Shaben last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Shaben is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Shaben.

Meaning of Shaben

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "sceap" meaning shepherd.

Shaben, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Shaben surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shaben in America

Shaben is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shaben surname appeared 102 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shaben.

The history of the last name Shaben

The surname Shaben is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "schaben," which means "to scrape" or "to shave." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with occupations such as woodworkers or barbers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shaben can be found in the Biberacher Urkundenbuch, a collection of documents from the town of Biberach an der Riss in southwestern Germany, dating back to the year 1292. The name appears as "Schaben," referring to a resident of the town.

In the 14th century, the name Shaben began to spread beyond its German origins. Historical records from Switzerland mention individuals with the surname Schaben, likely indicating migration or trade connections between the two regions.

During the 16th century, the name Shaben appeared in various forms, including Schaben, Schaeben, and Schabin, across various regions of Germany and neighboring countries. This suggests that the name had become more widely established and recognized.

One notable individual bearing the surname Shaben was Johann Schaben, a German painter and engraver who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His works, primarily religious in nature, can be found in various churches and collections throughout Germany.

Another historical figure with the surname Shaben was Johann Georg Schaben, a German architect and builder who lived in the 18th century. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in the Rhineland region, including churches and public structures.

In the 19th century, the name Shaben continued to be found throughout Germany and parts of central Europe. One notable individual from this period was Friedrich Schaben, a German philosopher and writer born in 1828. He authored several works exploring metaphysical and existential themes.

As the 20th century approached, the name Shaben began to spread further due to increased migration and global connections. Hans Schaben, a German-born artist and sculptor who emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, became known for his works depicting scenes from Native American life.

It's worth noting that while the surname Shaben has its roots in Germany, it has since been adopted and carried by families in various parts of the world, with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shaben

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Shaben.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Shaben was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.16% 94
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Shaben was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shaben, please contact us.

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"Shaben last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/shaben-surname-popularity/.

"Shaben last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/shaben-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 September, 2025

Shaben last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/shaben-surname-popularity/.

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