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

Shak, 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 Shak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shak in America

Shak is the 89403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shak surname appeared 207 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 Shak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shak 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 Shak

The surname "SHAK" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the regions of modern-day Pakistan and northern India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "shakha," which means "branch" or "offshoot." The name can be traced back to the 5th century CE, when it was used to refer to various clans or lineages within the Hindu caste system.

In the early medieval period, the name "SHAK" appeared in several ancient manuscripts and inscriptions, particularly in the region of present-day Rajasthan and Punjab. One notable example is the Bakhshali Manuscript, an ancient mathematical treatise dating back to the 7th century CE, which mentions a person named "Shakadeva" as one of its authors.

The earliest recorded example of the name "SHAK" can be found in the Chachnama, a 13th-century Persian manuscript chronicling the Arab conquest of Sindh (present-day Pakistan). The text mentions a local ruler named "Shak Rai" who ruled over the region of Brahmanabad (modern-day Sindh province) in the 7th century CE.

Another significant historical figure bearing the name "SHAK" was Shaka Rana, a 14th-century ruler of the Chauhan dynasty in the region of present-day Rajasthan. He is credited with founding the city of Shakabad (now known as Sikar) and played a crucial role in the defense of the region against Mongol invasions.

During the Mughal Empire era (16th-19th centuries), the name "SHAK" was associated with several prominent figures. One notable example is Shak Khan, a 16th-century military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Another is Shak Abul Hasan (1551-1609), a renowned poet and scholar from the city of Agra.

In more recent history, the name "SHAK" has been borne by several influential personalities. One such figure was Shak Mohammad Khan (1841-1911), a prominent leader of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule. He was born in the city of Bareilly and played a significant role in the uprising in the regions of present-day Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

It is also worth mentioning that the name "SHAK" has been associated with various place names in the Indian subcontinent. For instance, the town of Shakabad in Rajasthan and the village of Shakhpur in Punjab are believed to have derived their names from individuals or clans bearing the surname "SHAK."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shak

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

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

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

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