NameCensus.

UK surname

Shergill

A historical surname of Punjabi origin, indicating one's ancestry from the Sher clan or group.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Gravesham and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shergill is 1,022 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,022

2016, ranked #5,700

Peak year

2016

1,022 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,022 in 2016, ranked #5,700.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Shergill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shergill surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shergill 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
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1997 modern 591 #8,235
1998 modern 628 #8,120
1999 modern 644 #8,021
2000 modern 691 #7,557
2001 modern 699 #7,375
2002 modern 779 #6,925
2003 modern 780 #6,796
2004 modern 788 #6,758
2005 modern 806 #6,581
2006 modern 821 #6,482
2007 modern 836 #6,460
2008 modern 877 #6,258
2009 modern 922 #6,140
2010 modern 988 #5,929
2011 modern 1,011 #5,769
2012 modern 998 #5,741
2013 modern 1,015 #5,755
2014 modern 1,014 #5,792
2015 modern 1,011 #5,764
2016 modern 1,022 #5,700

Geography

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Where Shergills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Gravesham, Leicester and Derby. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 023 Sandwell
2 Gravesham 001 Gravesham
3 Leicester 027 Leicester
4 Gravesham 002 Gravesham
5 Derby 021 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shergill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shergill

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Shergill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Shergill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Shergill is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shergill is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shergill falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shergill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Shergill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shergill

The surname Shergill has its origins in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, tracing back several centuries. It is believed to have derived from the village of Shergill, located in the present-day Sangrur district of Punjab, India. The name is a combination of two words – "Sher" meaning lion or tiger, and "Gill" meaning village or settlement.

During the Mughal era, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, the Shergill surname gained prominence among the Jatt community, a dominant agricultural and landholding group in the region. The name is closely associated with the Sikh faith, as many Shergills embraced Sikhism during its formative years.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Shergill name can be found in the "Sikh Rehat Maryada," a canonical text outlining the Sikh code of conduct, which mentions a Shergill family residing in the village of Shergill during the late 17th century. The name is also mentioned in various historical chronicles and manuscripts documenting the events and personalities of the Sikh Empire.

In the 18th century, the Shergill clan played a significant role in the rise of the Sikh confederacies, known as the Misls. Sardar Jassa Singh Shergill (1713-1767) was a prominent Sikh military leader and founder of the Ramgarhia Misl, one of the most powerful Sikh states during that era.

Another notable figure was Bhai Sahib Bhai Naudh Singh Shergill (1658-1705), a revered Sikh scholar and preacher who is credited with establishing the first Sikh educational institution, known as the Sikh Missionary College in the village of Shergill.

In the 20th century, Sardar Bahadur Sardar Hukam Singh Shergill (1894-1965) was a distinguished Indian politician and freedom fighter who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and played a crucial role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution.

Gurbachan Singh Shergill (1935-2001) was a renowned Punjabi folk singer and songwriter, renowned for his contributions to the Punjabi literary and cultural scene. His compositions often celebrated the valor and resilience of the Punjabi people.

Shergill remains a prominent surname among the Sikh community in Punjab, India, and the Punjabi diaspora around the world, carrying a rich legacy of historical significance and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Shergill surname: questions and answers

How common is the Shergill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,022 in 2016. That gives Shergill a modern rank of #5,700.

What does the Shergill surname mean?

A historical surname of Punjabi origin, indicating one's ancestry from the Sher clan or group.

What does the Shergill map show?

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