NameCensus.

UK surname

Shirreffs

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Sherriff.

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Shirreffs surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 172, ranked #21,648, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kincardine O'Neil, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include George Street, Rushmoor and Tillydrone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shirreffs is 172 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.6%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

172

2016, ranked #21,648

Peak year

1997

172 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shirreffs had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016, ranked #21,648.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shirreffs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shirreffs surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shirreffs 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 118 #20,721
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 172 #19,371
1998 modern 170 #20,030
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 167 #20,332
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 159 #21,086
2003 modern 157 #21,026
2004 modern 162 #20,756
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 154 #21,576
2007 modern 157 #21,546
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 160 #21,978
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 166 #21,745
2012 modern 162 #22,078
2013 modern 170 #21,726
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 172 #21,648

Geography

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Where Shirreffs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kincardine O'Neil, London parishes, Edinburgh, Ellon and Peterculter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to George Street, Rushmoor, Tillydrone, Balgownie and Donmouth West and Mastrick. 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 Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeen
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Ellon Aberdeen
5 Peterculter Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 George Street Aberdeen City
2 Rushmoor 012 Rushmoor
3 Tillydrone Aberdeen City
4 Balgownie and Donmouth West Aberdeen City
5 Mastrick Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shirreffs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shirreffs

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shirreffs 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

Shirreffs is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shirreffs falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shirreffs

The surname Shirreffs is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the old Scottish word "schyra," meaning a county or shire, and "greffe," an official or clerk. This suggests that the name may have been borne by individuals who held administrative positions within the local shire or county.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century, where a person named John Schireffe is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with the double "f" emerging later on.

The Shirreffs surname is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly the counties of Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. Records from the 16th century indicate that the name was concentrated in these areas, with families bearing the surname owning land and holding positions of influence within their local communities.

Notable individuals with the surname Shirreffs include Andrew Hunter Shirreffs (1785-1870), a Scottish naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a colonial official in the Bahamas. Another prominent figure was Sir William Shirreffs (1828-1904), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ross and Cromarty.

In the literary world, the name is represented by Andrew Shirreffs (1824-1900), a Scottish poet and writer who published works such as "Lays of Strathearn" and "The Life of Robert Burns." His contemporary, George Shirreffs (1835-1909), was a Scottish journalist and author known for his works on Scottish history and folklore.

The Shirreffs surname also has a connection to the academic realm, with John Shirreffs (1846-1925), a Scottish mathematician and educator who served as the Rector of the Royal High School in Edinburgh for over two decades.

While the surname has evolved and spread throughout the world, its roots remain firmly planted in the Scottish Borders region, where it has a rich historical legacy dating back to the medieval era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shirreffs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shirreffs 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 42 Shirreffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.81x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 42 73.81x
Lanarkshire 7 3.52x
Kincardineshire 6 80.21x
Angus 3 5.27x
Argyllshire 2 11.70x
Midlothian 2 2.43x
Banffshire 1 7.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 21 Shirreffs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.77x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 21 176.77x
Peterculter 9 2250.00x
Barony 7 13.92x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 56.34x
Fetteresso 6 512.82x
Dundee 3 14.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 6.04x
Glassary 2 217.39x
Kincardine O Neil 2 487.80x
Old Deer 2 185.19x
Inverurie 1 156.25x
Newhills 1 85.47x
Ordiquhill 1 666.67x

FAQ

Shirreffs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shirreffs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Shirreffs surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shirreffs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016. That gives Shirreffs a modern rank of #21,648.

What does the Shirreffs surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Sherriff.

What does the Shirreffs map show?

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