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

Shack, 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 Shack surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shack in America

Shack is the 22450th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shack surname appeared 1,146 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 Shack.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shack to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Shack

The surname SHACK has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon region of England, where it emerged in the early Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old English word "sceacca," which referred to a small hut or dwelling place, often temporary in nature. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived in or was associated with a shack-like structure.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a certain Robert de la Shacke is listed. This suggests that the name had already taken on a more permanent, hereditary form by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a John de la Shacke is mentioned in 1221. This record indicates that the name had spread to different parts of the country by this time.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like survey of landowners in England, includes several individuals with variations of the name, such as Adam de la Shakelok and Robert de la Shacke. These different spellings highlight the linguistic evolution of the name over time.

One notable individual bearing the SHACK surname was Sir John Shack, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 15th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1449 and was involved in local governance and administration.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Shack, who lived in the 16th century and was a member of the English nobility. He held estates in Buckinghamshire and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

In the 17th century, a certain William Shack gained recognition as a successful merchant and trader in London. He is recorded as having participated in overseas trade ventures and amassed considerable wealth during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, the name appears in various records, including the birth of John Shack in 1723 in Gloucestershire. He later became a respected figure in the local community and served as a church warden for several years.

Finally, in the 19th century, a notable figure was Sir Robert Shack, born in 1812 in Oxfordshire. He pursued a career in the military and rose through the ranks, eventually achieving the rank of Major General in the British Army. He served in various campaigns and conflicts during his illustrious career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shack

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

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 Shack was:

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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Shack has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Shack was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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