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

Shaft, 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 Shaft surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shaft in America

Shaft is the 51176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shaft surname appeared 407 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 Shaft.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shaft 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 Shaft

The surname SHAFT is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "sceaft," which means a shaft or pole. This name likely originated in the 11th century and was initially used as an occupational name for a maker or seller of shafts, particularly those used in the construction of weapons such as spears and arrows.

Records show that the name was present in various regions of England during the Middle Ages, with early variations including Shafft, Shafte, and Sheft. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Godric Shafta is listed as a landowner in Lincolnshire.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Shaft, a prominent merchant from York who was involved in the wool trade with Flanders. Another early record is from 1327, when a William Shaft is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of John Shaft (c. 1501-1572), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells. His son, Thomas Shaft (1534-1612), was a renowned physician and author of several medical treatises.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parts of England, including the county of Suffolk, where a family of SHAFT landowners resided in the village of Bildeston. One notable member of this family was William SHAFT (1629-1687), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of a local school.

Another significant figure bearing the SHAFT surname was Sir Robert SHAFT (1680-1747), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the capture of the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de la Covadonga during the War of Jenkins' Ear.

Throughout history, the SHAFT surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military personnel. While the name has retained its original spelling in most instances, variations such as Shafte and Shafto have also been recorded over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shaft

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

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

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

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