NameCensus.

UK surname

Shiel

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "sìol" meaning seed or descendant.

In the 1881 census there were 550 people recorded with the Shiel surname, ranking it #6,274 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 996, ranked #5,817, up from #6,274 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Hawick and Wilton and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, St Boswells and Newtown Area and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shiel is 1,016 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.1%.

1881 census count

550

Ranked #6,274

Modern count

996

2016, ranked #5,817

Peak year

1999

1,016 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shiel had 550 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,274 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 996 in 2016, ranked #5,817.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 672 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shiel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shiel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shiel 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 429 #5,706
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 550 #6,274
1891 historical 648 #5,987
1901 historical 672 #6,483
1911 historical 433 #8,762
1997 modern 961 #5,667
1998 modern 1,003 #5,663
1999 modern 1,016 #5,644
2000 modern 1,015 #5,611
2001 modern 977 #5,681
2002 modern 981 #5,789
2003 modern 956 #5,809
2004 modern 919 #5,987
2005 modern 916 #5,944
2006 modern 904 #6,019
2007 modern 919 #5,996
2008 modern 931 #5,980
2009 modern 985 #5,836
2010 modern 1,004 #5,860
2011 modern 1,006 #5,793
2012 modern 976 #5,854
2013 modern 993 #5,861
2014 modern 990 #5,904
2015 modern 988 #5,866
2016 modern 996 #5,817

Geography

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Where Shiels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Hawick and Wilton, Gateshead, Manchester and Kyloe, Holy Island, Ancroft. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, St Boswells and Newtown Area, Thanet and Slough. 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 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Kyloe, Holy Island, Ancroft Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 St Boswells and Newtown Area Scottish Borders
3 Thanet 016 Thanet
4 Northumberland 017 Northumberland
5 Slough 005 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shiel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shiel

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

Shiel is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shiel 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 Shiel 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 Shiel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shiel

The surname SHIEL is of Scottish origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "scyll" or "scield," which means "shield" or "protection." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who was a skilled warrior or protector.

The SHIEL surname is found most prominently in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. It is possible that the name originated in these areas and was later adopted by families who migrated to other parts of Scotland and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHIEL surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls from Scotland during the reign of King Edward I of England. This document mentions a certain "William Schele" from Berwickshire, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 15th century, the SHIEL surname appeared in the records of the Clan Chisholm, a prominent Scottish clan with roots in the Highlands. It is unclear whether the SHIELs were a sept (branch) of the Chisholms or simply shared a similar name, but this connection suggests that the name may have been present in the Highlands as well as the Borders.

Notable individuals with the SHIEL surname include:

1. Sir Samuel Shiel (1820-1883), an Irish-born Australian politician and judge who served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland. 2. Matthew Nasmyth Shiel (1865-1960), an American author known for his early science fiction and horror stories, including the novel "The Purple Cloud." 3. Sir Justin Shiel (1886-1966), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of British Somaliland from 1948 to 1954. 4. Myles Shiel (1920-2006), an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior hurling team and won two All-Ireland medals. 5. Desmond Shiel (born 1935), a British actor and playwright known for his work in television and theater.

Throughout its history, the SHIEL surname has undergone various spellings, such as Sheal, Sheill, Sheill, and Sheel, which reflect the phonetic variations and regional dialects of different areas. The name has also been associated with certain place names, such as Shieldhill in Falkirk, Scotland, which may have influenced its development or been derived from the surname itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shiel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shiel 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. Northumberland leads with 123 Shiels recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.78x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 123 15.78x
Roxburghshire 95 100.13x
Berwickshire 72 113.51x
Lancashire 67 1.08x
Durham 48 3.08x
Selkirkshire 19 40.09x
Midlothian 18 2.57x
Yorkshire 17 0.33x
Surrey 13 0.51x
Lanarkshire 11 0.65x
Peeblesshire 11 44.64x
East Lothian 10 14.41x
Hampshire 8 0.75x
Warwickshire 4 0.30x
Derbyshire 3 0.37x
Kent 3 0.17x
Merionethshire 3 3.13x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.42x
Essex 2 0.19x
Glamorgan 2 0.22x
Banffshire 1 0.92x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Middlesex 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.26x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hawick in Roxburghshire leads with 34 Shiels recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.08x.

Place Total Index
Hawick 34 160.08x
Liverpool 24 6.36x
Tweedmouth 18 185.19x
Melrose 14 170.73x
Gateshead 13 11.14x
Morebattle 13 718.23x
Coldingham 12 210.53x
Stow 12 332.41x
Westoe 12 13.58x
Ancroft 11 401.46x
Whitsome 11 1089.11x
Worsley 11 28.71x
Coxlodge 10 168.63x
Ormesby 10 71.68x
Twizell In Berwick 10 2040.82x
Chirnside 9 330.88x
Eccles 9 323.74x
Salford 9 4.92x
Stockton On Tees 9 11.98x
Barony 8 1.87x
Battersea 8 4.15x
Eckford 8 487.80x
Ford 8 280.70x
Thornton 8 3809.52x
Berwick North 7 144.03x
Earsdon 7 110.41x
Hutton 7 402.30x
Shipley 7 4375.00x
Coldstream 6 130.72x
Galashiels 6 34.25x
High Low Trewhitt 6 3333.33x
Melrose 6 50.29x
Gordon 5 333.33x
Megget 5 3125.00x
Roxburgh 5 274.73x
South Leith 5 6.33x
Toxteth Park 5 2.38x
Aston 4 1.10x
Benridge 4 3636.36x
Byker 4 10.38x
Chatton 4 167.36x
Cornhill 4 341.88x
Coundon 4 63.29x
Crailing 4 347.83x
Denaby 4 136.05x
Everton 4 2.02x
Greenlaw 4 178.57x
Innerleithen 4 61.16x
Monkwearmouth 4 26.81x
Wilton 4 38.42x
Yarrow 4 347.83x
Yetholm 4 213.90x
Bishopwearmouth 3 2.24x
Castleton 3 73.53x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.04x
Llanfair 3 405.41x
Manchester 3 1.07x
Selkirk 3 22.47x
Southampton St Mary 3 4.44x
Stranton 3 5.72x
Westgate 3 6.22x
Acklington 2 476.19x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 4.14x
Camberwell 2 0.60x
Cardiff St Mary 2 3.98x
Cramlington 2 19.42x
Craster 2 500.00x
Fogo 2 238.10x
Heanor 2 16.31x
Lauder 2 56.98x
Little Tosson 2 3333.33x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 4.95x
Newington 2 1.03x
North Sunderland 2 111.73x
Oxnam 2 163.93x
Roseneath 2 74.07x
Sevenoaks 2 13.80x
Shettleston 2 13.18x
Stitchel 2 322.58x
West Ham 2 0.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 16
Jane 13
Margaret 11
Ann 6
Agnes 4
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Isabella 4
Phillis 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Martha 2
Anastasia 1
Bridget 1
Briget 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Isabell 1
Isebella 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Johann 1
John 1
Katrina 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Norah 1
Rachael 1
Sarah 1
Sidonia 1
Sophia 1
Sydney 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 23
John 21
Robert 17
William 16
George 15
Thomas 13
Peter 5
Patrick 4
Alexander 3
Andrew 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
Walter 3
Adam 2
Edward 2
Benardo 1
Colin 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Ed. 1
Ellen 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Hector 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Martin 1
Moses 1
Nicholas 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Sylvester 1
Thos 1

FAQ

Shiel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shiel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 550 people were recorded with the Shiel surname. That placed it at #6,274 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shiel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 996 in 2016. That gives Shiel a modern rank of #5,817.

What does the Shiel surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "sìol" meaning seed or descendant.

What does the Shiel map show?

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