UK surname
A surname derived from the occupation of making or installing shutters.
In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Shutter surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 49, ranked #34,957, down from #24,711 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sherborne, London parishes and Bath St Peter and St Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Shutter is 131 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.2%.
1881 census count
63
Ranked #24,711
Modern count
49
2016, ranked #34,957
Peak year
1861
131 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Shutter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Shutter surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 39 | #26,319 |
| 1861 | historical | 131 | #17,052 |
| 1881 | historical | 63 | #24,711 |
| 1891 | historical | 121 | #21,169 |
| 1901 | historical | 95 | #23,462 |
| 1911 | historical | 130 | #19,504 |
| 1997 | modern | 52 | #32,444 |
| 1998 | modern | 51 | #32,816 |
| 1999 | modern | 47 | #33,320 |
| 2000 | modern | 49 | #33,187 |
| 2001 | modern | 45 | #33,401 |
| 2002 | modern | 51 | #33,193 |
| 2003 | modern | 53 | #33,076 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 51 | #33,701 |
| 2006 | modern | 48 | #34,245 |
| 2007 | modern | 49 | #34,422 |
| 2008 | modern | 46 | #34,759 |
| 2009 | modern | 48 | #34,798 |
| 2010 | modern | 48 | #34,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 47 | #34,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 39 | #35,415 |
| 2013 | modern | 46 | #35,110 |
| 2014 | modern | 48 | #35,041 |
| 2015 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
| 2016 | modern | 49 | #34,957 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sherborne, London parishes, Bath St Peter and St Paul, Battersea and Merriott. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sherborne | Dorset |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Bath St Peter and St Paul | Somerset |
| 4 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Merriott | Somerset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Shutter surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Shutter, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Shutter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Shutter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Shutter is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Shutter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Shutter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Shutter is believed to have originated in Germany during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "schutten," which means "to close or shut." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a shutter maker or installer, or perhaps someone who lived near a gate or entrance that required shutters.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shutter can be found in the records of the town of Nürnberg, Germany, where a man named Hans Shutter is mentioned in a document dated 1437. This document is a record of land ownership and taxation in the area.
Another early reference to the name is found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, Germany. In a charter from the year 1492, a man named Dietrich Shutter is listed as a witness to a land transaction.
In the 16th century, the name began to spread across Europe as people migrated and settled in new areas. One notable bearer of the name was Johannes Shutter, a German Protestant theologian who lived from 1522 to 1588. He was a prominent figure in the Reformation movement and authored several influential works on theology and biblical interpretation.
Another historical figure with the surname Shutter was Hans Shutter, a German architect and engineer who lived from 1543 to 1617. He is best known for his work on the construction of the famous Heidelberg Castle in Germany, which is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.
In the 17th century, the name Shutter made its way to England, where it appeared in various records and documents. One notable example is a record from the Parish of St. Mary's in Nottingham, which mentions a baptism of a child named Elizabeth Shutter in 1642.
As the surname spread across Europe and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Schutter, Shuter, and Shutar. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects, scribal errors, and the evolution of language over time.
Throughout history, there have been several other notable individuals with the surname Shutter, including the German painter Johann Shutter (1671-1743), the Dutch botanist Pieter Shutter (1732-1811), and the English writer and playwright Samuel Shutter (1784-1856).
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Shutter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 23 Shutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.45x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 23 | 7.45x |
| Somerset | 16 | 15.68x |
| Middlesex | 15 | 2.37x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 1.87x |
| Channel Islands | 2 | 10.64x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.87x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.77x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 2.29x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.16x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 12 Shutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.44x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Battersea | 12 | 51.44x |
| Lambeth | 5 | 9.04x |
| Newington | 5 | 21.35x |
| St Luke London | 5 | 49.16x |
| Audley | 4 | 188.68x |
| Bath St Peter St Paul | 4 | 888.89x |
| Wellington | 4 | 289.86x |
| St George In East | 3 | 69.61x |
| Stoke Under Hambdon | 3 | 909.09x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 3.92x |
| St Peter Port | 2 | 57.47x |
| Wells St Cuthbert Out | 2 | 243.90x |
| Brighton | 1 | 4.64x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 5.24x |
| Eastbourne | 1 | 20.33x |
| Ellingham | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Fulham London | 1 | 10.88x |
| Keinton Mandeville | 1 | 833.33x |
| Leeds | 1 | 2.82x |
| Midsomer Norton | 1 | 104.17x |
| South Petherton | 1 | 188.68x |
| Southwark St John | 1 | 51.55x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 12.09x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.95x |
| Ware | 1 | 80.00x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 12.95x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Shutter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Shutter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Shutter households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 16 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Boot Maker | 2 |
| Colliery Labourer | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Laundress | 2 |
| Apprentice Paper Stainer | 1 |
| Assistant | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Boot Maker Wife | 1 |
| Boot Trade Cutter | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carter (Ag) | 1 |
| Char Woman | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk Gas Works | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk Wife | 1 |
| Compositor | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farmer Employ 2 Laborer | 1 |
| Farmer Wife | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Glover | 1 |
| House Keeper | 1 |
| Income From Dividends | 1 |
| Ironmongers Assistant | 1 |
| Oil & Color Merchant | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher Board School | 1 |
| Sawyer | 1 |
| Teacher Of Music | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Shutter surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 49 in 2016. That gives Shutter a modern rank of #34,957.
A surname derived from the occupation of making or installing shutters.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Shutter bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.