NameCensus.

UK surname

Shrigley

An English habitational surname for someone from a place called Shrigley.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Shrigley surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Astbury and Rochdale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Cheshire East and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shrigley is 269 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.6%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

1911

269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shrigley had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Shrigley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shrigley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shrigley 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 171 #13,692
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 246 #13,269
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 189 #18,862
2000 modern 186 #19,055
2001 modern 194 #18,287
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 194 #18,463
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 192 #19,143
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 193 #19,729
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 193 #20,159
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Shrigleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Astbury, Rochdale, Ogly Hay and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Cheshire East, Hackney, Wigan and Walsall. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Astbury Cheshire
3 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Ogly Hay Staffordshire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 Cheshire East 026 Cheshire East
3 Hackney 023 Hackney
4 Wigan 001 Wigan
5 Walsall 010 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shrigley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shrigley

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Shrigley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Shrigley 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Shrigley 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

Shrigley is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Shrigley

The surname Shrigley is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Cheshire. It is derived from the name of a place called Shrigley, which is located near the town of Macclesfield.

The earliest known record of the name Shrigley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Surgerleia". This suggests that the name has Old English origins, possibly meaning "a marshy clearing" or "a bright clearing".

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Shriglegh" and "Shrighlegh". These variations in spelling were common during that time, as there were no standardized spellings for place names or surnames.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Shrigley was William de Shrigley, who lived in the late 12th century and was a landowner in the area now known as Shrigley.

During the 14th century, the Shrigley family was well-established in Cheshire and played a significant role in local affairs. Sir John Shrigley (c. 1320-1386) was a prominent member of the family and served as the High Sheriff of Cheshire.

In the 16th century, the surname Shrigley is mentioned in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of ecclesiastical properties and incomes conducted in 1535. This indicates that the family was involved in the church or held ecclesiastical lands.

Another notable individual with the surname Shrigley was Edward Shrigley (1573-1645), who was a English Catholic priest and a member of the Society of Jesus. He was known for his work as a missionary in England during the time of religious persecution.

The Shrigley family continued to have a presence in Cheshire throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. One member, Thomas Shrigley (1664-1727), was a prominent landowner and served as the High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1722.

In more recent times, the artist David Shrigley (born 1968) has gained international recognition for his satirical and humorous artworks, which often feature comically dark observations and simple line drawings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shrigley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shrigley 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. Cheshire leads with 71 Shrigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.00x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 71 17.00x
Lancashire 36 1.60x
Staffordshire 31 4.85x
Yorkshire 28 1.49x
Devon 10 2.54x
Surrey 4 0.43x
Warwickshire 4 0.84x
Middlesex 3 0.16x
Cumberland 2 1.23x
Derbyshire 2 0.68x
Kent 2 0.31x
Wiltshire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 15 Shrigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.78x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 15 80.78x
Ogley Hay 12 902.26x
Oldham 12 16.56x
Congleton 11 152.35x
Plymouth Charles The 10 57.64x
Sutton In Macclesfield 10 230.95x
Poynton 9 642.86x
Norton Canes 8 343.35x
Shepley 7 679.61x
Disley Stanley 6 279.07x
Golcar 6 120.97x
Hurdsfield 6 233.46x
Hyde 5 40.55x
Wolstanton Thursfield 5 641.03x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 8.15x
Aston 4 3.04x
Bollington In 4 107.53x
Cannock 4 35.91x
Croydon 4 7.82x
Formby 4 157.48x
Holbeck 4 32.21x
Saddleworth 4 27.66x
Barugh 3 189.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 8.41x
Hampstead London 3 10.18x
Lancaster 3 22.46x
Adlington 2 357.14x
Ellel 2 172.41x
Great Bolton 2 6.72x
Marsden In Almondbury 2 116.96x
Newbold Astbury 2 400.00x
Sandwith 2 833.33x
West Derby 2 3.04x
Wuerdle Wardle 2 29.33x
Ardwick 1 4.94x
Castle Church 1 26.04x
Crompton 1 15.65x
Derby St Werburgh 1 5.84x
Doveridge 1 222.22x
Guisbrough 1 24.39x
Maiden Bradley 1 256.41x
Margate St John Baptist 1 8.46x
Rochester St Margaret 1 14.68x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 20.16x
Tintwistle 1 44.84x
Wolstanton 1 5.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 12
Mary 11
Eliza 7
Elizabeth 7
Ann 6
Hannah 4
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Betty 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Rachel 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Clara 1
Elizebth. 1
Emmeline 1
Eth. 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margt.J. 1
May 1
Millie 1
Myrtiler 1
Nancy 1
Prudence 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
George 12
William 10
Joseph 8
James 7
Thomas 4
Alfred 2
David 2
Geo. 2
Henry 2
Jabez 2
Lot 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Buckley 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Joe 1
Josiah 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Thos. 1
Tom.Wm. 1
Vavasour 1
Vernon 1
Vincent 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Shrigley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shrigley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Shrigley surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shrigley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Shrigley a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Shrigley surname mean?

An English habitational surname for someone from a place called Shrigley.

What does the Shrigley map show?

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