelsea London 76 1.18x
Deptford St Paul 76 1.35x
Portsea 74 0.86x
Barnsley 73 3.34x
St George Hanover 73 2.61x
Rochdale 72 38.87x
Salford 69 0.92x
Mile End Old Town 68 2.01x
Aston 67 0.45x
Barrow In Furness 67 1.94x
Bermondsey 66 1.04x
St Vigeans 65 6.07x
Brighton 64 0.88x
Heap 64 4.75x
Sheffield 63 0.93x
Butterworth 61 9.86x
Stoke Damerel 61 1.96x
Great Grimsby 60 2.76x
Barony 59 0.34x
Bishopwearmouth 59 1.08x
Willenhall 59 4.36x
Little Bolton 58 1.78x
Cheetham 57 3.01x
Liverpool 56 0.36x
Northowram 56 3.77x
Huddersfield 54 1.75x
Lenton 54 7.95x
Westoe 54 1.50x
Aspull 53 8.87x
Sculcoates 52 1.55x
Southwark St George Martyr 51 1.18x
Guiseley 50 18.41x
Manningham 50 1.91x
Tottington Lower End 49 4.06x
Hampstead London 48 1.44x
Bromley London 47 1.00x
Rotherhithe 46 1.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 45 1.12x
Toxteth Park 45 0.52x
Glasgow 44 0.36x
Reading St Giles 44 2.79x
Ripon 44 8.94x
Stranton 44 2.05x
Greenwich 43 1.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,407
Elizabeth 791
Sarah 728
Jane 424
Ann 398
Alice 354
Eliza 305
Annie 302
Emma 301
Ellen 286
Emily 250
Margaret 218
Hannah 210
Martha 160
Harriet 138
Florence 134
Louisa 120
Fanny 118
Charlotte 112
Edith 106
Ada 101
Caroline 96
Maria 96
Kate 93
Clara 88
Lucy 86
Agnes 73
Anne 72
Frances 72
Isabella 69
Susan 69
Catherine 68
Rose 64
Amelia 59
Harriett 59
Matilda 52
Julia 46
Rebecca 46
Elizth. 44
Esther 44
Ethel 40
Minnie 40
Eleanor 38
Gertrude 38
Amy 37
Susannah 35
Lizzie 34
Sophia 32
Betsy 31
Bertha 30

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,217
John 1,088
George 630
James 630
Thomas 609
Henry 457
Joseph 421
Charles 327
Robert 219
Samuel 206
Edward 197
Alfred 192
Arthur 184
Frederick 173
Richard 169
Walter 153
Albert 124
Harry 115
Herbert 97
Edwin 84
Frank 82
Ernest 76
Benjamin 69
David 68
Wm. 68
Francis 66
Fred 43
Thos. 43
Isaac 42
Geo. 40
Daniel 35
Tom 35
Stephen 28
Christopher 27
Fredk. 26
Alexander 23
Edmund 22
Jonathan 21
Mark 21
Sidney 21
Jno. 20
Matthew 19
Percy 18
Robt. 17
Abraham 16
Philip 16
Andrew 15
Fredrick 15
Peter 15
Jas. 14

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 Shepherd households.

FAQ

Shepherd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shepherd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,923 people were recorded with the Shepherd surname. That placed it at #158 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shepherd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 29,091 in 2016. That gives Shepherd a modern rank of #188.

What does the Shepherd surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who herds or tends sheep.

What does the Shepherd map show?

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