NameCensus.

UK surname

Shoulders

An English occupational surname referring to a person who made shoulder armor or was broad-shouldered.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Shoulders surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven, Lewes and West Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shoulders is 130 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.0%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

1999

130 bearers

Map years

3

1911 to 2006

Key insights

  • Shoulders had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 110 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shoulders surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shoulders surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shoulders 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 69 #28,188
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 130 #23,805
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

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Where Shoulders' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, St Marylebone and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven, Lewes, West Somerset and Horsham. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 014 South Kesteven
2 Lewes 012 Lewes
3 West Somerset 002 West Somerset
4 Horsham 004 Horsham
5 West Somerset 001 West Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shoulders

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shoulders

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Shoulders 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

Shoulders is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shoulders falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shoulders is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Shoulders

The surname "SHOULDERS" is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sculdor," meaning "shoulder," which was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with broad or strong shoulders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Parish Records of St. Mary's Church in Chilham, Kent, England, where a John Shoulders was christened in 1592. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1611, which mention a Thomas Shoulders.

It is possible that the name Shoulders originated as a place name, as there are several villages and hamlets in England with similar names, such as Shouldham in Norfolk and Shoulderton in Lincolnshire. These place names may have been derived from the Old English words "sculdor" and "ham," meaning "shoulder" and "homestead" or "village."

One notable historical figure with the surname Shoulders was Sir John Shoulders (1616-1686), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Guildford in the 17th century. Another was Robert Shoulders (1778-1853), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several prominent buildings in London, including the Buckingham Palace and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

In the United States, one of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Shoulders, who was born in Virginia in the late 17th century and was among the early settlers of Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War, a Captain James Shoulders served in the Virginia militia and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

Other notable individuals with the surname Shoulders include Alfred Shoulders (1821-1899), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes, and John Shoulders (1840-1916), an American politician who served as the 26th Governor of Tennessee from 1913 to 1915.

Overall, the surname "SHOULDERS" has a long and fascinating history, with roots tracing back to medieval England and a connection to physical attributes, occupations, and places. Its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields over the centuries, cementing the name's place in history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shoulders families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shoulders 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. Sussex leads with 24 Shoulders' recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.44x.

County Total Index
Sussex 24 32.44x
Middlesex 7 1.60x
Surrey 7 3.27x
Kent 4 2.67x
Hampshire 2 2.22x
Devon 1 1.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Henfield in Sussex leads with 14 Shoulders' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Henfield 14 5000.00x
Bermondsey 7 53.60x
Brighton 6 40.19x
St Marylebone London 5 21.34x
Cuckfield 3 400.00x
Deptford St Paul 2 17.32x
Poplar London 2 24.15x
St Peters 2 289.86x
Portsea 1 5.67x
Portsmouth 1 48.31x
Stoke Damerel 1 15.65x
Woodmancote 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Harriett 3
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Liz 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Abel 3
John 3
Henry 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
George 1
James 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Trayton 1

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 Shoulders households.

FAQ

Shoulders surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shoulders surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Shoulders surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shoulders surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Shoulders a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Shoulders surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who made shoulder armor or was broad-shouldered.

What does the Shoulders map show?

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