NameCensus.

UK surname

Shropshire

A locational surname referring to someone from the English county of Shropshire.

In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Shropshire surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 209, ranked #19,009, up from #19,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccleshall, Wolstanton and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, South Staffordshire and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shropshire is 215 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.9%.

1881 census count

102

Ranked #19,518

Modern count

209

2016, ranked #19,009

Peak year

2014

215 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shropshire had 102 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 209 in 2016, ranked #19,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 164 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Shropshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shropshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Shropshire 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 102 #19,518
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 164 #16,879
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 210 #17,712
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 212 #17,324
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 212 #17,454
2004 modern 209 #17,706
2005 modern 207 #17,731
2006 modern 203 #18,105
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 205 #18,359
2009 modern 199 #19,090
2010 modern 208 #18,956
2011 modern 210 #18,677
2012 modern 213 #18,422
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 215 #18,764
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 209 #19,009

Geography

Back to top

Where Shropshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccleshall, Wolstanton, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, Ashley and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, South Staffordshire, Breckland, Stoke-on-Trent and East Cambridgeshire. 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 Eccleshall Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
4 Ashley Shropshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 009 Shropshire
2 South Staffordshire 009 South Staffordshire
3 Breckland 012 Breckland
4 Stoke-on-Trent 006 Stoke-on-Trent
5 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Shropshire

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Shropshire

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Shropshire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Shropshire household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Shropshire 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

Shropshire 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

Shropshire falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Shropshire

The surname Shropshire is an English locational name derived from the county of Shropshire, located in the West Midlands region of England. The name Shropshire itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "scrop" or "scrobb," meaning a shrub or bush, and "scir," meaning a shire or county.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Shropshire can be traced back to the 13th century, with references found in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire from 1273. These rolls were early census-like records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Shropshire, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing insights into the economic and administrative affairs of the time.

In the 14th century, the name Shropshire appeared in various forms, such as Schropschire, Shrobbeshire, and Shrovesbury, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Shropshire. However, it does record information about the county of Shropshire, referred to as "Sciropscire" or "Scrobesberie."

Notable individuals with the surname Shropshire throughout history include:

1. William Shropshire (c. 1585-1655), an English playwright and author known for his work "The Youthes Paradoxe" published in 1630. 2. John Shropshire (1663-1718), a British architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas. 3. Mary Shropshire (1777-1849), a Scottish botanist and naturalist known for her contributions to the study of British flora. 4. Sir George Shropshire (1825-1901), a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. 5. Ethel Shropshire (1886-1976), an American artist and painter known for her landscape and still-life works in the Impressionist style.

The surname Shropshire has also been associated with various place names within the county itself, such as Shropshire Hills, Shropshire Union Canal, and Shropshire Bedlams, a breed of sheep native to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Shropshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shropshire 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. Staffordshire leads with 41 Shropshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.21x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 41 12.21x
Shropshire 29 33.74x
Cheshire 13 5.92x
Middlesex 6 0.60x
Surrey 4 0.83x
Yorkshire 4 0.41x
Worcestershire 3 2.31x
Leicestershire 1 0.91x
Sussex 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. Cheswardine in Shropshire leads with 17 Shropshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 4594.59x.

Place Total Index
Cheswardine 17 4594.59x
Eccleshall 10 787.40x
Drayton In Hales 7 395.48x
Eccleshall Croxton 7 7000.00x
Lea 6 30000.00x
Wolstanton 6 58.82x
Ashley 4 1481.48x
Islington London 4 4.15x
Wolstanton Oldcott 4 327.87x
Bubwith 3 1666.67x
Hunsterson 3 4285.71x
Maer 3 2307.69x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 50.51x
Prees 3 285.71x
Redditch 3 114.07x
Barton Under Needwood 2 327.87x
Lambeth 2 2.31x
Newington 2 5.44x
Walgherton 2 3333.33x
Whitchurch 2 119.76x
Burslem 1 10.40x
Burton Lazars 1 1250.00x
Hackney London 1 1.79x
Hove 1 13.59x
Ilkley 1 62.11x
Marburywith Quoisley 1 434.78x
Mucklestone 1 312.50x
St Pancras London 1 1.25x
Wybunbury 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Ann 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Sarah 3
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Jane 2
Anna 1
Bessy 1
Caroline 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Ciseley 1
Dorothy 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 9
William 8
John 6
Thomas 5
Charles 3
Henry 3
Isaac 3
James 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Freeman 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Nimrod 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Shropshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shropshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Shropshire surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shropshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 209 in 2016. That gives Shropshire a modern rank of #19,009.

What does the Shropshire surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the English county of Shropshire.

What does the Shropshire map show?

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