NameCensus.

UK surname

Shute

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "a narrow channel or passage."

In the 1881 census there were 1,197 people recorded with the Shute surname, ranking it #3,370 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,098, ranked #5,347, down from #3,370 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Bideford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Torridge and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shute is 1,554 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.3%.

1881 census count

1,197

Ranked #3,370

Modern count

1,098

2016, ranked #5,347

Peak year

1911

1,554 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Shute had 1,197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,370 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,098 in 2016, ranked #5,347.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,554 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Shute surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Shute surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Shute 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 614 #4,206
1861 historical 625 #4,282
1881 historical 1,197 #3,370
1891 historical 1,201 #3,565
1901 historical 1,419 #3,570
1911 historical 1,554 #3,118
1997 modern 1,157 #4,868
1998 modern 1,208 #4,857
1999 modern 1,233 #4,806
2000 modern 1,205 #4,887
2001 modern 1,186 #4,848
2002 modern 1,166 #5,030
2003 modern 1,137 #5,040
2004 modern 1,159 #4,963
2005 modern 1,121 #5,058
2006 modern 1,079 #5,217
2007 modern 1,101 #5,183
2008 modern 1,099 #5,220
2009 modern 1,132 #5,199
2010 modern 1,157 #5,209
2011 modern 1,140 #5,215
2012 modern 1,105 #5,271
2013 modern 1,128 #5,266
2014 modern 1,124 #5,307
2015 modern 1,114 #5,304
2016 modern 1,098 #5,347

Geography

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Where Shutes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Bideford and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Torridge, Wakefield, Aylesbury Vale and Carmarthenshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bideford Devon
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
2 Torridge 004 Torridge
3 Wakefield 017 Wakefield
4 Aylesbury Vale 024 Aylesbury Vale
5 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Shute

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Shute

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Shute is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Shute is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Shute 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 Shute is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Shute

The surname SHUTE is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English word "scytt" meaning archer or shooter. It is believed to have originated in the region of Devonshire, England during the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHUTE surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Scytta" under landowners in Devon. This suggests that the name was already established in that area by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the spelling included "Shute," "Shutt," and "Shutte." These were often used interchangeably and referred to the same family lineage. The name was also associated with certain place names in Devon, such as Shute Hill and Shute Farm.

Notable individuals bearing the SHUTE surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Shute (1563-1619), an English lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1614 to 1619.

2. Josias Shute (1661-1742), an English-born merchant and colonial administrator who served as the first Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire from 1716 to 1723.

3. Samuel Shute (1662-1742), an English playwright and poet, best known for his works "The Humorists" and "The Parson's Wedding."

4. John Shute Barrington (1678-1734), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1730 to 1734.

5. Nevil Shute (1899-1960), a renowned English novelist and aeronautical engineer, known for his works "A Town Like Alice" and "On the Beach."

As the SHUTE family spread across England and later to other parts of the British Isles and the Americas, the name became more widespread and took on various spellings, but its origins can be traced back to the archer or shooter roots in Devon.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Shute families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shute 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. Devon leads with 323 Shutes recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.23x.

County Total Index
Devon 323 13.23x
Middlesex 153 1.30x
Dorset 86 11.18x
Somerset 73 3.87x
Yorkshire 73 0.63x
Hampshire 65 2.70x
Surrey 64 1.12x
Glamorgan 51 2.50x
Kent 43 1.07x
Wiltshire 33 3.18x
Lancashire 26 0.19x
Gloucestershire 24 1.04x
Warwickshire 21 0.71x
Cornwall 20 1.51x
Durham 19 0.54x
Montgomeryshire 18 6.70x
Derbyshire 17 0.93x
Sussex 17 0.86x
Staffordshire 16 0.40x
Essex 12 0.52x
Monmouthshire 11 1.30x
Lincolnshire 9 0.48x
Merionethshire 5 2.33x
Hertfordshire 4 0.49x
Worcestershire 4 0.26x
Shropshire 3 0.30x
Channel Islands 2 0.58x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 1.43x
Bedfordshire 1 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x
Radnorshire 1 1.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hartland in Devon leads with 34 Shutes recorded in 1881 and an index of 447.37x.

Place Total Index
Hartland 34 447.37x
Portsea 29 6.16x
Leeds 27 4.12x
Bideford 26 99.46x
St Pancras London 25 2.65x
Gillingham 23 173.98x
Roath 23 24.80x
Stoke Damerel 19 11.12x
Lambeth 18 1.76x
St Budeaux 18 236.84x
Buckhorn Weston 17 813.40x
Bedminster 15 8.46x
Buckfastleigh 15 133.21x
Kensington London 14 2.15x
Millbrook 14 23.13x
Tormoham 14 13.56x
Chilvers Coton 13 106.91x
Limehouse London 13 10.10x
Plymouth Charles The 13 12.09x
St George In East 13 16.30x
Dean Prior 12 952.38x
Llanllwchaiarn 12 103.09x
Northam 12 67.45x
Shoreditch London 12 2.36x
Deptford St Paul 11 3.56x
Honiton 11 81.42x
Littleham 11 61.66x
St Marylebone London 11 1.76x
Swansea Town 11 6.57x
Toxteth Park 11 2.33x
Bristol St Paul In 10 16.32x
New Brentford 10 162.07x
Paignton 10 53.85x
Anstey 9 762.71x
Cleethorpes 9 81.60x
Eltham 9 38.40x
Modbury 9 144.46x
Portishead 9 64.15x
Ryde 9 17.43x
St Woollos 9 9.51x
Compton Chamberlayne 8 661.16x
Diptford 8 299.63x
East Stonehouse 8 16.64x
Exeter Heavitree 8 43.96x
Radyr 8 384.62x
Stratton St Margaret 8 50.28x
West Ham 8 1.57x
Wortley In Bramley 8 8.69x
Durweston 7 463.58x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 12.52x
Hastings St Mary 7 14.23x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 9.36x
Hunslet 7 3.86x
Litchurch 7 9.48x
Manningham 7 4.89x
Matlock 7 28.40x
Newington 7 1.62x
Rotherhithe 7 4.83x
St George Hanover 7 4.57x
Streatham 7 8.05x
Taunton St James 7 25.43x
Totnes 7 49.02x
Ugborough 7 118.64x
Westoe 7 3.54x
Wolverhampton 7 2.30x
Birmingham 6 0.61x
Camberwell 6 0.80x
Dewsbury 6 5.04x
East Orchard 6 638.30x
Hove 6 6.92x
Kingston On Thames 6 4.37x
St Stephen 6 127.39x
Stafford St Mary 6 10.71x
Welcombe 6 714.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 2.31x
Hampstead London 5 2.74x
Marnhull 5 89.29x
Motcombe 5 88.34x
Powerstock 5 151.52x
Thornley 5 39.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 76
Elizabeth 59
Sarah 41
Alice 24
Jane 24
Ellen 23
Ann 21
Emily 19
Emma 18
Eliza 15
Florence 15
Annie 12
Caroline 11
Margaret 11
Charlotte 10
Clara 10
Harriet 8
Louisa 8
Ada 7
Amelia 7
Fanny 7
Edith 6
Frances 6
Harriett 6
Maria 6
Martha 6
Eleanor 5
Hannah 5
Kate 5
Agnes 4
Anna 4
Catherine 4
Ethel 4
Helen 4
Jessie 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Flora 3
Grace 3
Lilian 3
Lydia 3
Christian 2
Dora 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 89
John 69
Charles 36
George 32
Henry 28
Thomas 27
James 25
Edward 16
Robert 16
Alfred 15
Albert 14
Joseph 12
Samuel 11
Walter 11
Frederick 10
Arthur 9
Richard 9
Ernest 8
Frank 8
Harry 8
Francis 6
Herbert 5
Abraham 4
Edwin 4
Mark 4
Stephen 4
Tom 4
Edwd. 3
Lewis 3
Philip 3
Sidney 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Christian 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Gay 2
Hermon 2
Jonathan 2
Neville 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Titus 2
Archibald 1
Cameron 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederk.C. 1
Job 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Shute surname: questions and answers

How common was the Shute surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,197 people were recorded with the Shute surname. That placed it at #3,370 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Shute surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,098 in 2016. That gives Shute a modern rank of #5,347.

What does the Shute surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "a narrow channel or passage."

What does the Shute map show?

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