UK surname
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of shoes.
In the 1881 census there were 56 people recorded with the Shonk surname, ranking it #25,733 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #25,733 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Boreham, Margate and Birchington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shonk is 108 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.4%.
1881 census count
56
Ranked #25,733
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1911
108 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Shonk surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Shonk surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 60 | #22,584 |
| 1861 | historical | 35 | #29,571 |
| 1881 | historical | 56 | #25,733 |
| 1891 | historical | 86 | #25,951 |
| 1901 | historical | 93 | #23,689 |
| 1911 | historical | 108 | #21,736 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 83 | #29,638 |
| 1999 | modern | 82 | #29,933 |
| 2000 | modern | 81 | #30,036 |
| 2001 | modern | 80 | #29,945 |
| 2002 | modern | 77 | #30,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 75 | #30,994 |
| 2004 | modern | 72 | #31,488 |
| 2005 | modern | 68 | #32,097 |
| 2006 | modern | 69 | #32,343 |
| 2007 | modern | 63 | #33,243 |
| 2008 | modern | 64 | #33,402 |
| 2009 | modern | 65 | #33,611 |
| 2010 | modern | 71 | #33,401 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 70 | #33,638 |
| 2013 | modern | 75 | #33,409 |
| 2014 | modern | 73 | #33,587 |
| 2015 | modern | 72 | #33,595 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Boreham, Margate, Birchington, Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy and Ramsgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boreham | Essex |
| 2 | Margate | Kent |
| 3 | Birchington | Kent |
| 4 | Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy | Essex |
| 5 | Ramsgate | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Shonk surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shonk, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Shonk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Shonk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Shonk is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shonk is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Shonk, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Shonk has its origins in the German region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "schonken," meaning "to pour" or "to serve." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation, such as a server or bartender.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Shonk surname can be found in the town records of Zwickau, in Saxony, from the year 1342. The entry mentions a "Johannes Schonke," indicating that the name was already in use at that time.
In the 15th century, the name appears in various forms, including "Schonck" and "Schonke," in various parts of Germany. One notable example is Hans Schonck, a merchant from Nuremberg who was born in 1437 and died in 1502.
The Shonk surname later spread to other parts of Europe, including England and the Netherlands. In England, the earliest known record of the name dates back to the 16th century, with a William Shonke mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1588.
One of the most prominent individuals with the Shonk surname was Johann Gottfried Shonk, a German composer and organist who lived from 1656 to 1734. He was known for his church music and organ compositions, which were influential in the Baroque period.
Another notable figure was Friedrich Wilhelm Shonk, a German military officer who served in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1782 and died in 1849, and is known for his role in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
In the 19th century, the Shonk name can be found in various parts of Germany, as well as in the United States, where it was likely brought by German immigrants. One such example is Carl Shonk, a German-American businessman who was born in 1835 and founded the Shonk Brewing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1860.
Throughout its history, the Shonk surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Schonken, a village in the German state of Hesse, and Schonkendorf, a municipality in the German state of Brandenburg.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shonk surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 32 Shonks recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.18x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 32 | 17.18x |
| Essex | 21 | 19.48x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.37x |
| Morayshire | 1 | 11.79x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 17 Shonks recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.43x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| West Ham | 17 | 71.43x |
| Minster In Thanet | 10 | 2564.10x |
| Ramsgate | 8 | 263.16x |
| Margate St John Baptist | 5 | 146.63x |
| Birchington | 4 | 1538.46x |
| St Lawrence | 3 | 234.38x |
| Hornchurch | 2 | 377.36x |
| Stock | 2 | 1818.18x |
| Chatham | 1 | 19.53x |
| Darenth | 1 | 344.83x |
| Drainie | 1 | 133.33x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 2.28x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 15.04x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Shonk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Shonk surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Shonk households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 15 |
| Laborer | 4 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Ag. Lab. | 1 |
| Agr Laborer | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Gen Servant | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv Dom | 1 |
| Hosp Attendant | 1 |
| Kitchen Maid | 1 |
| Lab | 1 |
| Laborer Iron Wks | 1 |
| Monthly Nurse | 1 |
| P C | 1 |
| Parlourmaid Servt | 1 |
| Railway Servant | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 56 people were recorded with the Shonk surname. That placed it at #25,733 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Shonk a modern rank of #33,502.
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of shoes.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Shonk bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.