NameCensus.

UK surname

Shilson

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Shilson surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Banbury and Tatenhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Cornwall and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shilson is 182 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

1891

182 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shilson had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Shilson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shilson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shilson 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 157 #17,577
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 176 #19,091
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 181 #19,360
2001 modern 177 #19,357
2002 modern 176 #19,829
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 167 #20,367
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Shilsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Banbury, Tatenhill, Heavitree and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Cornwall, Redbridge and Plymouth. 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 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
2 Banbury Oxfordshire
3 Tatenhill Staffordshire
4 Heavitree Devon
5 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 011 Dover
2 Dover 013 Dover
3 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
4 Redbridge 036 Redbridge
5 Plymouth 021 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shilson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shilson

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shilson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Shilson is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shilson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shilson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Shilson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Shilson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shilson 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 59 Shilsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.46x.

County Total Index
Devon 59 20.46x
Oxfordshire 21 24.55x
Kent 20 4.23x
Cornwall 11 7.02x
Surrey 11 1.63x
Dorset 5 5.50x
Sussex 4 1.71x
Hampshire 3 1.06x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.39x
Gloucestershire 2 0.74x
Royal Navy 2 12.12x
Northumberland 1 0.49x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neithrop in Oxfordshire leads with 21 Shilsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 731.71x.

Place Total Index
Neithrop 21 731.71x
Stoke Damerel 18 89.20x
Tavistock 12 365.85x
Plymouth Charles The 10 78.74x
Southwark Christchurch 7 107.86x
Dover St Mary Virgin 6 131.29x
Hougham 5 177.94x
Whitstable 5 215.52x
Bermondsey 4 9.70x
Compton Gifford 4 444.44x
Eastbourne 4 37.21x
St Hilary Marazion 4 930.23x
Buckland In Dover 3 191.08x
Christchurch 3 48.70x
Melcombe Regis 3 79.58x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 7.82x
Buckland Ripers 2 2857.14x
Chudleigh 2 217.39x
Exeter Heavitree 2 93.02x
Exeter Holy Trinity 2 176.99x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 30.30x
Paignton 2 91.32x
Royal Navy 2 14.17x
St Blazey 2 144.93x
St Mary Magdalene 2 173.91x
St Thomas Apostle 2 416.67x
Weston Turville 2 512.82x
Anslow 1 555.56x
Crediton 1 36.63x
Earsdon 1 59.52x
East Stonehouse 1 17.61x
Egg Buckland 1 204.08x
Folkestone 1 10.91x
Kenn 1 222.22x
Linkinhorne 1 91.74x
Stoke 1 85.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 10
Emma 6
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Adelaide 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Carherine 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Flossy 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Judith 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Nana 1
Phillipa 1
Rosetta 1
Ruth 1
Sally 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Shilson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shilson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Shilson surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shilson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Shilson a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Shilson map show?

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