NameCensus.

UK surname

Shores

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near the coast or banks of a body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Shores surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #16,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Alford and Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Brighton and Hove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shores is 232 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.9%.

1881 census count

130

Ranked #16,911

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

2014

232 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shores had 130 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shores surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shores surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shores 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 223 #10,942
1881 historical 130 #16,911
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 190 #15,634
1911 historical 216 #14,240
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 231 #16,555
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 220 #16,914
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 216 #17,397
2007 modern 221 #17,343
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 221 #17,848
2010 modern 218 #18,375
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 223 #18,135
2014 modern 232 #17,761
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Shores' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Alford, Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland), Grimsby, Great and Skidby, Cottingham. 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 and Brighton and Hove. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Alford Lincolnshire
3 Kirk Ella (Willerby, Kirk Ella, West Ella), North Ferriby (Swanland) Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire
5 Skidby, Cottingham Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 023 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 035 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Brighton and Hove 025 Brighton and Hove
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 032 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shores

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shores

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Shores is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shores is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shores falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shores

The surname Shores has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scor," meaning a shore or bank, and was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near the shore or coast.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shores can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where a Richard de laShore is mentioned. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating a person's place of residence.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as de la Shor, de la Shore, and de la Shora, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. The name was particularly prevalent in the coastal regions of southern England, including counties like Dorset, Hampshire, and Sussex.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a John de la Shure in Wiltshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327 mention a Thomas atte Shore, demonstrating the transition from the locational prefix "de la" to the more common "atte" form.

One notable figure bearing the Shores surname was Sir John Shores (c. 1450-1528), a wealthy merchant and influential figure in the city of Bristol during the reign of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He served as Sheriff of Bristol and was instrumental in the construction of the city's famous Frome Gate.

Another prominent individual was Samuel Shores (1641-1696), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Hartley Wespall in Hampshire. He published several works, including a treatise on the Book of Revelation.

In the 18th century, the Shores family had established themselves in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, where William Shores (1721-1798) was a notable landowner and philanthropist, contributing to the construction of schools and almshouses in the village of Easingwold.

The name Shores has also been found in historical records from Scotland, with instances such as Alexander Shores, who was granted land in the Barony of Glenapp in Ayrshire in the late 16th century.

A notable Scottish figure was John Shores (1751-1831), a prominent merchant and shipowner from Aberdeen, who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shores families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shores 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 53 Shores' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.32x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 53 4.32x
Lincolnshire 32 16.16x
Lancashire 12 0.82x
Surrey 11 1.82x
Middlesex 10 0.81x
Kent 6 1.42x
Durham 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.39x
Warwickshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 22 Shores' recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.53x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 22 74.53x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 32.09x
Owston 7 1250.00x
Bridlington 6 213.52x
Cottingham 6 226.42x
Deptford St Paul 6 18.40x
Sculcoates 5 25.69x
Widnes 5 47.17x
Islington London 4 3.33x
Newington 4 118.34x
Pinchbeck 4 314.96x
St George Bloomsbury 4 56.26x
Alford 3 243.90x
Drypool 3 159.57x
Great Grimsby 3 23.87x
Horsforth 3 111.52x
Mablethorpe 3 1111.11x
North Thoresby 3 937.50x
Prestwich 3 81.74x
Asterby 2 2222.22x
Leeds 2 2.89x
Linwood 2 2500.00x
Middleton In Oldham 2 45.35x
Southcoates 2 29.37x
Battersea 1 2.19x
Birmingham 1 0.96x
Kirkdale 1 4.04x
Lambeth 1 0.93x
Lutton 1 303.03x
Market Rasen 1 90.09x
Millbrook 1 15.65x
Moss Side 1 12.94x
Scothern 1 476.19x
Scotter 1 222.22x
South Shields 1 30.49x
Southwark St John 1 26.39x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 163.93x
Tottenham 1 5.07x
Westminster St James 1 7.86x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 6
Charles 5
George 5
Henry 5
James 4
Thomas 4
Herbert 3
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jeff 2
Joseph 2
Moses 2
Aaron 1
Aron 1
Arth. 1
Arthur 1
Bengiman 1
Benjamin 1
Duncan 1
Edward 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
J. 1
Mores 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Shores surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shores surname in 1881?

In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Shores surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shores surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Shores a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Shores surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near the coast or banks of a body of water.

What does the Shores map show?

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