NameCensus.

UK surname

Shinn

Derived from the Old English word "scinn," referring to someone who lived near a cleft or ravine.

In the 1881 census there were 508 people recorded with the Shinn surname, ranking it #6,704 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 540, ranked #9,422, down from #6,704 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hockwell with Wilton and Lakenheath. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterborough, East Lindsey and Boston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shinn is 761 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.3%.

1881 census count

508

Ranked #6,704

Modern count

540

2016, ranked #9,422

Peak year

1901

761 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shinn had 508 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,704 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 540 in 2016, ranked #9,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 761 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Shinn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shinn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shinn 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 219 #11,124
1881 historical 508 #6,704
1891 historical 574 #6,631
1901 historical 761 #5,869
1911 historical 740 #5,795
1997 modern 616 #7,999
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 642 #8,039
2000 modern 652 #7,916
2001 modern 628 #7,995
2002 modern 640 #8,050
2003 modern 621 #8,112
2004 modern 619 #8,152
2005 modern 604 #8,238
2006 modern 589 #8,395
2007 modern 567 #8,703
2008 modern 563 #8,801
2009 modern 554 #9,117
2010 modern 574 #9,064
2011 modern 556 #9,185
2012 modern 539 #9,328
2013 modern 539 #9,497
2014 modern 552 #9,362
2015 modern 544 #9,406
2016 modern 540 #9,422

Geography

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Where Shinns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hockwell with Wilton, Lakenheath and Gayton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterborough, East Lindsey, Boston, Craven and Malvern Hills. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hockwell with Wilton Norfolk
4 Lakenheath Suffolk
5 Gayton Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterborough 007 Peterborough
2 East Lindsey 011 East Lindsey
3 Boston 007 Boston
4 Craven 004 Craven
5 Malvern Hills 009 Malvern Hills

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shinn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shinn

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Shinn 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

Shinn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Shinn

The surname SHINN has its origins in the British Isles, specifically England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scinn," which means "shin" or "sharp." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person with a distinguishing physical characteristic or occupation related to sharpness or cutting.

In its early days, the name was predominantly found in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Shyn, Schyn, and Schynne, which were variations commonly found in medieval records and parish registers.

One of the earliest documented references to the name SHINN can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, dated 1285, which mentions a John Schyn. Another notable early record is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a William Schynne.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various records across different regions of England. For instance, the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire mention a Thomas Schyn in 1347, while the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire from 1379 include a John Schynne.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name SHINN was Sir John Shinn, a prominent military commander who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield by King Henry V.

In the 16th century, the name SHINN was associated with several notable figures. William Shinn (1505-1572) was an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex. Another William Shinn (1545-1618) was a renowned scholar and translator who studied at Oxford University.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several SHINN families in different parts of England. One of the most notable was the SHINN family of Lincolnshire, whose ancestral home was the manor of Shinn Hall in the village of Gainsborough. This family produced several influential members, including Sir Robert Shinn (1628-1699), a Member of Parliament and judge.

As the name SHINN spread across the British Isles, it also found its way to other parts of the world through immigration and exploration. In the 18th century, several SHINN families settled in the American colonies, where the name took root and evolved into various spellings, such as Shinn, Shin, and Shen.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shinn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shinn 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. Norfolk leads with 145 Shinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.07x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 145 19.07x
Middlesex 96 1.94x
Suffolk 61 10.13x
Cambridgeshire 28 8.94x
Lincolnshire 26 3.29x
Yorkshire 26 0.53x
Surrey 23 0.95x
Herefordshire 14 6.90x
Gloucestershire 12 1.24x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.50x
Devon 9 0.87x
Kent 9 0.53x
Hampshire 8 0.79x
Worcestershire 8 1.24x
Lancashire 7 0.12x
Northumberland 7 0.95x
Essex 5 0.51x
Bedfordshire 4 1.56x
Staffordshire 4 0.24x
Glamorgan 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brandon in Norfolk leads with 51 Shinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1246.94x.

Place Total Index
Brandon 51 1246.94x
Gayton 34 2656.25x
Hockwold Cum Wilton 24 1846.15x
Bethnal Green London 20 9.31x
Eriswell 17 2266.67x
Lakenheath 17 534.59x
Camberwell 11 3.48x
Islington London 11 2.29x
Weeting With Broomhill 11 1964.29x
Thorne 10 164.47x
Glemsford 9 212.77x
St Pancras London 9 2.26x
Kensington London 8 2.91x
Portsea 8 4.03x
Sculcoates 8 10.30x
Selston 8 107.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 8.04x
Stoke Damerel 8 11.10x
Tilney Cum Islington 8 1632.65x
North Forty Foot Bank 7 2058.82x
Northfleet 7 47.07x
Paddington London 7 3.85x
Seaton Delaval 7 108.36x
St Giles In Fields 7 41.03x
Hawkedon 6 1276.60x
Ledbury 6 86.21x
Soham 6 89.02x
Spalding 6 38.24x
St Andrewthe Less 6 16.76x
St Marylebone London 6 2.27x
Belton 5 155.76x
Bosbury 5 299.40x
Boxted 5 1612.90x
Castlemorton 5 396.83x
Cheetham 5 11.42x
Snetterton 5 1428.57x
St Martin In Fields 5 16.89x
Wakefield 5 13.29x
West Ham 5 2.32x
Bedford St Mary 4 60.61x
Bristol St George 4 8.92x
Chelsea London 4 2.68x
Hammersmith London 4 3.28x
St George Bloomsbury 4 14.10x
Stapleton 4 21.74x
Tamworth 4 44.79x
Whittlesey St Mary St 4 36.56x
Chiswick 3 11.10x
Fordham 3 148.51x
Leominster 3 35.76x
Methwold 3 121.95x
Wallington With Thorpland 3 2307.69x
Westbury On Severn East 3 13.68x
Almondbury 2 8.44x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 17.68x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.54x
March 2 19.07x
Mundford 2 416.67x
Neath 2 11.42x
Spitalfields London 2 5.38x
St George Hanover 2 3.10x
Upton On Severn 2 47.28x
Weston 2 139.86x
Wilburton 2 224.72x
Bicker 1 81.97x
Boston 1 4.17x
Bromsberrow 1 222.22x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.86x
Chesterton 1 10.35x
Cleckheaton 1 5.54x
Feltwell 1 68.03x
Hanley Castle 1 25.91x
Hastings St Clement 1 12.74x
Lambeth 1 0.23x
Long Melford 1 17.86x
Pendleton In Salford 1 1.43x
Pinchbeck 1 19.72x
Southwark St Saviour 1 3.93x
Tottenham 1 1.27x
Westminster St 1 5.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 22
Emma 12
Ann 11
Sarah 11
Susan 10
Maria 8
Edith 7
Eliza 7
Emily 6
Hannah 6
Jane 6
Ellen 5
Lucy 5
Charlotte 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Matilda 4
Ada 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Rosina 3
Sophia 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Christiana 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Pamela 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Bridgina 1
Caroline 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emmie 1
Esther 1
Eunice 1
Eva 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Letitia 1
Liddia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 30
George 28
James 17
Thomas 12
Alfred 11
Arthur 10
Frederick 10
Henry 10
Edward 9
Robert 7
Walter 6
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Harry 4
Richard 4
Charles 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Albert 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Jas. 2
Robt. 2
Trevor 2
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Cubit 1
Dickey 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Eljah 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Gayton 1
Hezekiah 1
Horace 1
Issac 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Johnny 1
Mary 1
Mizen 1
Noah 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Saml. 1
Sears 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Shinn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shinn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 508 people were recorded with the Shinn surname. That placed it at #6,704 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shinn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 540 in 2016. That gives Shinn a modern rank of #9,422.

What does the Shinn surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "scinn," referring to someone who lived near a cleft or ravine.

What does the Shinn map show?

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