NameCensus.

UK surname

Sherrell

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" or "clear wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Sherrell surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 172, ranked #21,648, down from #16,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, South Hams and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherrell is 238 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.3%.

1881 census count

130

Ranked #16,911

Modern count

172

2016, ranked #21,648

Peak year

1911

238 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sherrell had 130 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016, ranked #21,648.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 238 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sherrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sherrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sherrell 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 130 #16,911
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 238 #13,356
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 182 #19,317
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 165 #20,634
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 170 #21,095
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 178 #20,809
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 175 #21,372
2016 modern 172 #21,648

Geography

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Where Sherrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston, Holbeton and Beer Ferris. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, South Hams, Cherwell and Poole. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Battersea London (South Districts)
3 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
4 Holbeton Devon
5 Beer Ferris Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 005 West Devon
2 South Hams 009 South Hams
3 Cherwell 016 Cherwell
4 Poole 017 Poole
5 West Devon 007 West Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sherrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sherrell

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

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Sherrell is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Sherrell is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sherrell falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sherrell

The surname Sherrell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant spelling of the more common surname "Sherrill," which itself is derived from the Old English words "scir" meaning "bright" and "hyll" meaning "hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or on a bright or shining hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sherrell surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Schirehull." This provides evidence that the name was in use in England by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Sherrell surname is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, where it is spelled "Schyrehill." This record dates back to 1384 and indicates that the name was present in the West Midlands region of England during this time.

An early notable bearer of the Sherrell surname was William Sherrell, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Wiltshire in 1520 and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.

In the 17th century, the Sherrell name appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Battersea, Surrey. One entry from 1678 records the baptism of a child named John Sherrell, son of William and Mary Sherrell.

Another significant figure with the Sherrell surname was Benjamin Sherrell, an English botanist and naturalist who lived during the 18th century. He was born in Bristol in 1723 and is known for his extensive collection of plant specimens from various parts of the world.

In the 19th century, the Sherrell name is found in the records of the East India Company, where it is associated with several individuals who served as officers and administrators in British India. One such person was Captain John Sherrell, who was born in 1801 and served in the Bengal Army.

Overall, the surname Sherrell has a long and diverse history, with roots that can be traced back to medieval England. While it may have originated as a descriptive name referring to a person's geographic location, it has since been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including members of the gentry, scientists, and military personnel.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sherrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherrell 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. Devon leads with 76 Sherrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.80x.

County Total Index
Devon 76 28.80x
Surrey 17 2.75x
Middlesex 11 0.87x
Sussex 8 3.74x
Cornwall 7 4.88x
Hampshire 6 2.31x
Kent 5 1.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 26 Sherrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.89x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 26 127.89x
Battersea 17 36.44x
Holbeton 11 2291.67x
Plymouth Charles The 10 85.98x
Revelstoke 9 3750.00x
East Dean 8 5333.33x
Antony 7 503.60x
Beerferris 6 1176.47x
Portsea 6 11.78x
Ugborough 6 937.50x
Bromley London 4 14.34x
Paddington London 4 8.58x
Rochester St Margaret 4 87.72x
Wembury 4 1666.67x
Modbury 3 447.76x
Westminster St John 3 19.43x
Davington 1 1000.00x
Stoke Damerel 1 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Alice 3
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Harriett 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Laura 2
Maud 2
Priscilla 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Martha 1
Polly 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Trythena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 9
Joseph 8
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
George 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Josias 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Sherrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sherrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Sherrell surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sherrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016. That gives Sherrell a modern rank of #21,648.

What does the Sherrell surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" or "clear wood" in Old English.

What does the Sherrell map show?

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