NameCensus.

UK surname

Shortland

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "short land" or "short cultivated strip".

In the 1881 census there were 752 people recorded with the Shortland surname, ranking it #4,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,143, ranked #5,159, down from #4,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Harrowden, Little and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shortland is 1,250 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.0%.

1881 census count

752

Ranked #4,902

Modern count

1,143

2016, ranked #5,159

Peak year

2010

1,250 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shortland had 752 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,143 in 2016, ranked #5,159.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 977 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shortland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shortland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shortland 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 355 #6,654
1861 historical 419 #6,133
1881 historical 752 #4,902
1891 historical 784 #5,119
1901 historical 950 #4,934
1911 historical 977 #4,628
1997 modern 1,192 #4,734
1998 modern 1,213 #4,840
1999 modern 1,238 #4,783
2000 modern 1,246 #4,751
2001 modern 1,219 #4,741
2002 modern 1,235 #4,775
2003 modern 1,196 #4,820
2004 modern 1,206 #4,793
2005 modern 1,188 #4,809
2006 modern 1,193 #4,798
2007 modern 1,182 #4,871
2008 modern 1,198 #4,848
2009 modern 1,197 #4,949
2010 modern 1,250 #4,872
2011 modern 1,201 #4,972
2012 modern 1,158 #5,057
2013 modern 1,174 #5,090
2014 modern 1,162 #5,156
2015 modern 1,142 #5,192
2016 modern 1,143 #5,159

Geography

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Where Shortlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Harrowden, Little, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Sheffield and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland and South Somerset. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Harrowden, Little Northamptonshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 010 South Holland
2 South Somerset 014 South Somerset
3 South Holland 003 South Holland
4 South Somerset 011 South Somerset
5 South Holland 007 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shortland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shortland

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Shortland is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shortland is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shortland 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 Shortland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Shortland, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shortland

The surname Shortland is of English origin, deriving from a geographical location in the county of Somerset. The name is believed to have its roots in the Old English words "sceort" and "land," which translate to "short" and "land" or "territory," respectively. This suggests that the name likely originated as a descriptive term for a person residing in a small or compact area of land.

In the early medieval period, the name appeared in various forms, such as Schortland, Shurtland, and Shurtlond. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Sortelande" in the county of Somerset.

Notable individuals bearing the Shortland surname include:

1. John Shortland (c. 1640-1692), an English naval officer and explorer who is credited with being the first European to sight and map the islands of Ahu Ahu and Rapanui, now known as Easter Island, in 1688.

2. Edward Shortland (1812-1893), a New Zealand politician and explorer who played a significant role in the early colonial history of the country. He served as the first Surveyor-General of New Zealand and later became a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council.

3. Willoughby Shortland (1804-1869), an English naval officer and explorer who served as the first Commandant of the Pitcairn Islands from 1838 to 1839. He was also involved in the resettlement of the Pitcairn Islanders to Norfolk Island in 1856.

4. Peter Shortland (born 1946), an Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the electorate of Sutherland from 1988 to 2007.

5. Emily Shortland (1858-1946), a New Zealand writer and teacher who authored several works of fiction, including "The Millers of Baitogi" and "Chaucerian Fragments."

Throughout its history, the Shortland surname has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in Somerset and surrounding areas. Some examples include Shortlands Farm in Taunton, Somerset, and Shortlands, a district in the London Borough of Bromley.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shortland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shortland 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. Northamptonshire leads with 204 Shortlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.41x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 204 29.41x
Middlesex 128 1.74x
Yorkshire 62 0.85x
Leicestershire 53 6.48x
Surrey 45 1.25x
Warwickshire 41 2.20x
Bedfordshire 36 9.43x
Lincolnshire 30 2.54x
Staffordshire 30 1.21x
Lancashire 20 0.23x
Kent 19 0.76x
Devon 16 1.04x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 10 2.24x
Gloucestershire 9 0.62x
Derbyshire 6 0.52x
Essex 6 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 6 4.10x
Hertfordshire 5 0.98x
Suffolk 4 0.45x
Hampshire 3 0.20x
Lanarkshire 2 0.08x
Shropshire 2 0.31x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.46x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.14x
Wiltshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rothwell in Northamptonshire leads with 40 Shortlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 573.89x.

Place Total Index
Rothwell 40 573.89x
Weedon Beck 35 704.23x
Wellingborough 21 60.21x
Irthlingborough 19 279.41x
Leicester St Margaret 19 9.53x
Battersea 18 6.63x
Little Harrowden 17 813.40x
Sedgley 17 18.39x
St George Hanover 17 17.66x
Edmonton 16 26.93x
Yeldon 16 2580.65x
Heston 15 61.25x
Luton 12 18.15x
Isleworth 11 33.55x
Kettering 11 39.20x
Lutterworth 11 220.88x
Northampton Priory St 11 26.43x
Aston 10 1.95x
Birmingham 10 1.61x
Islington London 10 1.40x
Leicester St Mary 10 15.14x
Compton Gifford 9 187.11x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 16.21x
Heckmondwike 9 38.30x
Bedford St Paul 8 30.55x
Holbeach 8 60.93x
Moulton 8 141.09x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 22.67x
West Derby 8 3.12x
Wollaton 8 444.44x
Great Bowden 7 94.09x
Heeley 7 31.52x
Lambeth 7 1.09x
Penge 7 14.86x
St Marylebone London 7 1.78x
Tottenham 7 5.96x
Whaplode Drove 7 351.76x
Clerkenwell London 6 3.45x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 4.04x
Glossop Dale 6 11.10x
Lewisham 6 4.47x
Market Harborough 6 162.16x
Nether Hallam 6 6.07x
Norwood 6 35.59x
Peterborough 6 11.95x
Wolstanton 6 7.94x
Wycombe 6 18.05x
Croydon 5 2.51x
Ealing 5 7.59x
Farnborough 5 526.32x
Gedney 5 103.95x
Gloucester Barton St 5 58.96x
Helmdon 5 373.13x
Hitchin 5 21.80x
Kimberworth 5 12.33x
Newton 5 7.41x
Ovenden 5 15.38x
Rushden 5 53.88x
Sheffield 5 2.15x
Spratton 5 240.38x
Bradfield 4 14.20x
Colchester St Botolph 4 32.31x
Framlingham 4 62.70x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 8.50x
Plumstead 4 4.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 3.38x
Southoe 4 579.71x
Tipton 4 5.25x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.09x
Camberwell 3 0.64x
Coventry St Michael 3 5.02x
Hampton Wick London 3 55.56x
Holdenby 3 576.92x
Holy Trinity 3 1.71x
Luddington 3 1153.85x
Mile End Old Town 3 2.58x
Poplar London 3 2.16x
Roade 3 164.84x
Southcoates 3 7.39x
Stoke Hammond 2 217.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 51
Sarah 31
Elizabeth 27
Annie 15
Ellen 15
Eliza 14
Jane 13
Emma 12
Ann 10
Florence 9
Louisa 9
Emily 8
Hannah 8
Alice 7
Fanny 7
Clara 6
Kate 6
Ada 5
Edith 5
Margaret 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Rose 4
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
F. 2
Helen 2
Lavinia 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Thurza 2
Elisa 1
Elizebth 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Heather 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 51
John 37
Thomas 32
George 30
James 29
Charles 16
Joseph 13
Henry 12
Richard 12
Frederick 10
Arthur 9
Edward 8
Alfred 7
Frank 7
Robert 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Walter 6
Herbert 5
Samuel 5
Stephen 5
Ernest 4
Fred 3
Tom 3
Fredrick 2
Jacob 2
Martin 2
Vincent 2
Wm. 2
Benjn. 1
C. 1
Caleb 1
Cornelius 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Downey 1
Ed. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Jams. 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Lorenzo 1
Matthew 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Rupert 1

FAQ

Shortland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shortland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 752 people were recorded with the Shortland surname. That placed it at #4,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shortland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,143 in 2016. That gives Shortland a modern rank of #5,159.

What does the Shortland surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "short land" or "short cultivated strip".

What does the Shortland map show?

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