2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Shadell
Of Norman origin, an occupational surname referring to a tile or slate maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Shadell. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shadell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Shadell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shadell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.3%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shadell
The surname Shadell originated in England during the Middle Ages, derived from the Old English words "sceadu" meaning shade or shadow, and "hyll" meaning hill. It was likely an occupational name given to someone who lived on or near a shaded hill, or a descriptive name for someone with a swarthy or dark complexion.
The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Shadhill, Shadwell, and Shadehill appearing in medieval records and manuscripts. One notable reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a William de Shadhulle.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire. The Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327 list a John Shadwell, while the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Devon from 1332 include a Robert Shadwell.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name gained prominence with several notable individuals bearing the surname. Thomas Shadwell (1642-1692) was an English playwright and poet laureate, best known for his comedies such as "The Virtuoso" and "The Squire of Alsatia." He served as the poet laureate from 1688 until his death.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Shadwell (1619-1692), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1673 to 1675. He was also a member of Parliament and held various judicial positions throughout his career.
In the 18th century, the Shadell surname was associated with places like Shadwell in London, which was named after the family. Reverend George Shadwell (1736-1821) was a notable English clergyman and theologian who served as Rector of Fairsted in Essex.
The 19th century saw the migration of many Shadells to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure was Henry Shadwell Austin (1828-1905), an English-born Australian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia.
Throughout history, the Shadell surname has been found in various forms, including Shadwell, Shadhill, Shadehill, and Shaddell, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in earlier times. Despite its relatively rare occurrence, the name has left a lasting mark across different regions and fields, from literature and law to politics and religion.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shadell
Among Census respondents with the surname Shadell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.3%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Shadell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shadell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.2% · 84
- Black or African American11.3% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.8% · 4
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shadell
Shadell appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-6 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,589 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-14 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 13,589 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 13,111 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shadell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #152,339 | -9.4% |
| Count | 120 | 106 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shadell bearers went from 120 to 106 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 13,111 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #152,339.
FAQ
Shadell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shadell?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Shadell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Shadell?
Shadell ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Shadell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shadell.
Has Shadell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shadell went from 120 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Shadell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shadell, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.3%) and Hispanic (3.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shadell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.2% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shadell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.2%), Black (11.3%), Hispanic (3.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shadell (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shadell mean?
Of Norman origin, an occupational surname referring to a tile or slate maker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shadell (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Shadell?
You can see how many people have the surname Shadell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.