NameCensus.

UK surname

Short

A descriptive surname referring to a person of short stature or living near a short geographical feature.

In the 1881 census there were 11,678 people recorded with the Short surname, ranking it #365 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16,448, ranked #377, down from #365 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, South Kesteven and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Short is 17,161 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.8%.

1881 census count

11,678

Ranked #365

Modern count

16,448

2016, ranked #377

Peak year

1999

17,161 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Short had 11,678 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #365 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 16,448 in 2016, ranked #377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,532 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Short surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Short surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Short 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 7,534 #371
1861 historical 7,632 #366
1881 historical 11,678 #365
1891 historical 12,537 #351
1901 historical 14,721 #361
1911 historical 15,532 #312
1997 modern 16,594 #361
1998 modern 17,108 #364
1999 modern 17,161 #364
2000 modern 16,935 #370
2001 modern 16,455 #371
2002 modern 16,702 #375
2003 modern 16,351 #374
2004 modern 16,315 #371
2005 modern 15,991 #372
2006 modern 15,973 #373
2007 modern 16,088 #373
2008 modern 16,115 #376
2009 modern 16,448 #377
2010 modern 16,746 #379
2011 modern 16,562 #377
2012 modern 16,272 #377
2013 modern 16,617 #377
2014 modern 16,597 #380
2015 modern 16,455 #380
2016 modern 16,448 #377

Geography

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Where Shorts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, South Kesteven and Northumberland. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 004 Torridge
2 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
3 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
4 Torridge 003 Torridge
5 Northumberland 001 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Short

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Short

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Short is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Short 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

Short falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Short

The surname Short is an English name with origins dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "scort," which means "short" or "small in stature." This nickname likely referred to someone who was shorter than average height at the time.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Short can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as Scort, Scorte, and Shorte, indicating the evolution of the modern spelling over time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Short became more widespread across England, particularly in counties like Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. It was often associated with place names like Shortwood, Shortsfield, and Shortmead, reflecting the areas where families with this surname resided.

One notable bearer of the surname Short was William Short, an English diplomat and writer who lived from 1759 to 1849. He served as the United States Minister to the Netherlands and later to Spain, and was a close friend of Thomas Jefferson.

Another significant figure was Sir Frank Short, an English architect and designer who lived from 1857 to 1945. He is best known for his work on the Savoy Hotel in London and the Wembley Stadium.

In the literary world, Reginald Short was an English writer and critic born in 1890. He was a prominent figure in the Bloomsbury Group and wrote extensively on English literature and culture.

The surname Short was also influential in the field of science. Charles Wilkins Short, born in 1794, was an American botanist and physician known for his contributions to the study of plants and their medicinal properties.

Finally, one of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Short, an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1556 during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious beliefs.

Throughout history, the surname Short has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its widespread presence and longevity as an English surname. While its origins may have been humble, it has left an indelible mark across various fields and disciplines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Short families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Short 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. Middlesex leads with 1,083 Shorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.95x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,083 0.95x
Devon 1,076 4.53x
Northumberland 763 4.49x
Yorkshire 753 0.67x
Gloucestershire 657 2.94x
Durham 645 1.90x
Lancashire 608 0.45x
Sussex 526 2.73x
Surrey 520 0.94x
Somerset 452 2.46x
Dorset 343 4.58x
Hampshire 336 1.44x
Lincolnshire 304 1.67x
Kent 246 0.63x
Lanarkshire 243 0.66x
Warwickshire 234 0.81x
Derbyshire 232 1.30x
Glamorgan 195 0.98x
Staffordshire 184 0.48x
Northamptonshire 172 1.60x
Cornwall 153 1.18x
Worcestershire 128 0.86x
Berkshire 126 1.47x
Cumberland 109 1.11x
Bedfordshire 105 1.78x
Essex 105 0.47x
Norfolk 104 0.59x
Suffolk 103 0.74x
Midlothian 97 0.63x
Monmouthshire 94 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 90 0.59x
Wiltshire 84 0.83x
Fife 77 1.14x
Buckinghamshire 72 1.04x
Leicestershire 65 0.51x
Stirlingshire 62 1.47x
Angus 58 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 49 0.68x
Roxburghshire 47 2.27x
Hertfordshire 40 0.51x
Ayrshire 34 0.40x
Cheshire 34 0.14x
Perthshire 33 0.64x
Selkirkshire 28 2.71x
Berwickshire 25 1.81x
Huntingdonshire 25 1.10x
Renfrewshire 19 0.21x
Oxfordshire 18 0.26x
Channel Islands 17 0.50x
Royal Navy 17 1.25x
Argyllshire 11 0.35x
Ross-shire 11 0.35x
Clackmannanshire 10 1.06x
Herefordshire 10 0.21x
Orkney 9 0.72x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.08x
Brecknockshire 8 0.35x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.17x
Anglesey 7 0.35x
West Lothian 5 0.29x
Westmorland 5 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.12x
Peeblesshire 2 0.37x
Buteshire 1 0.14x
Cardiganshire 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedlington in Northumberland leads with 110 Shorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.40x.

Place Total Index
Bedlington 110 19.40x
St Marylebone London 102 1.67x
Aston 93 1.17x
Sheffield 93 2.58x
Brighton 88 2.27x
Kensington London 88 1.39x
Portsea 88 1.92x
St Pancras London 86 0.94x
Liverpool 84 1.02x
Bethnal Green London 83 1.67x
Bitton 75 38.50x
Govan 72 0.79x
Lambeth 71 0.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 70 3.32x
Tormoham 70 6.96x
Birmingham 69 0.72x
Glasgow 68 1.04x
Plymouth St Andrew 67 3.66x
Islington London 64 0.58x
Gateshead 62 2.44x
Bideford 61 23.97x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 61 4.15x
Barony 60 0.64x
West Ham 60 1.21x
Bedminster 59 3.42x
Chesterfield 59 8.81x
Shoreditch London 58 1.17x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 53 0.86x
Hackney London 53 0.83x
Manchester 53 0.87x
Bishopwearmouth 51 1.75x
Brightside Bierlow 51 2.30x
Deptford St Paul 51 1.70x
Westoning 50 194.86x
Northam 49 28.30x
Wolverhampton 49 1.65x
Elswick 48 3.54x
Newington 47 1.12x
Bermondsey 46 1.35x
Westoe 46 2.39x
Camberwell 44 0.60x
Lyncombe Widcombe 44 9.15x
Wellingborough 43 7.97x
Allendale 42 26.68x
Bristol St George 42 4.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 42 1.83x
Exeter St Sidwell 42 7.72x
Hove 42 4.98x
Paddington London 42 1.00x
Rotherhithe 41 2.91x
Chelsea London 40 1.16x
Cheltenham 40 2.32x
Southwick 38 37.34x
St George Hanover 37 2.48x
Great Torrington 36 26.73x
Stoke Damerel 35 2.11x
Bitton Oldland 34 14.86x
Leeds 33 0.52x
Thurning 33 453.92x
Toxteth Park 33 0.72x
Abingdon St Helen 32 12.78x
West Dean 32 8.80x
Aberystruth 31 4.26x
St Decumans Watchet 31 66.70x
Maidstone 30 2.59x
Nether Hallam 30 1.96x
Swansea Town 30 1.84x
Bromley London 29 1.16x
Dunsford 29 95.55x
Ford 29 28.51x
Horsham 29 7.76x
Mile End Old Town 29 1.61x
Tweedmouth 29 13.70x
Alnwick 28 9.59x
Dunfermline 28 2.70x
Hartland 28 37.87x
Holy Trinity 28 1.03x
Hornsey 28 1.94x
Southampton St Mary 28 1.90x
Sturminster 28 38.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 743
Elizabeth 481
Sarah 331
Jane 247
Ann 196
Eliza 188
Annie 164
Alice 160
Ellen 151
Emma 148
Emily 119
Hannah 116
Margaret 92
Martha 78
Edith 69
Florence 68
Charlotte 65
Louisa 64
Caroline 63
Catherine 61
Maria 59
Fanny 58
Ada 56
Harriet 56
Lucy 54
Kate 51
Isabella 50
Clara 48
Susan 43
Anne 40
Frances 39
Agnes 38
Harriett 38
Rose 34
Eleanor 29
Amelia 26
Elizth. 26
Matilda 26
Sophia 25
Ethel 24
Esther 23
Minnie 22
Grace 21
Jessie 21
Julia 20
Rebecca 20
Bessie 19
Susannah 19
Anna 17
Laura 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 745
John 660
George 403
James 340
Thomas 331
Henry 227
Charles 197
Joseph 177
Robert 140
Edward 134
Samuel 123
Frederick 122
Alfred 113
Richard 103
Albert 85
Arthur 64
Walter 63
Edwin 58
Harry 55
Frank 50
Ernest 40
Francis 39
Wm. 36
Herbert 34
David 31
Peter 28
Isaac 27
Daniel 25
Stephen 25
Fred 24
Leonard 20
Matthew 19
Thos. 19
Andrew 17
Benjamin 17
Fredrick 17
Sidney 17
Fredk. 16
Nicholas 15
Joshua 14
Alexander 13
Geo. 13
Jno. 12
Job 12
Jonathan 12
Tom 12
Chas. 11
Edmund 11
Percy 11
Sydney 10

Top occupations

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 Short households.

FAQ

Short surname: questions and answers

How common was the Short surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,678 people were recorded with the Short surname. That placed it at #365 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Short surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 16,448 in 2016. That gives Short a modern rank of #377.

What does the Short surname mean?

A descriptive surname referring to a person of short stature or living near a short geographical feature.

What does the Short map show?

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