NameCensus.

UK surname

Shirra

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Shirra surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, St. Ninians and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Falkirk - Town Centre and Callendar Park, Falkirk - Camelon East and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shirra is 194 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

1998

194 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shirra had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Shirra surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shirra surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shirra 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 114 #15,716
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 193 #18,616
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 182 #20,201
2010 modern 184 #20,521
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 176 #21,237
2014 modern 173 #21,639
2015 modern 174 #21,449
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Shirras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, St. Ninians, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Falkirk - Town Centre and Callendar Park, Falkirk - Camelon East, Cornwall, Falkirk - Bantaskin and Falkirk - Lochgreen and Lionthorn. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 St. Ninians Stirling
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Stirling Stirling

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Falkirk - Town Centre and Callendar Park Falkirk
2 Falkirk - Camelon East Falkirk
3 Cornwall 010 Cornwall
4 Falkirk - Bantaskin Falkirk
5 Falkirk - Lochgreen and Lionthorn Falkirk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shirra

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shirra

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Shirra surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Shirra household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shirra 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

Shirra is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shirra falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Shirra families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shirra 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. Stirlingshire leads with 78 Shirras recorded in 1881 and an index of 126.05x.

County Total Index
Stirlingshire 78 126.05x
Lanarkshire 64 11.80x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 28.82x
Midlothian 7 3.11x
Lancashire 6 0.30x
Yorkshire 4 0.24x
Middlesex 2 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.22x
Essex 1 0.30x
Renfrewshire 1 0.77x
Royal Navy 1 5.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Falkirk in Stirlingshire leads with 37 Shirras recorded in 1881 and an index of 255.52x.

Place Total Index
Falkirk 37 255.52x
Govan 26 19.37x
Glasgow 24 24.91x
St Ninians 24 391.52x
Barony 12 8.74x
Stirling 8 102.56x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 131.58x
Girthon 7 853.66x
Denny 5 151.98x
Salford 5 8.54x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 11.83x
Bothkennar 2 108.11x
Hamilton 2 13.22x
Islington London 2 1.23x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.69x
East Ham 1 16.26x
Kilmaronock 1 188.68x
Kippen 1 120.48x
Larbert 1 27.03x
Paisley Middle Church 1 13.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Clara 1
Jessie 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
George 1
William 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 Shirra households.

FAQ

Shirra surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shirra surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Shirra surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shirra surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Shirra a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Shirra map show?

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