NameCensus.

UK surname

Shipley

A locational surname derived from places in West Yorkshire or Derbyshire, England, referring to a "sheep pasture or clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 2,649 people recorded with the Shipley surname, ranking it #1,675 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,789, ranked #1,782, down from #1,675 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Waveney and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shipley is 4,047 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

2,649

Ranked #1,675

Modern count

3,789

2016, ranked #1,782

Peak year

1999

4,047 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shipley had 2,649 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,675 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,789 in 2016, ranked #1,782.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,686 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shipley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shipley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shipley 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 1,929 #1,503
1861 historical 1,765 #1,638
1881 historical 2,649 #1,675
1891 historical 2,896 #1,629
1901 historical 3,312 #1,687
1911 historical 3,686 #1,413
1997 modern 3,803 #1,705
1998 modern 4,009 #1,685
1999 modern 4,047 #1,680
2000 modern 4,028 #1,679
2001 modern 3,926 #1,684
2002 modern 4,001 #1,690
2003 modern 3,880 #1,708
2004 modern 3,849 #1,726
2005 modern 3,834 #1,703
2006 modern 3,788 #1,723
2007 modern 3,817 #1,730
2008 modern 3,854 #1,725
2009 modern 3,921 #1,733
2010 modern 3,984 #1,747
2011 modern 3,908 #1,752
2012 modern 3,814 #1,760
2013 modern 3,853 #1,779
2014 modern 3,888 #1,767
2015 modern 3,799 #1,790
2016 modern 3,789 #1,782

Geography

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Where Shipleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead, St Werburgh, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Waveney and Ryedale. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Waveney 010 Waveney
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 006 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 010 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shipley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shipley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shipley 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

Shipley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shipley falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shipley 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 Shipley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shipley

The surname Shipley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is a locational name derived from the various places called Shipley, primarily located in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Shropshire.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Scipeleia." This spelling suggests that the name may have been derived from the Old English words "scipu" (sheep) and "leah" (clearing or meadow), indicating that the original bearers of the name lived in a clearing or meadow where sheep grazed.

The name Shipley has been associated with various historical figures over the centuries. One notable example is William Shipley (1714-1803), a renowned English drawing master and founder of the Society of Arts, which later became the Royal Society of Arts.

Another prominent individual was Jonathan Shipley (1714-1788), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of St. Asaph and later as the Bishop of St. Albans. He was known for his support of the American Colonies during the American Revolution.

In literature, the name Shipley appears in the works of Charles Dickens, particularly in his novel "The Pickwick Papers," where one of the characters is named Nathaniel Winkle, a member of the Pickwick Club from Shipley.

John Shipley (c. 1470-1559) was an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Mary I for refusing to accept the Act of Supremacy.

Another notable figure was Abraham Shipley (1773-1857), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Bahamas from 1813 to 1828.

The name Shipley has also been associated with various place names, such as Shipley in West Yorkshire, which was once a center for the wool trade and textile industry. Other places bearing the name include Shipley in Derbyshire and Shipley in Shropshire.

While the surname Shipley may have evolved over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation, its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, reflecting the rich history and heritage of the English language and its locational surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shipley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shipley 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. Yorkshire leads with 511 Shipleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 511 2.00x
Staffordshire 329 3.77x
Durham 276 3.59x
Derbyshire 221 5.46x
Lincolnshire 168 4.07x
Lancashire 161 0.53x
Middlesex 159 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 151 4.34x
Leicestershire 139 4.85x
Warwickshire 108 1.66x
Northumberland 101 2.63x
Suffolk 45 1.43x
Kent 32 0.36x
Cumberland 30 1.35x
Northamptonshire 29 1.19x
Cheshire 25 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 20 1.22x
Norfolk 14 0.35x
Surrey 14 0.11x
Westmorland 12 2.11x
Essex 11 0.22x
Worcestershire 9 0.27x
Hertfordshire 8 0.45x
Midlothian 8 0.23x
Oxfordshire 8 0.50x
Roxburghshire 8 1.71x
Berkshire 6 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.38x
Devon 6 0.11x
Hampshire 6 0.11x
Shropshire 6 0.27x
Sussex 6 0.14x
Glamorgan 4 0.09x
Renfrewshire 3 0.15x
Gloucestershire 2 0.04x
Berwickshire 1 0.32x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 89 Shipleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.74x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 89 12.74x
Nottingham St Mary 79 8.77x
Birmingham 71 3.27x
Gateshead 41 7.13x
Bethnal Green London 39 3.48x
Stoke Upon Trent 35 3.79x
Islington London 33 1.32x
Derby St Werburgh 31 13.28x
Chesterfield 29 19.13x
Westoe 26 5.97x
Burslem 25 10.01x
Derby St Alkmund 25 20.63x
Monkwearmouth Shore 25 16.67x
Farlam 24 171.43x
Aston 23 1.28x
Branstone 23 262.56x
Wolverhampton 23 3.43x
Epworth 22 114.23x
Gainsborough 22 22.59x
Manchester 22 1.60x
Bishopwearmouth 21 3.18x
West Bromwich 20 4.01x
Nafferton 19 174.15x
Tamworth 18 38.61x
Wolstanton 18 6.80x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 17 7.13x
Sheffield 17 2.09x
Bulwell 15 19.82x
Hook 15 26.64x
Leeds 15 1.04x
Sculcoates 15 3.70x
Wolstanton Knutton 15 28.17x
Basford 14 8.72x
Bothal Demesne 14 76.13x
Burton Upon Trent 14 6.86x
Gisleham 14 520.45x
Harraton 14 93.46x
Wigston Magna 14 36.85x
Cockfield 13 121.27x
Holy Trinity 13 2.11x
St Pancras London 13 0.63x
Stranton 13 5.02x
Tynemouth 13 6.32x
Boston 12 9.58x
Derby St Peter 12 9.32x
Fulham London 12 3.20x
Newcastle On Tyne St 12 6.02x
Stockton On Tees 12 3.24x
Alfreton 11 8.95x
Bourn 11 32.97x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.92x
Foston On Wolds 11 433.07x
Goole 11 25.65x
Gorleston 11 13.76x
Great Grimsby 11 4.20x
Haydon 11 52.33x
Litchurch 11 6.76x
Liverpool 11 0.59x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 4.79x
Pittington 11 50.90x
Radford 11 6.22x
Tatenhill 11 186.13x
Winshill 11 42.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.49x
Drax 10 304.88x
Easingwold 10 55.34x
High Low Bishopside 10 44.03x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 8.09x
Wakefield 10 5.09x
Alford 9 35.16x
Bridlington 9 15.36x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 1.85x
Heanor 9 14.88x
Hillmorton 9 77.45x
Ilkeston 9 7.94x
Kirton In Lindsey 9 54.98x
Lowestoft 9 6.06x
Scarborough 9 3.87x
St Luke London 9 2.17x
Walsall Foreign 9 2.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 200
Elizabeth 120
Sarah 109
Ann 57
Emma 43
Hannah 42
Eliza 40
Jane 40
Annie 38
Alice 36
Margaret 36
Ellen 29
Harriet 21
Frances 18
Louisa 18
Catherine 17
Martha 17
Fanny 16
Clara 15
Emily 15
Maria 13
Edith 12
Isabella 12
Charlotte 11
Ada 10
Kate 10
Lucy 10
Matilda 10
Anne 9
Caroline 9
Christiana 9
Florence 9
Lydia 8
Agnes 7
Eleanor 7
Susan 7
Bertha 6
Amy 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Gertrude 5
Harriett 5
Julia 5
Amelia 4
Anna 4
Ethel 4
Jemima 4
Rosa 4
Susanna 4
Barbara 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 183
John 171
Thomas 106
George 103
James 66
Joseph 55
Henry 48
Charles 41
Edward 41
Alfred 34
Robert 32
Arthur 28
Samuel 25
Frederick 17
Harry 16
Walter 15
David 13
Francis 13
Richard 12
Albert 11
Edwin 11
Frank 11
Isaac 11
Wm. 11
Herbert 8
Enoch 7
Ralph 7
Anthony 6
Thos. 6
Benjamin 5
Christopher 5
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Fred 5
Tom 5
Abraham 4
Chas. 4
Edmund 4
Emanuel 4
Fredrick 4
Leonard 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Alexander 3
Fredk. 3
Joshua 3
Jonathan 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Mary 2

FAQ

Shipley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shipley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,649 people were recorded with the Shipley surname. That placed it at #1,675 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shipley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,789 in 2016. That gives Shipley a modern rank of #1,782.

What does the Shipley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in West Yorkshire or Derbyshire, England, referring to a "sheep pasture or clearing."

What does the Shipley map show?

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