NameCensus.

UK surname

Shilliday

An uncommon surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation.

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Shilliday surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenfarg, Dunning and Rhynd, Stanley and Murthly and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shilliday is 123 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2280.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

2007

123 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shilliday had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Shilliday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shilliday surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shilliday 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 5 #33,728
1911 historical 10 #32,609
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 122 #26,876
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Shillidays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Glenfarg, Dunning and Rhynd, Stanley and Murthly, Birmingham, Orbiston and Warwick. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glenfarg, Dunning and Rhynd Perth and Kinross
2 Stanley and Murthly Perth and Kinross
3 Birmingham 004 Birmingham
4 Orbiston North Lanarkshire
5 Warwick 006 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shilliday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shilliday

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shilliday, 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 Shilliday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Shilliday 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shilliday 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

Shilliday is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Shilliday

The surname Shilliday is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the lands of Schielhallion, a prominent mountain located in the beautiful highland region of Perthshire, Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Shilliday can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish nobility who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This document lists a certain "William de Schythehalch," which is believed to be an early variant spelling of the name.

During the 16th century, the Shilliday family became well-established in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Records from this period indicate that the name was often spelled as "Scheillay" or "Scheillie," reflecting the phonetic variations of the era.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Shilliday name was John Shilliday (1618-1695), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who played a prominent role in the religious struggles of the time. He was a vocal opponent of the policies of King Charles II and was briefly imprisoned for his beliefs.

Another significant figure in the history of the Shilliday name was Sir Adam Shilliday (1732-1810), a Scottish landowner and member of the British Parliament. He was known for his efforts in improving agricultural practices and promoting the advancement of education in his local community.

The 19th century saw the arrival of the Shilliday family in various parts of the English-speaking world. One notable individual from this period was Robert Shilliday (1822-1897), a Scottish-born entrepreneur who made significant contributions to the development of the mining industry in Australia.

In the realm of literature, the name Shilliday is associated with the Scottish writer and poet, James Shilliday (1876-1952), whose works explored themes of rural life and the natural beauty of his homeland.

As the centuries passed, the spelling of the name evolved further, with variations such as "Shillady," "Shilladay," and the modern form, "Shilliday," gaining prominence. Despite these changes, the name has maintained its strong connection to its Scottish heritage and the picturesque landscapes that gave birth to its origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shilliday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shilliday 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. Lancashire leads with 3 Shillidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.21x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3 5.21x
Cheshire 1 9.34x
Lanarkshire 1 6.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 2 Shillidays recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.31x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 2 57.31x
Dalziel 1 588.24x
Everton 1 54.64x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hercules 1
Robert 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 Shilliday households.

Occupation Count
Carter 1
Grocer 1
Midwife 1

FAQ

Shilliday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shilliday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Shilliday surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shilliday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Shilliday a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Shilliday surname mean?

An uncommon surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation.

What does the Shilliday map show?

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