NameCensus.

UK surname

Shone

An English surname derived from the Old English "scone" meaning beautiful or bright.

In the 1881 census there were 1,226 people recorded with the Shone surname, ranking it #3,303 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,186, ranked #2,965, up from #3,303 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Toxteth Park and Hawarden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Cheshire West and Chester and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shone is 2,311 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.3%.

1881 census count

1,226

Ranked #3,303

Modern count

2,186

2016, ranked #2,965

Peak year

2010

2,311 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shone had 1,226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,303 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,186 in 2016, ranked #2,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,873 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shone surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shone 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 783 #3,412
1861 historical 705 #3,840
1881 historical 1,226 #3,303
1891 historical 1,305 #3,324
1901 historical 1,633 #3,163
1911 historical 1,873 #2,641
1997 modern 2,125 #2,905
1998 modern 2,280 #2,833
1999 modern 2,255 #2,871
2000 modern 2,298 #2,808
2001 modern 2,238 #2,819
2002 modern 2,269 #2,844
2003 modern 2,169 #2,900
2004 modern 2,173 #2,902
2005 modern 2,146 #2,893
2006 modern 2,149 #2,890
2007 modern 2,201 #2,864
2008 modern 2,219 #2,864
2009 modern 2,265 #2,874
2010 modern 2,311 #2,883
2011 modern 2,273 #2,888
2012 modern 2,157 #2,966
2013 modern 2,216 #2,943
2014 modern 2,237 #2,936
2015 modern 2,200 #2,952
2016 modern 2,186 #2,965

Geography

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Where Shones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Toxteth Park, Hawarden, West Derby and Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Cheshire West and Chester and Wigan. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Hawarden Cheshire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 017 Flintshire
2 Cheshire West and Chester 047 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Flintshire 013 Flintshire
4 Wigan 017 Wigan
5 Cheshire West and Chester 032 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shone

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

Shone is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shone falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shone

The surname SHONE has its origins in England, emerging around the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English "scone" or "schone," meaning "beautiful" or "bright." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone residing in a particularly attractive or well-lit area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "de Schone." This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 13th century and may have been associated with a specific location, possibly a place called "Shone" or a similarly spelled variation.

The SHONE surname also appears in various historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries. For example, the Poll Tax of Yorkshire from 1379 lists a "Johannes Schone," while the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a prominent Norfolk family, mentions a "John Shone" in the 1440s.

Notable individuals with the SHONE surname include Sir John Shone (1539-1619), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1598. Another prominent figure was Sir Henry Shone (1593-1655), a member of the Long Parliament and a supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, we find John Shone (1721-1799), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Old Bailey courthouse. A contemporary of his was Robert Shone (1736-1819), a clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

Moving into the 19th century, one noteworthy individual was Sir Samuel Shone (1828-1892), a civil engineer and inventor who patented a system for pneumatic sewage disposal, which became known as the "Shone Sewerage System." This innovative technology was widely adopted in many cities across the United Kingdom and beyond.

While the SHONE surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, architects, clergy, and inventors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shone 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. Cheshire leads with 347 Shones recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.22x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 347 13.22x
Lancashire 304 2.15x
Flintshire 198 61.94x
Shropshire 81 7.88x
Denbighshire 72 16.03x
Staffordshire 69 1.72x
Middlesex 25 0.21x
Warwickshire 13 0.43x
Yorkshire 12 0.10x
Anglesey 11 5.22x
Surrey 10 0.17x
Derbyshire 9 0.48x
Durham 8 0.23x
Hampshire 8 0.33x
Norfolk 8 0.44x
Montgomeryshire 7 2.57x
Cumberland 6 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.70x
Kent 5 0.12x
Stirlingshire 5 1.14x
Lanarkshire 4 0.10x
Angus 3 0.27x
Northumberland 3 0.17x
Lincolnshire 2 0.11x
Devon 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hawarden Pentrobin in Flintshire leads with 64 Shones recorded in 1881 and an index of 1257.37x.

Place Total Index
Hawarden Pentrobin 64 1257.37x
Toxteth Park 51 10.67x
West Derby 46 11.14x
Chester St John Baptist 33 69.94x
Whitchurch 24 120.36x
Wolstanton 23 18.87x
Hawarden 21 83.63x
Chester St Oswald 20 42.08x
Woodbank 19 7916.67x
Macefin 18 1565.22x
Mold 18 62.09x
Chester Holy Trinity 16 130.08x
Liverpool 16 1.87x
Tranmere 16 16.59x
Everton 15 3.34x
Broxton 14 660.38x
Manchester 14 2.21x
Sutton 14 2058.82x
Birkenhead 13 6.21x
Widnes 13 12.77x
Great Bolton 12 6.42x
Heswall Cum Oldfield 12 331.49x
Hope 12 75.47x
Aston 11 1.33x
Great Mollington 11 1145.83x
Gresford Gwersyllt 11 78.97x
Hawarden Ewloe Town 11 318.84x
Holyhead 11 28.00x
Waverton 11 820.90x
Eastham 10 284.90x
Ellesmere 10 56.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 2.35x
Dutton Cacca 9 2571.43x
Gresford Marford 9 703.13x
Kearsley 9 30.31x
Kirkdale 9 3.79x
Newcastle Under Lyme 9 12.67x
Rumworth 9 44.64x
Runcorn 9 14.87x
Hampstead London 8 4.32x
Hampton Bickley 8 262.30x
Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd 8 175.82x
Lower Bebington 8 51.31x
Marburywith Quoisley 8 290.91x
Mold Leeswood 8 110.65x
Northop 8 70.67x
South Lynn 8 38.78x
Wellington 8 13.86x
Atherton 7 13.63x
Bilston 7 9.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 6.25x
Great Sutton 7 510.95x
Hulme 7 2.38x
Little Neston 7 166.27x
Little Sutton 7 198.86x
Puddington 7 1093.75x
Walton On Hill 7 9.16x
Blackley 6 24.25x
Bolsover 6 64.31x
Bronington 6 217.39x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.68x
Chrtltn Cdngtn Nwtn 6 287.08x
Esclusham Below 6 144.58x
Hanmer Willington 6 465.12x
Hawarden Saltney 6 134.23x
Little Bolton 6 3.31x
Llanidloes 6 29.70x
Mold Argoed 6 132.45x
Mold Bistree 6 115.38x
Moston 6 42.40x
Salford 6 1.45x
Welsh Hampton 6 283.02x
Workington 6 10.24x
Beswick 5 13.86x
Camberwell 5 0.66x
Dutton Diffeth 5 961.54x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 16.56x
Tong 5 242.72x
Walsall Foreign 5 2.41x
Westhoughton 5 13.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 89
Elizabeth 56
Sarah 54
Jane 28
Ann 27
Alice 20
Margaret 20
Emma 18
Martha 18
Eliza 17
Ellen 16
Annie 13
Catherine 13
Hannah 12
Ada 10
Emily 9
Anne 8
Agnes 7
Clara 7
Harriet 7
Esther 6
Lucy 6
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Maria 5
Gertrude 4
Susannah 4
Catharine 3
Edith 3
Eliz. 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Matilda 3
Amy 2
Bertha 2
Diana 2
Elizth. 2
Francis 2
Grace 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Lily 2
Marget 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 94
William 82
Thomas 79
Joseph 46
James 39
George 32
Edward 27
Samuel 23
Charles 19
Robert 17
Henry 13
Arthur 10
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Edwin 6
Owen 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
David 4
Frank 4
Peter 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Ed. 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Saml. 3
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Jonathan 2
Robt. 2
Watkin 2
Alfrd.Ed. 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.G. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederck 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Johnathan 1
Jonah 1
Leighton 1
Llewelyn 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Shone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,226 people were recorded with the Shone surname. That placed it at #3,303 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,186 in 2016. That gives Shone a modern rank of #2,965.

What does the Shone surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English "scone" meaning beautiful or bright.

What does the Shone map show?

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