NameCensus.

UK surname

Shepherdson

A surname referring to the son of a shepherd or someone associated with sheep herding.

In the 1881 census there were 378 people recorded with the Shepherdson surname, ranking it #8,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 827, ranked #6,723, up from #8,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) and Driffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shepherdson is 836 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 118.8%.

1881 census count

378

Ranked #8,288

Modern count

827

2016, ranked #6,723

Peak year

2014

836 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shepherdson had 378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 827 in 2016, ranked #6,723.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 656 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shepherdson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shepherdson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shepherdson 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 378 #8,288
1891 historical 459 #7,965
1901 historical 627 #6,833
1911 historical 656 #6,401
1997 modern 763 #6,790
1998 modern 817 #6,648
1999 modern 807 #6,741
2000 modern 804 #6,741
2001 modern 792 #6,692
2002 modern 800 #6,773
2003 modern 788 #6,731
2004 modern 778 #6,823
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 766 #6,868
2007 modern 783 #6,812
2008 modern 795 #6,786
2009 modern 801 #6,882
2010 modern 828 #6,833
2011 modern 810 #6,857
2012 modern 803 #6,811
2013 modern 809 #6,885
2014 modern 836 #6,746
2015 modern 829 #6,722
2016 modern 827 #6,723

Geography

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Where Shepherdsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland), Driffield, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Kirkburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Ryedale. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Driffield Yorkshire, East Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Kirkburn Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 013 Scarborough
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 034 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire
5 Ryedale 008 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shepherdson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shepherdson

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Shepherdson is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shepherdson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shepherdson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shepherdson

The surname Shepherdson has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "sceapherde" and "sune," which translate to "shepherd's son." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone whose father or ancestor worked as a shepherd, tending to flocks of sheep.

In medieval times, shepherding was a vital occupation, and those engaged in this profession were highly regarded members of society. The name Shepherdson likely emerged in rural areas where sheep farming was a prevalent economic activity, particularly in regions known for their wool production, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and the Midlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1195, which mention a Robert Shephirdesune. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also document a Thomas Schephirdesone in Oxfordshire. These early spellings demonstrate the evolution of the name over time, reflecting regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

The Shepherdson name can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Sheperdine in Gloucestershire, Sheperdiston in Yorkshire, and Sheperdley in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "sceapherde" and "tun," meaning "shepherd's farm" or "shepherd's village."

Notable individuals with the surname Shepherdson throughout history include:

1. John Shepherdson (c. 1500 – c. 1570), an English landowner and wool merchant from Yorkshire. 2. William Shepherdson (1608 – 1675), a Puritan minister and author from Nottinghamshire. 3. Elizabeth Shepherdson (1777 – 1849), a British philanthropist and advocate for education in Lincolnshire. 4. Sir Thomas Shepherdson (1824 – 1902), a British industrialist and textile manufacturer from Lancashire. 5. Arthur Shepherdson (1890 – 1966), a British architect and designer known for his work on public buildings in London.

While the Shepherdson name may not have been as prominent as some others, its history is deeply rooted in the pastoral traditions of England, reflecting the vital role that shepherds played in the country's agricultural and economic development throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shepherdson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shepherdson 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. Yorkshire leads with 274 Shepherdsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.48x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 274 7.48x
Durham 15 1.36x
Derbyshire 14 2.42x
Northumberland 11 2.00x
Nottinghamshire 11 2.21x
Lancashire 10 0.23x
Monmouthshire 10 3.74x
Pembrokeshire 9 7.66x
Lincolnshire 6 1.02x
Middlesex 6 0.16x
Norfolk 5 0.88x
Shropshire 3 0.94x
Kent 2 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Suffolk 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Driffield in Yorkshire leads with 25 Shepherdsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 332.45x.

Place Total Index
Great Driffield 25 332.45x
Holy Trinity 22 24.97x
Newington 19 188.31x
Middlesbrough 14 29.34x
Castleton 13 1585.37x
Northowram 13 50.60x
New Malton 12 273.97x
Sculcoates 10 17.22x
Warter 10 1298.70x
Beverley St Martin 9 147.30x
Brightside Bierlow 9 12.53x
Hessle In Sculcoates 9 278.64x
Kilham 9 584.42x
Skelton In Guisbrough 9 90.82x
Elswick 8 18.22x
Gateshead 8 9.71x
Tibthorpe 7 1944.44x
Barrow On Humber 6 174.93x
Beverley St Nicholas 6 200.00x
Buckton 6 3157.89x
Kirkburn Battleburn 6 3157.89x
Stranton 6 16.20x
Worksop 6 40.60x
Brompton In Scarborough 5 574.71x
Copmanthorpe 5 1282.05x
Great Yarmouth 5 10.62x
Monkswood 5 2272.73x
Newton 5 14.79x
Nottingham St Mary 5 3.88x
Pembroke St Mary 5 33.05x
Trostrey 5 2777.78x
York All Sts North 5 276.24x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.58x
Clifton In York 4 52.22x
High Low Catton 4 930.23x
Old Malton 4 173.91x
Oldham 4 2.83x
Tenby St Mary In 4 66.89x
York St Peter Le 4 571.43x
Bridlington 3 35.76x
Byker 3 11.03x
Leavening 3 612.24x
Ludlow St Lawrence 3 47.24x
Manningham 3 6.65x
Marske In Guisbrough 3 46.08x
Newton On Derwent 3 1200.00x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 28.63x
Bempton 2 512.82x
Nafferton 2 128.21x
North Ferriby 2 333.33x
Ramsgate 2 9.71x
Rillington 2 180.18x
Scarborough 2 6.01x
St Pancras London 2 0.67x
Wilberfoss 2 377.36x
Bakewell 1 31.55x
Birdsall 1 243.90x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 11.83x
Gildersome 1 22.73x
Goxhill 1 1000.00x
Hornsea 1 43.10x
Huggate 1 142.86x
Normanby In 1 10.21x
North Newbald 1 121.95x
Norton In Malton 1 22.52x
Portsea 1 0.67x
Seaton Ross 1 166.67x
Sherburn 1 33.22x
Shipton In Pocklington 1 185.19x
South Shields 1 10.20x
St Mary 1 40.82x
Tanshelf 1 34.13x
Walton On Hill 1 4.21x
Wansford 1 384.62x
Withernsea 1 238.10x
Yedingham 1 588.24x
York Mint Yard St 1 312.50x
York St Mary Castlegate 1 92.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Sarah 17
Annie 16
Elizabeth 16
Ann 10
Jane 10
Emma 7
Eliza 6
Emily 6
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Martha 4
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Clara 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Cordelia 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Henrietta 1
Horetta 1
Infant 1
Isabell 1
Isabella 1
Judith 1
Julia 1
Katie 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Margt 1
Marriann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 34
William 26
George 15
Thomas 12
Joseph 11
Charles 7
Henry 6
Walter 6
Herbert 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
James 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Richard 2
C. 1
Dobson 1
E.W. 1
Edwin 1
Eliza 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Geo.Herbert 1
Geo.W. 1
Geroge 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Harts 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Isac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Sarah 1
Seth 1
Stephen 1
Thos.Reeve 1
Thos.Wm. 1

FAQ

Shepherdson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shepherdson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 378 people were recorded with the Shepherdson surname. That placed it at #8,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shepherdson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 827 in 2016. That gives Shepherdson a modern rank of #6,723.

What does the Shepherdson surname mean?

A surname referring to the son of a shepherd or someone associated with sheep herding.

What does the Shepherdson map show?

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