NameCensus.

UK surname

Shorrock

A locational name referring to someone from the hills or areas of rugged terrain.

In the 1881 census there were 1,480 people recorded with the Shorrock surname, ranking it #2,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,290, ranked #4,643, down from #2,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Preston, Bolton-le-Moors and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shorrock is 1,799 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.8%.

1881 census count

1,480

Ranked #2,826

Modern count

1,290

2016, ranked #4,643

Peak year

1901

1,799 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shorrock had 1,480 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,290 in 2016, ranked #4,643.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,799 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Shorrock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shorrock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shorrock 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 910 #3,029
1861 historical 803 #3,421
1881 historical 1,480 #2,826
1891 historical 1,561 #2,841
1901 historical 1,799 #2,909
1911 historical 1,797 #2,729
1997 modern 1,317 #4,355
1998 modern 1,349 #4,412
1999 modern 1,335 #4,484
2000 modern 1,396 #4,289
2001 modern 1,346 #4,343
2002 modern 1,349 #4,437
2003 modern 1,317 #4,434
2004 modern 1,316 #4,440
2005 modern 1,292 #4,450
2006 modern 1,287 #4,483
2007 modern 1,288 #4,525
2008 modern 1,284 #4,560
2009 modern 1,342 #4,483
2010 modern 1,344 #4,561
2011 modern 1,295 #4,662
2012 modern 1,291 #4,602
2013 modern 1,307 #4,634
2014 modern 1,306 #4,658
2015 modern 1,295 #4,650
2016 modern 1,290 #4,643

Geography

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Where Shorrocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Preston, Bolton-le-Moors, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Preston Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 016 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Blackburn with Darwen 012 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Blackburn with Darwen 017 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shorrock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shorrock

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Shorrock 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

Shorrock 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

Shorrock falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shorrock

The surname Shorrock is of English origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the Lancashire region of northern England, specifically in the area around Blackburn. The name is derived from the Old English words "scort" meaning short and "hryc" meaning ridge or hill, referring to someone who lived near a short ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shorrock can be found in the Lancashire Inquests, Extents, and Feudal Aids from the 14th century. The name appears in various spellings such as Shorrok, Shorrock, and Shorock, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.

The Shorrock surname is closely associated with the town of Blackburn and its surrounding areas. In the 16th century, the Shorrock family was among the prominent landowners and yeomen in the region. John Shorrock, born in 1520, is recorded as owning substantial properties in the area.

The name Shorrock also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of landholdings and population across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the spelling may have varied slightly, the presence of the name in this historical document highlights its ancient roots.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname Shorrock. Thomas Shorrock (1640-1702) was a prominent Quaker minister and author from Lancashire, known for his religious writings and advocacy for religious freedom. Another notable figure was William Shorrock (1714-1789), a successful merchant and landowner in Blackburn.

In the 19th century, James Shorrock (1823-1891) was a well-known industrialist and entrepreneur from Blackburn. He founded the Shorrock Mills, a significant textile manufacturing company that played a crucial role in the region's industrial development.

Other individuals with the surname Shorrock who made significant contributions include John Shorrock (1859-1935), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the Blackburn constituency, and Richard Shorrock (1890-1964), a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Lancashire and across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shorrock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shorrock 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. Lancashire leads with 1,415 Shorrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,415 8.28x
Yorkshire 20 0.14x
Cheshire 16 0.50x
Surrey 8 0.11x
Westmorland 8 2.53x
Middlesex 3 0.02x
Gloucestershire 2 0.07x
Devon 1 0.03x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Wiltshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 459 Shorrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.91x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 459 100.91x
Over Darwen 304 222.61x
Preston 168 36.73x
Accrington 52 33.46x
Livesey 28 93.30x
Burnley 21 14.59x
Longton 19 264.26x
Salford 18 3.58x
Walton Le Dale 18 39.18x
Moss Side 15 16.67x
Woodplumpton 15 245.50x
Great Bolton 13 5.74x
Oswaldtwistle 11 18.21x
Little Bolton 10 4.55x
Ramsgreave 10 847.46x
Upper Rawcliffe With 10 327.87x
Broughton In Salford 9 5.76x
Elton 9 15.24x
Blackrod 8 37.65x
Kendal 8 13.80x
Lower Darwen 8 35.65x
Pendleton In Salford 8 3.93x
Tottington Lower End 8 9.85x
West Halton 8 1142.86x
Chorley 7 7.30x
Clayton Le Moors 7 21.10x
Hapton 7 65.48x
Padiham 7 16.95x
Samlesbury 7 186.17x
Wheelton 7 91.50x
Clayton Le Woods 6 375.00x
Egham 6 13.92x
Habergham Eaves 6 3.84x
Halliwell 6 9.64x
Hoghton 6 138.89x
Horton In Bradford 6 2.69x
Layton With Warbreck 6 9.56x
Stockport 6 3.67x
Witton 6 27.89x
Cockerham 5 114.68x
Everton 5 0.92x
Great Eccleston 5 161.29x
North Meols 5 2.99x
Treales Roseacre 5 181.16x
Bradford 4 5.00x
Breightmet 4 53.19x
Bury 4 2.05x
Colne 4 7.85x
Greenhalgh With 4 213.90x
Leyland 4 13.45x
Cuerdon 3 106.01x
Disley Stanley 3 18.33x
Hyde 3 3.20x
Lea Ashton Ingol 3 26.43x
Mellor 3 55.45x
Out Rawcliffe 3 73.71x
Ribby With Wray 3 151.52x
Thornham 3 32.43x
Tonge With Haulgh 3 9.01x
Turton 3 10.72x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 0.54x
Barrow In Furness 2 0.86x
Birkdale 2 4.62x
Bowdon 2 15.85x
Clifton 2 1.40x
Edgeworth 2 21.79x
Great Harwood 2 6.47x
Haighton 2 188.68x
Halifax 2 0.95x
Haslingden 2 2.83x
Heap 2 2.21x
Little Harwood 2 64.72x
Little Hulton 2 7.06x
Manchester 2 0.26x
Manningham 2 1.14x
Newchurch 2 1.43x
Newton In Makerfield 2 3.82x
St George Hanover 2 1.06x
Bradford 1 0.29x
Pilling 1 12.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 117
Elizabeth 59
Jane 58
Alice 56
Margaret 50
Sarah 43
Ann 41
Ellen 40
Nancy 23
Hannah 21
Betsy 15
Betty 11
Esther 11
Annie 9
Eliza 8
Catherine 7
Eleanor 7
Martha 7
Grace 6
Margt. 6
Susannah 6
Ada 5
Isabella 5
Margret 5
Ruth 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Edith 4
Elizth. 4
Rachel 4
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Elisabeth 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Priscilla 3
Susanah 3
Amelia 2
Deborah 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Maggie 2
Rachael 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 116
James 101
William 86
Thomas 73
Robert 29
Richard 28
Henry 23
Edward 21
Joseph 21
Ralph 17
George 16
Peter 12
Arthur 11
Herbert 7
David 6
Ernest 6
Frederick 6
Wm. 6
Christopher 5
Charles 4
Harry 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Elijah 3
Jas. 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Eccles 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Giles 2
Jno. 2
Jonothan 2
Mathew 2
Moses 2
Nathan 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Alfd. 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ellen 1
Hy. 1
Yates 1

FAQ

Shorrock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shorrock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,480 people were recorded with the Shorrock surname. That placed it at #2,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shorrock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,290 in 2016. That gives Shorrock a modern rank of #4,643.

What does the Shorrock surname mean?

A locational name referring to someone from the hills or areas of rugged terrain.

What does the Shorrock map show?

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