UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Sheriffs surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 41, ranked #35,388, down from #21,957 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Brechin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheriffs is 139 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.0%.
1881 census count
82
Ranked #21,957
Modern count
41
2016, ranked #35,388
Peak year
1851
139 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sheriffs surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sheriffs surname density by area, 1901 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 | 139 | #13,659 |
| 1861 | historical | 117 | #18,635 |
| 1881 | historical | 82 | #21,957 |
| 1891 | historical | 104 | #23,388 |
| 1901 | historical | 100 | #22,863 |
| 1911 | historical | 13 | #32,172 |
| 1997 | modern | 41 | #33,552 |
| 1998 | modern | 45 | #33,374 |
| 1999 | modern | 42 | #33,778 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 37 | #34,082 |
| 2002 | modern | 32 | #34,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 35 | #34,609 |
| 2004 | modern | 37 | #34,640 |
| 2005 | modern | 34 | #35,056 |
| 2006 | modern | 34 | #35,255 |
| 2007 | modern | 35 | #35,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 33 | #35,556 |
| 2009 | modern | 33 | #35,671 |
| 2010 | modern | 34 | #35,730 |
| 2011 | modern | 36 | #35,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 43 | #35,224 |
| 2013 | modern | 39 | #35,483 |
| 2014 | modern | 41 | #35,396 |
| 2015 | modern | 39 | #35,472 |
| 2016 | modern | 41 | #35,388 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Brechin, Huntly and Banff. 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 | Old Deer | Aberdeen |
| 2 | Arbroath and St. Vigeans | Forfar |
| 3 | Brechin | Forfar |
| 4 | Huntly | Aberdeen |
| 5 | Banff | Banff |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sheriffs 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 Sheriffs, 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 Sheriffs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sheriffs 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, Sheriffs 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 Sheriffs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sheriffs, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheriffs 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 27 Sheriffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.91x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire | 27 | 36.91x |
| Angus | 20 | 27.33x |
| Banffshire | 17 | 103.72x |
| Kincardineshire | 10 | 103.95x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.64x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.37x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Banff in Banffshire leads with 13 Sheriffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 915.49x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Banff | 13 | 915.49x |
| Fordoun | 7 | 1296.30x |
| Huntly | 7 | 588.24x |
| Barrow In Furness | 6 | 47.06x |
| Montrose | 6 | 135.14x |
| Aberdeen Old Machar | 5 | 32.74x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 5 | 36.52x |
| Farnell | 5 | 2941.18x |
| Arbirlot | 4 | 1818.18x |
| Marnoch | 4 | 454.55x |
| Tullynessle Forbes | 4 | 1481.48x |
| Kirkden | 3 | 652.17x |
| Fettercairn | 2 | 487.80x |
| Peterhead | 2 | 51.68x |
| Aboyne | 1 | 256.41x |
| Banchory Ternan | 1 | 120.48x |
| Brechin | 1 | 34.72x |
| Cluny | 1 | 285.71x |
| Dunnichen | 1 | 256.41x |
| Ellon | 1 | 99.01x |
| New Machar | 1 | 243.90x |
| Plumstead | 1 | 11.14x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sheriffs 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 Sheriffs 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 Sheriffs households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Iron Driller | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Sheriffs surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 41 in 2016. That gives Sheriffs a modern rank of #35,388.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sheriffs 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.