NameCensus.

UK surname

Shreeve

A surname derived from the Old English word "scri+fein," meaning a bailiff or sheriff.

In the 1881 census there were 583 people recorded with the Shreeve surname, ranking it #5,986 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,036, ranked #5,626, up from #5,986 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, North East Lincolnshire and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shreeve is 1,092 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.7%.

1881 census count

583

Ranked #5,986

Modern count

1,036

2016, ranked #5,626

Peak year

1999

1,092 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shreeve had 583 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,986 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,036 in 2016, ranked #5,626.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 909 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Shreeve surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shreeve surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shreeve 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 202 #10,323
1861 historical 279 #8,979
1881 historical 583 #5,986
1891 historical 690 #5,677
1901 historical 787 #5,723
1911 historical 909 #4,909
1997 modern 1,022 #5,385
1998 modern 1,056 #5,423
1999 modern 1,092 #5,315
2000 modern 1,067 #5,393
2001 modern 1,019 #5,501
2002 modern 1,028 #5,576
2003 modern 1,013 #5,534
2004 modern 1,002 #5,590
2005 modern 966 #5,698
2006 modern 982 #5,636
2007 modern 994 #5,634
2008 modern 1,010 #5,609
2009 modern 1,028 #5,638
2010 modern 1,043 #5,679
2011 modern 1,033 #5,668
2012 modern 1,018 #5,655
2013 modern 1,025 #5,712
2014 modern 1,047 #5,643
2015 modern 1,044 #5,603
2016 modern 1,036 #5,626

Geography

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Where Shreeves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, St Werburgh, Weston-on-Trent and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, North East Lincolnshire and Broadland. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Weston-on-Trent Derbyshire
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
2 North East Lincolnshire 019 North East Lincolnshire
3 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
5 Broadland 001 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shreeve

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shreeve

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Shreeve is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Shreeve is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Shreeve

The surname Shreeve originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "scræf," which means a small cave or dwelling, or the Old French word "escreveisse," meaning a crab.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Ricardus Screue in Hampshire. This suggests that the surname may have initially developed as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a small cave or crab-infested area.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Schreue" and "Shreue" in various county records across southern England, particularly in Somerset, Dorset, and Devon. These spellings reflect the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Ralph Shreeve, a 14th-century knight from Gloucestershire, who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was mentioned in Chronicles of Froissart, a famous historical work of the time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname continued to appear in various spellings, such as "Shreve," "Shriefe," and "Shrieve," in parish records and court documents across England. This period saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the name, including:

1. William Shreeve (c. 1510-1572), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Northamptonshire. 2. John Shreve (1618-1676), an English Puritan who emigrated to America and settled in New Jersey, becoming one of the founders of Shrewsbury. 3. Thomas Shrive (1679-1753), a noted clockmaker from London, whose work is still highly regarded by collectors and horologists.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the spelling "Shreeve" became more standardized, and the name continued to be found throughout England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon, where it had its earliest recorded roots.

Notable individuals from this period include:

1. Samuel Shreeve (1786-1851), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a colonial administrator in the Caribbean. 2. Edward Shreeve (1810-1887), a prominent English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the surname Shreeve has a long and rich history in England, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with bearers of the name found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shreeve families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shreeve 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. Norfolk leads with 325 Shreeves recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.55x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 325 37.55x
Derbyshire 51 5.79x
Middlesex 42 0.75x
Suffolk 31 4.52x
Surrey 30 1.09x
Staffordshire 19 1.00x
Kent 15 0.78x
Lincolnshire 12 1.33x
Yorkshire 11 0.20x
Northamptonshire 8 1.51x
Warwickshire 8 0.56x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.96x
Glamorgan 4 0.41x
Lancashire 4 0.06x
Hampshire 3 0.26x
Devon 2 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.26x
Brecknockshire 1 0.89x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 75 Shreeves recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.63x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 75 104.63x
Norwich St Michael At 19 378.49x
Rollesby 16 1481.48x
Gorleston 14 80.37x
Ticknall 14 773.48x
Tunstead 14 1728.40x
Burton Upon Trent 13 29.25x
Weston On Trent 13 2321.43x
Heigham 12 25.83x
Aylsham 11 213.59x
Smallburgh 11 1078.43x
Little Plumstead 10 1587.30x
Norwich St Paul 10 193.05x
Norwich St Simon St Jude 10 1470.59x
St Pancras London 10 2.21x
Bermondsey 9 5.37x
Hemsby 9 720.00x
Islington London 9 1.65x
Tottenham 9 10.04x
Burgh St Margaret 8 747.66x
Derby St Werburgh 8 15.72x
Peterborough 8 20.87x
Woolwich 8 11.28x
Acle 7 397.73x
Ashby With Oby 7 3333.33x
Darfield 7 137.80x
Lambeth 7 1.43x
Norwich St Peter 7 123.24x
Southwark St John 7 40.67x
Beeston St Lawrence 6 6666.67x
Great Grimsby 6 10.50x
Horninglow 6 67.04x
Stapleford 6 555.56x
Blickling 5 833.33x
Clee With Weelsby 5 25.38x
Felthorpe 5 555.56x
Filby 5 442.48x
Hardley 5 1063.83x
Kirkley 5 87.11x
Lowestoft 5 15.44x
Marsham 5 467.29x
Martham 5 235.85x
Shrewley 5 704.23x
Blofield 4 181.82x
Bromley London 4 3.23x
Cantley 4 769.23x
Great Plumstead 4 625.00x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 4.25x
Newington 4 1.92x
Ormesby St Margaret W 4 184.33x
Repps Cum Bastwick 4 784.31x
Toxteth Park 4 1.77x
West Rainham 4 615.38x
Winshill 4 71.17x
Aston 3 0.77x
Camberwell 3 0.83x
Derby St Alkmund 3 11.36x
Dilham 3 365.85x
Gimingham 3 566.04x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 12.90x
North Tuddenham 3 461.54x
Portsea 3 1.33x
Ridlington 3 789.47x
Sculcoates 3 3.39x
Stoke Newington London 3 6.84x
Stokesby With Herringby 3 468.75x
Walton 3 122.45x
Wells Next Sea 3 59.41x
Crostwight 2 1333.33x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.35x
Great Witchingham 2 181.82x
Lee 2 7.17x
North Walsham 2 32.05x
Norwich St James 2 29.46x
Paddington London 2 0.97x
Radford 2 5.19x
Runham 2 115.61x
St George Hanover 2 2.72x
Stanton Newhall 2 70.92x
Winterton 2 131.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 35
George 31
William 31
James 22
Charles 19
Henry 12
Robert 12
Thomas 11
Arthur 8
Alfred 7
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Richard 5
Walter 5
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Jonathan 3
Joseph 3
Benjamin 2
Bernard 2
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Lewis 2
Roland 2
Simon 2
Timothy 2
Alfd. 1
Arther 1
David 1
Edwin 1
F.W. 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Fredk 1
Harry 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jeremiah 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
M. 1
Martin 1
Matthias 1
Moses 1
Nat 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Shreeve surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shreeve surname in 1881?

In 1881, 583 people were recorded with the Shreeve surname. That placed it at #5,986 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shreeve surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,036 in 2016. That gives Shreeve a modern rank of #5,626.

What does the Shreeve surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "scri+fein," meaning a bailiff or sheriff.

What does the Shreeve map show?

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