NameCensus.

UK surname

Shiner

An occupational surname for someone who polishes or buffs metal, or a nickname for a person with a black eye.

In the 1881 census there were 332 people recorded with the Shiner surname, ranking it #9,058 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 478, ranked #10,329, down from #9,058 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Toller Porcorum. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Bournemouth and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shiner is 478 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.0%.

1881 census count

332

Ranked #9,058

Modern count

478

2016, ranked #10,329

Peak year

2016

478 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shiner had 332 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,058 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016, ranked #10,329.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shiner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shiner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shiner 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 151 #15,209
1881 historical 332 #9,058
1891 historical 294 #11,288
1901 historical 425 #9,081
1911 historical 444 #8,598
1997 modern 456 #9,971
1998 modern 450 #10,409
1999 modern 444 #10,555
2000 modern 445 #10,539
2001 modern 435 #10,526
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 422 #10,825
2004 modern 449 #10,338
2005 modern 431 #10,558
2006 modern 425 #10,729
2007 modern 416 #11,020
2008 modern 410 #11,245
2009 modern 432 #11,048
2010 modern 449 #10,931
2011 modern 464 #10,524
2012 modern 461 #10,482
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 474 #10,486
2015 modern 474 #10,418
2016 modern 478 #10,329

Geography

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Where Shiners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Toller Porcorum, St Mary Islington and Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Bournemouth, Stroud and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toller Porcorum Dorset
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 028 Bristol, City of
2 Bournemouth 005 Bournemouth
3 Bournemouth 002 Bournemouth
4 Stroud 010 Stroud
5 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shiner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shiner

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Shiner is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shiner 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

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

Meaning and origin of Shiner

The surname Shiner is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "scinnere," which referred to a person who worked as a shiner or polisher of various objects, particularly metalwork or armor. This occupation-based surname dates back to the 13th century and was most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a "William le Schinnere." The Shiner name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, listing a "Thomas Schyner."

During the medieval period, the Shiner surname was sometimes spelled differently, such as "Schinner," "Schyner," or "Shynner." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

In terms of historical references, the Shiner surname is notably absent from the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting that the name emerged later, likely as the occupation of metal polishing became more widespread.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Shiner surname was Roger Shiner, a prominent merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 14th century. Another individual of note was Sir John Shiner (1535-1608), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Shiner surname gained some prominence with the birth of Richard Shiner (1628-1688), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts. During the same period, John Shiner (1650-1715) was a renowned mathematician and astronomer, known for his contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Moving into the 18th century, James Shiner (1725-1798) was a notable English engraver and printmaker, whose works are held in prestigious collections such as the British Museum.

As the surname Shiner continued to spread across England and beyond, it became associated with various professions and walks of life, from skilled artisans to academics and public figures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shiner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shiner 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. Dorset leads with 95 Shiners recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.16x.

County Total Index
Dorset 95 44.16x
Hampshire 47 7.00x
Somerset 39 7.39x
Middlesex 34 1.04x
Warwickshire 22 2.66x
Surrey 21 1.32x
Sussex 12 2.17x
Lancashire 9 0.23x
Channel Islands 8 8.24x
Gloucestershire 8 1.24x
Monmouthshire 8 3.38x
Worcestershire 8 1.87x
Oxfordshire 5 2.47x
Staffordshire 5 0.45x
Berkshire 4 1.63x
Devon 3 0.44x
Wiltshire 3 1.04x
Angus 2 0.66x
Royal Navy 2 5.12x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 23 Shiners recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 23 7.24x
Birmingham 22 7.99x
Wimborne 19 730.77x
Southampton St Mary 11 26.04x
St Helens 11 225.41x
Chard 10 156.49x
Botolphs 9 8181.82x
Hampreston 9 576.92x
Toller Porcorum 9 1800.00x
Beaminster 8 334.73x
St Helier 8 25.30x
Stapleton 8 65.63x
Stourbridge 8 72.66x
Weeke 8 392.16x
Yatton 8 390.24x
Blackrod 7 144.93x
Battersea 6 4.98x
Dinder 6 2608.70x
Hound 6 131.58x
Aberystruth 5 23.93x
Affpuddle 5 909.09x
Ashill 5 943.40x
Corscombe 5 684.93x
Holdenhurst 5 28.38x
Tutbury 5 185.19x
Broadwinsor 4 283.69x
Frampton 4 851.06x
Hampstead London 4 7.84x
Lopen 4 1000.00x
Newington 4 3.30x
Pointington 4 3076.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 6.07x
Stratton 4 1176.47x
Swanage 4 150.38x
Camberwell 3 1.43x
Lyneham 3 1250.00x
Morden 3 329.67x
Netherbury 3 168.54x
Risca 3 67.11x
Sunninghill 3 87.98x
Swindon 3 13.35x
Andover 2 31.50x
Bradpole 2 113.64x
Dundee 2 1.76x
Fordington 2 43.20x
Gt Haseley 2 259.74x
Holwell 2 425.53x
Hove 2 8.25x
Melbury Bubb 2 1250.00x
Royal Navy 2 5.99x
St Pancras London 2 0.76x
Stoke Damerel 2 4.19x
Thames Ditton 2 60.24x
Walcot 2 7.12x
Bradford Peverell 1 270.27x
Caterham 1 14.16x
Charminster 1 58.48x
Chilbolton 1 263.16x
Chiswick 1 5.58x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.29x
Denton 1 181.82x
Dorchester St Peter 1 64.10x
East Stonehouse 1 7.44x
Hackney London 1 0.54x
Liverpool 1 0.42x
Longfleet 1 40.16x
Lyme Regis 1 38.76x
Melcombe Regis 1 11.22x
Minterne Magna 1 270.27x
Reading St Mary 1 5.07x
Seale 1 98.04x
South Stoneham 1 6.86x
St Katherine By Tower 1 1428.57x
St Peter Colebrook 1 106.38x
St Thomas Winchester 1 21.10x
Toller Fratrum 1 1666.67x
West Derby 1 0.88x
Westminster St John 1 2.51x
Winfrith Newburgh 1 92.59x
Witchampton 1 181.82x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 20
William 16
John 15
Thomas 12
Henry 11
James 11
Alfred 8
Albert 7
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Edward 4
Arthur 3
Elias 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Agnes 1
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Francis 1
Fransis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.A. 1
Jack 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Levi 1
Merina 1
Percival 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Stevens 1
Tom 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Shiner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shiner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 332 people were recorded with the Shiner surname. That placed it at #9,058 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shiner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016. That gives Shiner a modern rank of #10,329.

What does the Shiner surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who polishes or buffs metal, or a nickname for a person with a black eye.

What does the Shiner map show?

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