NameCensus.

UK surname

Shotton

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "farm or village where arrows were made".

In the 1881 census there were 1,036 people recorded with the Shotton surname, ranking it #3,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,424, ranked #4,290, down from #3,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Jarrow and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Sunderland and South Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shotton is 1,498 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

1,036

Ranked #3,791

Modern count

1,424

2016, ranked #4,290

Peak year

2010

1,498 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shotton had 1,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,424 in 2016, ranked #4,290.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,410 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Shotton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shotton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shotton 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 698 #3,738
1861 historical 469 #5,536
1881 historical 1,036 #3,791
1891 historical 1,000 #4,152
1901 historical 1,262 #3,922
1911 historical 1,410 #3,424
1997 modern 1,384 #4,179
1998 modern 1,468 #4,123
1999 modern 1,460 #4,171
2000 modern 1,458 #4,156
2001 modern 1,414 #4,185
2002 modern 1,414 #4,261
2003 modern 1,397 #4,231
2004 modern 1,374 #4,292
2005 modern 1,387 #4,218
2006 modern 1,359 #4,295
2007 modern 1,381 #4,272
2008 modern 1,377 #4,313
2009 modern 1,417 #4,291
2010 modern 1,498 #4,187
2011 modern 1,478 #4,197
2012 modern 1,414 #4,272
2013 modern 1,461 #4,228
2014 modern 1,463 #4,253
2015 modern 1,453 #4,241
2016 modern 1,424 #4,290

Geography

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Where Shottons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Jarrow, Gateshead, London parishes and Tynemouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Sunderland, South Tyneside and Shropshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Jarrow Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 London parishes London 3
5 Tynemouth Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Sunderland 020 Sunderland
3 South Tyneside 008 South Tyneside
4 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
5 Shropshire 035 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shotton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shotton

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Shotton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Shotton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shotton 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

Shotton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shotton 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 Shotton 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 Shotton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Shotton

The surname Shotton originates from England and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "scot" and "tun," meaning "Scots settlement" or "farm belonging to the Scots." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families of Scottish descent who settled in certain areas of England.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Shotton appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1243, referring to a place called "Schotton." This indicates that the name was likely derived from a specific location or village bearing a similar name.

In the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the surname Shotton. For instance, the village of "Scotenatun" in Warwickshire and "Scotene" in Gloucestershire are mentioned, which could be early variations of the name.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Shotton was John Shotton, who was born around 1320 in Shotton, Northumberland. He was a landowner and is mentioned in historical records from the mid-14th century.

Sir Ralph Shotton (1480-1548) was a notable figure from Shotton Hall in Cheshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the local administration during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the name Shotton appeared in various records, such as the Wills & Inventories of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1550), where a Thomas Shotton is mentioned.

During the 17th century, the surname was particularly prevalent in Cheshire and Lancashire. One notable figure was John Shotton (1609-1677), a merchant and landowner from Shotton, Cheshire.

Another prominent individual was William Shotton (1670-1743), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Rector of Shotton in Staffordshire for over 40 years.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Shotton surname continued to be found across various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire. Several villages and hamlets, such as Shotton in Durham and Shotton in Flintshire, Wales, likely contributed to the spread and use of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shotton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shotton 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. Durham leads with 434 Shottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.44x.

County Total Index
Durham 434 14.44x
Northumberland 213 14.17x
Shropshire 71 8.13x
Staffordshire 61 1.79x
Yorkshire 59 0.59x
Warwickshire 52 2.04x
Gloucestershire 20 1.01x
Lancashire 20 0.17x
Kent 17 0.49x
Middlesex 17 0.17x
Surrey 17 0.35x
Derbyshire 13 0.82x
Worcestershire 11 0.83x
Sussex 8 0.47x
Hampshire 7 0.34x
Northamptonshire 6 0.63x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Devon 2 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.16x
Roxburghshire 1 0.55x
Suffolk 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. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 66 Shottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.57x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 66 25.57x
Westoe 50 29.34x
Gateshead 36 15.99x
Birmingham 29 3.41x
Sheriff Hales 21 601.72x
Tynemouth 21 26.08x
Monkwearmouth Shore 19 32.37x
Stranton 18 17.78x
Winchcomb 17 172.94x
Brandon Byshottles 15 39.83x
Longbenton 14 21.98x
Coxhoe 13 152.40x
Elswick 13 10.83x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 13 14.48x
Ryton 13 123.11x
Winlaton 13 45.08x
Wrockwardine 13 67.71x
Byker 12 16.14x
Elvet 12 55.30x
Hartlepool 12 28.08x
Kingswinford 12 9.69x
Monkwearmouth 11 38.22x
Bishop Auckland 10 24.79x
Bothal Demesne 10 138.89x
Doncaster 10 13.67x
Lanchester 10 181.16x
Stapenhill 10 42.46x
Barton Under Needwood 9 145.16x
Burton Upon Trent 9 11.28x
Gnosall 9 109.36x
Madeley 9 28.12x
Skelton In Guisbrough 9 33.22x
Stafford St Mary 9 18.64x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 9 391.30x
Chester Le Street 8 34.65x
Cramlington 8 40.26x
Croydon 8 2.93x
Hulme 8 3.20x
Middlesbrough 8 6.13x
Prudhoe 8 76.48x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.21x
Warkworth 8 330.58x
Aston 7 1.00x
Bedlington 7 13.94x
Benwell 7 42.58x
Burradon In Tynemouth 7 182.29x
Condover 7 113.82x
Eastbourne 7 8.93x
Esh 7 31.99x
Iveston 7 50.54x
Kensington London 7 1.25x
Kirkheaton 7 43.10x
Lamesley 7 43.26x
Leamington Priors 7 11.16x
Lee Ward 7 1458.33x
Northfleet 7 23.04x
St Giles 7 37.29x
Stockton On Tees 7 4.83x
Sunderland 7 13.18x
Westgate 7 7.52x
Aldershot 6 8.65x
Cowpen 6 17.33x
Felton 6 255.32x
Houghton Le Spring 6 28.87x
Huddersfield 6 4.11x
Northampton St Giles 6 16.57x
Ryton Woodside 6 160.00x
South Shields 6 22.40x
Southwick 6 21.07x
Whickham 6 21.69x
Worcester St Helen 6 142.18x
Benfieldside 5 25.29x
Broughton In Salford 5 4.56x
Donington 5 364.96x
Hexham 5 21.49x
Leamington 5 29.60x
Lesbury 5 150.60x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 25.29x
Pudsey 5 9.34x
Shoreditch London 5 1.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 109
Elizabeth 36
Margaret 31
Jane 29
Ann 27
Isabella 23
Sarah 23
Catherine 14
Hannah 12
Alice 11
Ellen 11
Annie 10
Emily 9
Emma 9
Eleanor 8
Dorothy 6
Eliza 6
Frances 6
Martha 6
Rebecca 6
Anne 5
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Louisa 4
Anna 3
Elizth. 3
Gertrude 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Annabella 2
Barbara 2
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Elisabeth 2
Hart. 2
Mabel 2
Margeret 2
Margery 2
Selina 2
Angess 1
Annia 1
Easther 1
Effie 1
Elener 1
Francis 1
W. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 104
William 75
Thomas 45
George 39
Robert 39
Edward 30
Joseph 19
James 18
Samuel 11
Henry 10
Charles 9
Ralph 7
Richard 6
Alfred 5
Robt. 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Andrew 3
Anthony 3
Jno. 3
Phillip 3
Wm. 3
Allison 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Roger 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Alexr. 1
Amos 1
Bartholomew 1
Benj. 1
Benjm. 1
F.W. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Geo.Broughton 1
Geo.C. 1
Louis 1
Magnus 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Mowbray 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Shotton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shotton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,036 people were recorded with the Shotton surname. That placed it at #3,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shotton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,424 in 2016. That gives Shotton a modern rank of #4,290.

What does the Shotton surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "farm or village where arrows were made".

What does the Shotton map show?

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