NameCensus.

UK surname

Sherriffs

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Sherriffs surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kincardine O'Neil, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Methlick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hilton, George Street and Ythanside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherriffs is 261 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.5%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

2005

261 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sherriffs had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sherriffs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sherriffs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sherriffs 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 227 #13,970
1911 historical 29 #30,190
1997 modern 241 #15,638
1998 modern 258 #15,354
1999 modern 251 #15,751
2000 modern 252 #15,659
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 242 #16,186
2003 modern 234 #16,343
2004 modern 258 #15,386
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 242 #17,285
2015 modern 241 #17,235
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Sherriffs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kincardine O'Neil, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Methlick, Midmar and Huntly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hilton, George Street, Ythanside, Garthdee and Torry West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeen
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Methlick Aberdeen
4 Midmar Aberdeen
5 Huntly Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hilton Aberdeen City
2 George Street Aberdeen City
3 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
4 Garthdee Aberdeen City
5 Torry West Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sherriffs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sherriffs

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Sherriffs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sherriffs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sherriffs is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sherriffs 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

Sherriffs falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Sherriffs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherriffs 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 98 Sherriffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.30x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 98 74.30x
Angus 15 11.37x
Banffshire 9 30.47x
Kincardineshire 6 34.60x
Middlesex 5 0.35x
Lanarkshire 4 0.87x
Stirlingshire 4 7.61x
Surrey 2 0.29x
Inverness-shire 1 2.35x
Morayshire 1 4.52x
Sussex 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 34 Sherriffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 123.46x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 34 123.46x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 28 113.45x
Kincardine O Neil 9 957.45x
Methlick 8 754.72x
St Vigeans 8 112.36x
Newhills 6 222.22x
Ordiquhill 6 1714.29x
Islington London 5 3.62x
Campsie 4 138.89x
Midmar 4 784.31x
Banff 3 116.73x
Inverurie 3 201.34x
Marykirk 3 416.67x
Montrose 3 37.50x
Barony 2 1.72x
Camberwell 2 2.20x
Dundee 2 4.06x
Govan 2 1.76x
Insch 2 266.67x
Kirriemuir 2 61.35x
Elgin 1 23.26x
Fetteresso 1 36.76x
Hastings St Mary 1 16.72x
Inverness 1 9.35x
Kintore 1 86.96x
Maryculter 1 192.31x
Meldrum 1 90.09x
Strachan 1 294.12x
Strathdon 1 156.25x
Tullynessle Forbes 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Elsie 1
Janet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2
Charles 1

Top occupations

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 Sherriffs households.

FAQ

Sherriffs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sherriffs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Sherriffs surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sherriffs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Sherriffs a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Sherriffs map show?

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