NameCensus.

UK surname

Sherwood

From a place name meaning "bright wood" or "clearing in a forest" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 3,813 people recorded with the Sherwood surname, ranking it #1,195 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,364, ranked #1,062, up from #1,195 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Poole and Bournemouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherwood is 6,468 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.9%.

1881 census count

3,813

Ranked #1,195

Modern count

6,364

2016, ranked #1,062

Peak year

2014

6,468 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sherwood had 3,813 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,195 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,364 in 2016, ranked #1,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,448 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Sherwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sherwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sherwood 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 2,232 #1,315
1861 historical 2,332 #1,265
1881 historical 3,813 #1,195
1891 historical 4,320 #1,099
1901 historical 4,853 #1,162
1911 historical 5,448 #959
1997 modern 6,131 #1,073
1998 modern 6,370 #1,074
1999 modern 6,411 #1,073
2000 modern 6,343 #1,075
2001 modern 6,233 #1,073
2002 modern 6,396 #1,069
2003 modern 6,217 #1,074
2004 modern 6,253 #1,070
2005 modern 6,114 #1,076
2006 modern 6,152 #1,067
2007 modern 6,163 #1,069
2008 modern 6,165 #1,073
2009 modern 6,279 #1,081
2010 modern 6,443 #1,077
2011 modern 6,389 #1,068
2012 modern 6,254 #1,070
2013 modern 6,395 #1,071
2014 modern 6,468 #1,058
2015 modern 6,378 #1,061
2016 modern 6,364 #1,062

Geography

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Where Sherwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes and Poole St James. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Poole, Bournemouth, Dartford and Sandwell. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 London parishes London 3
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 Poole 008 Poole
3 Bournemouth 002 Bournemouth
4 Dartford 001 Dartford
5 Sandwell 033 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sherwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sherwood

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Sherwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sherwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sherwood is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sherwood is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sherwood falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sherwood

The surname Sherwood is an English toponymic name derived from the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. It originally referred to someone who lived near or in the Sherwood Forest area. The name is derived from the Old English words "sceor" meaning bright or sheering, and "wudu" meaning wood or forest, collectively meaning "bright or sheer wood".

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Siruuede". Other early spellings include Shirewode, Shyrewode, and Shyrwode in the 13th and 14th centuries. The name was also associated with the legendary figure of Robin Hood, who was said to have resided in Sherwood Forest.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William de Shyrwode, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195. Another early bearer was Robertus de Shirewode, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname was Sir Thomas de Shyrwode, a knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was born around 1320 and died in 1372.

During the 16th century, John Sherwood (1508-1554) was a prominent English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the Marian Persecutions.

In the 17th century, Benjamin Sherwood (1638-1688) was an English nonconformist minister and author who wrote several works on religious topics.

Another notable bearer of the name was Mary Martha Sherwood (1775-1851), an English writer and educator best known for her children's literature, including the popular book "The Fairchild Family".

In the 19th century, William Henry Sherwood (1826-1888) was an American pianist and composer who made significant contributions to the development of American classical music.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Sherwood throughout history, highlighting its English origins and connection to the Sherwood Forest area, as well as its use by notable figures across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sherwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherwood 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. Yorkshire leads with 664 Sherwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.80x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 664 1.80x
Middlesex 337 0.91x
Surrey 300 1.65x
Lancashire 261 0.59x
Kent 257 2.02x
Staffordshire 220 1.75x
Worcestershire 166 3.41x
Durham 163 1.47x
Berkshire 142 5.08x
Hampshire 138 1.81x
Norfolk 107 1.87x
Sussex 106 1.69x
Northamptonshire 79 2.26x
Oxfordshire 73 3.17x
Gloucestershire 70 0.96x
Shropshire 70 2.18x
Dorset 65 2.66x
Warwickshire 57 0.61x
Hertfordshire 55 2.14x
Cheshire 46 0.56x
Suffolk 43 0.95x
Buckinghamshire 37 1.64x
Essex 37 0.50x
Wiltshire 34 1.03x
Derbyshire 32 0.55x
Glamorgan 31 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 31 0.62x
Leicestershire 29 0.70x
Somerset 22 0.37x
Lincolnshire 21 0.35x
Cumberland 17 0.53x
Herefordshire 15 0.98x
Bedfordshire 14 0.73x
Devon 12 0.15x
Monmouthshire 10 0.37x
Radnorshire 9 3.00x
Angus 6 0.17x
Lanarkshire 6 0.05x
Northumberland 6 0.11x
Royal Navy 6 1.35x
Midlothian 5 0.10x
Isle of Man 3 0.43x
Wigtownshire 3 0.61x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.06x
Anglesey 2 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.20x
Banffshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.08x
Perthshire 1 0.06x
Ross-shire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tipton in Staffordshire leads with 63 Sherwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.37x.

Place Total Index
Tipton 63 16.37x
Bermondsey 48 4.33x
Kinson 47 98.41x
Lambeth 45 1.39x
Irthlingborough 41 119.39x
Reading St Mary 37 16.53x
Stockton On Tees 37 6.93x
St Pancras London 36 1.20x
Camberwell 33 1.39x
Holy Trinity 33 3.72x
Birmingham 32 1.02x
Kensington London 31 1.50x
Sculcoates 31 5.30x
Harborne 29 7.20x
Great Driffield 27 35.66x
Greenwich 27 4.56x
Hackney London 27 1.29x
Norton 27 638.30x
Newington 26 1.89x
Wolverhampton 26 2.69x
Liverpool 25 0.93x
Brighton 24 1.89x
Faversham 24 19.81x
Mile End Old Town 23 3.91x
Everton 22 1.56x
Middlesbrough 22 4.58x
Willenhall 22 9.35x
Hook 20 24.64x
Kings Norton 20 4.59x
Nether Wallop 20 198.81x
Aston 19 0.73x
Darlington 19 4.44x
Leeds 19 0.91x
Snainton 19 192.11x
Battersea 18 1.31x
Folkestone 18 7.30x
Portsea 18 1.20x
Rainhill 18 63.58x
Rye 18 30.17x
West Bromwich 18 2.50x
Abbotts Ann 17 197.67x
West Wycombe 17 55.66x
Broseley 16 27.99x
Hythe St Leonard 16 35.64x
Lewisham 16 2.36x
Linthorpe 16 7.27x
Plumstead 16 3.78x
S Stoke 16 148.70x
Sheffield 16 1.36x
Cumnor 15 116.37x
Great Yarmouth 15 3.16x
Hetton Le Hole 15 10.69x
Hulme 15 1.63x
Reading St Giles 15 5.47x
Eccleston In Prescot 14 6.31x
Foulden 14 237.69x
Gooderstone 14 225.44x
Hartlepool 14 8.89x
Paddington London 14 1.02x
Sherston Magna 14 70.56x
St Marylebone London 14 0.70x
Berkeley 13 32.00x
Bishopwearmouth 13 1.37x
Clifton 13 3.52x
Ganton 13 300.93x
Helmsley 13 65.72x
Manchester 13 0.65x
Newton In Ashton Under 13 16.03x
Sedgley 13 2.78x
Severn Stoke 13 146.89x
Stranton 13 3.49x
Streatley 13 157.39x
Wandsworth 13 3.63x
Wombridge 13 32.74x
Bedminster 12 2.13x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.22x
Huddersfield 12 2.23x
Nottingham St Mary 12 0.92x
Skelton In Guisbrough 12 12.02x
Southampton St Mary 12 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 242
Elizabeth 170
Sarah 131
Ann 81
Jane 75
Annie 74
Alice 71
Emma 66
Eliza 65
Ellen 63
Hannah 49
Emily 44
Martha 35
Margaret 29
Maria 25
Charlotte 24
Ada 23
Edith 23
Louisa 22
Fanny 21
Catherine 20
Harriett 19
Kate 19
Caroline 18
Lucy 16
Susan 16
Florence 15
Harriet 15
Clara 14
Anne 13
Frances 13
Isabella 13
Agnes 12
Rose 12
Matilda 9
Rebecca 9
Amelia 8
Elizth. 8
Julia 8
Amy 7
Betsy 7
Maud 7
Rachel 7
Rosa 7
Flora 6
Gertrude 6
Helen 6
Phoebe 6
Mabel 5
Minnie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 245
John 199
George 139
Thomas 113
James 108
Henry 98
Charles 80
Joseph 68
Robert 68
Edward 47
Arthur 44
Alfred 42
Richard 42
Samuel 32
Frederick 27
Albert 26
Frank 24
Harry 23
Walter 22
Ernest 20
Wm. 19
Herbert 18
Francis 14
Edwin 10
Thos. 10
Stephen 9
Fred 8
Christopher 7
Geo. 7
Sidney 7
Benjamin 6
Daniel 6
Fredk. 6
Robt. 6
Tom 6
David 5
Fredrick 5
Isaac 5
Percy 5
A. 4
Abraham 4
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Edmund 4
Frederic 4
Jacob 4
Ralph 4
Alexander 3
Archibald 3
Hubert 3

FAQ

Sherwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sherwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,813 people were recorded with the Sherwood surname. That placed it at #1,195 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sherwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,364 in 2016. That gives Sherwood a modern rank of #1,062.

What does the Sherwood surname mean?

From a place name meaning "bright wood" or "clearing in a forest" in Old English.

What does the Sherwood map show?

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