NameCensus.

UK surname

Shove

A surname related to the action of shoving or pushing forcefully.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Shove surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lewisham, London parishes and Chipstead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock North, Isle of Wight and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shove is 256 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.8%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

2008

256 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shove had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Shove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shove 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 218 #14,332
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 249 #15,319
1998 modern 245 #15,903
1999 modern 246 #15,974
2000 modern 240 #16,186
2001 modern 234 #16,205
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 256 #15,817
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 253 #16,652
2011 modern 239 #17,138
2012 modern 219 #18,087
2013 modern 225 #18,027
2014 modern 224 #18,202
2015 modern 223 #18,165
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Shoves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lewisham, London parishes, Chipstead, Banstead and Lee. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cumnock North, Isle of Wight, Maldon, Gravesham and Forest Heath. 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 Lewisham London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Chipstead Surrey
4 Banstead Surrey
5 Lee London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cumnock North East Ayrshire
2 Isle of Wight 004 Isle of Wight
3 Maldon 001 Maldon
4 Gravesham 010 Gravesham
5 Forest Heath 004 Forest Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shove

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Shove surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Shove household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Shove 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

Shove is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shove falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shove

The surname SHOVE is of English origin, with its earliest documented instances dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scufan," meaning "to push" or "to shove," which may have initially referred to a person's occupation or physical characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHOVE surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a person named William Shove is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the Midlands region of England during that time period.

In the late 14th century, the surname SHOVE appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain John Shove was listed as a tenant in 1379. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in the northern counties of England during the medieval era.

The SHOVE surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Shove Green in Staffordshire and Shove Lane in Worcestershire. These locations likely took their names from early settlers bearing the SHOVE surname, further reinforcing the name's deep roots in the English countryside.

One notable historical figure with the SHOVE surname was Sir Robert Shove (1572-1630), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1628. He played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of the city during the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was John Shove (1660-1729), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire and published several works on theology and philosophy during his lifetime.

In the realm of literature, the surname SHOVE is associated with the English writer and essayist Frederic Shove (1865-1939), who was known for his works on philosophical and economic topics, as well as his contributions to the Fabian Society.

The SHOVE surname also has ties to the military, with individuals like Major General John Shove (1786-1833), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of Fort St. George in Madras, India.

Furthermore, the SHOVE name can be found in the annals of academia, with scholars such as Raymond Shove (1892-1962), a British economist and pioneer in the field of industrial economics, who made significant contributions to the understanding of labor markets and wage determination.

While these examples provide glimpses into the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the SHOVE surname, it is important to note that the surname's origins and its evolution over centuries remain deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic landscape of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shove 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. Surrey leads with 63 Shoves recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.89x.

County Total Index
Surrey 63 9.89x
Kent 36 8.07x
Middlesex 11 0.84x
Gloucestershire 8 3.12x
Essex 6 2.33x
Midlothian 5 2.86x
Hampshire 4 1.49x
Warwickshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bexley in Kent leads with 17 Shoves recorded in 1881 and an index of 431.47x.

Place Total Index
Bexley 17 431.47x
Croydon 17 48.09x
Caterham 12 425.53x
Lee 12 185.47x
Chipstead 10 3448.28x
Reigate Foreign 9 130.43x
St Briavels 7 2121.21x
East Ham 6 125.26x
Kensington London 6 8.26x
Banstead 5 289.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 7.10x
Lewisham 5 21.03x
Ratcliffe London 4 55.40x
Romsey Extra 4 251.57x
Coulsdon 3 258.62x
Godstone 3 263.16x
Wandsworth 2 15.90x
Ewell 1 74.63x
Lenham 1 112.36x
Margate St John Baptist 1 12.24x
Southwark Christchurch 1 16.34x
St Marylebone London 1 1.43x
Sutton Coldfield 1 28.90x
Westbury On Trym 1 11.52x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Shove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Shove surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Shove a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Shove surname mean?

A surname related to the action of shoving or pushing forcefully.

What does the Shove map show?

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