NameCensus.

UK surname

Skerry

A surname possibly derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "sgeir," meaning a small rocky island or reef.

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Skerry surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Docking and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Waverley and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skerry is 346 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

1901

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skerry had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Skerry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skerry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skerry 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 300 #11,119
1901 historical 346 #10,516
1911 historical 330 #10,669
1997 modern 265 #14,692
1998 modern 255 #15,470
1999 modern 259 #15,433
2000 modern 264 #15,191
2001 modern 252 #15,452
2002 modern 246 #15,988
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 220 #17,204
2007 modern 223 #17,248
2008 modern 232 #16,931
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 249 #16,954
2015 modern 240 #17,279
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

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Where Skerrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Docking, London parishes and King's Lynn St Margaret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Waverley, Liverpool and Tandridge. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Docking Norfolk
3 London parishes London 1
4 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Waverley 013 Waverley
3 Liverpool 057 Liverpool
4 Liverpool 058 Liverpool
5 Tandridge 003 Tandridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skerry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skerry

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

Established Mature Families

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Skerry is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Skerry is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Skerry falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Skerry is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Skerry

The surname Skerry is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Scots word "skerry," which refers to a small, rocky island or reef. This name likely originated from someone who lived near or on such an island or reef.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1456, where a John Skery is mentioned. In the 16th century, the name was also recorded in various spellings such as Skeray, Scary, and Skerray.

One notable historical figure with the surname Skerry was William Skerry, a Scottish minister who lived in the 17th century. He was born in Aberdeenshire in 1627 and served as the minister of Grange parish from 1661 until his death in 1692.

Another individual of note was John Skerry, a Scottish merchant and politician who lived in the 18th century. He was born in Edinburgh in 1715 and served as a member of the British Parliament for the Stirling Burghs from 1768 to 1774.

In the 19th century, the name Skerry was associated with several notable figures. One was Robert Skerry, a Scottish poet and novelist who was born in Banffshire in 1809. He wrote several works, including "The Poet's Dream" and "The Life and Times of Robert Burns."

Another notable 19th-century figure was Mary Skerry, a Scottish educator and women's rights advocate. She was born in Inverness in 1838 and founded the Skerry School for Girls in Edinburgh, which provided education for women at a time when opportunities were limited.

The name Skerry has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Skerry Burn in Aberdeenshire and Skerry Brae in the Shetland Islands. These place names likely derive from the same Scottish word that gave rise to the surname.

While the surname Skerry is not as common as some other Scottish names, it has a rich history and has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries. Its origins in the rugged Scottish landscape and association with small islands and reefs add to its distinct character.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skerry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skerry 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 85 Skerrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.32x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 85 23.32x
Yorkshire 33 1.40x
Middlesex 23 0.97x
Surrey 21 1.82x
Lancashire 18 0.64x
Somerset 8 2.10x
Kent 7 0.87x
Northamptonshire 7 3.14x
Gloucestershire 6 1.29x
Lincolnshire 6 1.58x
Devon 5 1.01x
Durham 5 0.71x
Hampshire 5 1.03x
Midlothian 3 0.94x
Northumberland 3 0.85x
Glamorgan 2 0.48x
Oxfordshire 2 1.37x
Berkshire 1 0.56x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.84x
Warwickshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Docking in Norfolk leads with 18 Skerrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1565.22x.

Place Total Index
Docking 18 1565.22x
Whitby 16 202.02x
St George Hanover 13 42.02x
Clapham 11 37.12x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 10 91.41x
Gayton 8 1290.32x
Windle 8 50.54x
Deptford St Paul 7 11.22x
Lambeth 7 3.39x
South Lynn 7 170.32x
West Derby 7 8.51x
Cheltenham 6 16.73x
Heigham 6 30.67x
Pattishall 6 810.81x
Pentney 6 1395.35x
Sedgeford 6 967.74x
Aldershot 5 30.71x
Barnstaple 5 64.60x
High Ham 5 549.45x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 36.31x
York St Mary 5 51.39x
Brancaster 4 645.16x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 75.05x
Acklam With Barthorpe 3 1304.35x
Bedminster 3 8.37x
Burnham Westgate 3 379.75x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.35x
Gaywood 3 461.54x
Grimston 3 326.09x
Hampstead London 3 8.13x
North Shields 3 42.61x
Ormesby 3 47.54x
Brightside Bierlow 2 4.34x
Clenchwarton 2 370.37x
East Dereham 2 43.48x
Liverpool 2 1.17x
Newington 2 2.28x
Scarborough 2 9.37x
Somerby In Grantham 2 208.33x
Swansea Town 2 5.91x
West Bilney 2 1111.11x
Westminster St James 2 8.21x
Altrincham 1 10.94x
Barford St Michael 1 416.67x
Deddington 1 62.89x
Fakenham 1 55.87x
Fulwood 1 32.89x
Fylingdales 1 85.47x
Ingoldisthorpe 1 400.00x
Leeds 1 0.75x
Mintlyn 1 3333.33x
Paddington London 1 1.15x
Pool 1 24.39x
Southwark Christchurch 1 9.00x
St George In East 1 6.20x
St Marylebone London 1 0.79x
Stoke 1 84.75x
Stoke Bruern 1 147.06x
Thornham 1 188.68x
West Lynn 1 212.77x
Westminster St 1 11.44x
Westminster St John 1 3.46x
Winkfield 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 12
James 9
Robert 7
George 6
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Patrick 3
Humphrey 2
Jonathon 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Earnest 1
Emmanuel 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Richard 1
Tom 1
Whyberry 1
Wm.Joseph 1
Wm.Richd. 1

FAQ

Skerry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skerry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Skerry surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skerry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Skerry a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Skerry surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "sgeir," meaning a small rocky island or reef.

What does the Skerry map show?

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