UK surname
A locational surname derived from the town of Shere in Surrey, England.
In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Shere surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 88, ranked #32,396, down from #25,862 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Upton Hillions, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Cullompton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shere is 103 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.0%.
1881 census count
55
Ranked #25,862
Modern count
88
2016, ranked #32,396
Peak year
1861
103 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Shere surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Shere surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 35 | #27,037 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 55 | #25,862 |
| 1891 | historical | 79 | #26,897 |
| 1901 | historical | 56 | #27,952 |
| 1911 | historical | 70 | #25,853 |
| 1997 | modern | 72 | #30,415 |
| 1998 | modern | 80 | #29,966 |
| 1999 | modern | 91 | #28,937 |
| 2000 | modern | 94 | #28,573 |
| 2001 | modern | 84 | #29,508 |
| 2002 | modern | 80 | #30,387 |
| 2003 | modern | 85 | #29,877 |
| 2004 | modern | 84 | #30,244 |
| 2005 | modern | 83 | #30,486 |
| 2006 | modern | 82 | #30,933 |
| 2007 | modern | 85 | #30,954 |
| 2008 | modern | 81 | #31,713 |
| 2009 | modern | 88 | #31,352 |
| 2010 | modern | 90 | #31,621 |
| 2011 | modern | 80 | #32,652 |
| 2012 | modern | 76 | #33,191 |
| 2013 | modern | 80 | #33,058 |
| 2014 | modern | 83 | #32,910 |
| 2015 | modern | 87 | #32,514 |
| 2016 | modern | 88 | #32,396 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Upton Hillions, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Cullompton, Acton and Uffculme. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton Hillions | Devon |
| 2 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Cullompton | Devon |
| 4 | Acton | Cheshire |
| 5 | Uffculme | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Shere surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shere, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Shere surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Shere household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Shere is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shere is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Shere, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Shere has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name 'Shere' in Surrey, England. This place name is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'scir' meaning 'bright' or 'clear.'
Records show that the name Shere appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England ordered by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the 11th century.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Walter de Shere, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195. Another early instance is John de Shere, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
In the 14th century, the name was also found in various spellings such as 'Shyre' and 'Shyre.' For example, William Shyre was mentioned in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1379.
Notable individuals with the surname Shere throughout history include Sir Henry Shere (1570-1632), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Shere (1608-1668), an English clergyman who served as a Puritan minister during the English Civil War.
In the 18th century, John Shere (1702-1788) was a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia, USA. He played a role in the American Revolutionary War and was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses.
Later, in the 19th century, Frederick Shere (1822-1892) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.
Another individual of note was Sir Samuel Shere (1846-1923), a British colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces in British India.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shere surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 20 Sheres recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.91x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradninch in Devon leads with 10 Sheres recorded in 1881 and an index of 3225.81x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bradninch | 10 | 3225.81x |
| Edgware | 5 | 3333.33x |
| Hammersmith London | 4 | 30.28x |
| Pudsey | 4 | 140.85x |
| Walcot | 4 | 86.96x |
| Lambeth | 3 | 6.41x |
| Uffculme | 3 | 909.09x |
| Upton Helions | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Cullompton | 2 | 408.16x |
| St Bartholomew Great | 2 | 408.16x |
| Whitechapel London | 2 | 37.81x |
| Bridport | 1 | 138.89x |
| Donhead St Andrew | 1 | 666.67x |
| Heston | 1 | 56.18x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.92x |
| Kentisbeare | 1 | 666.67x |
| Milton In Gravesend | 1 | 36.50x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 9.27x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 1 | 32.47x |
| St Maurice Winchester | 1 | 217.39x |
| Walthamstow | 1 | 26.25x |
| Westminster St | 1 | 50.51x |
| Willand | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Wilton | 1 | 294.12x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Shere surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Shere surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Shere households.
FAQ
In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Shere surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 88 in 2016. That gives Shere a modern rank of #32,396.
A locational surname derived from the town of Shere in Surrey, England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Shere bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.