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

Shakespeare, 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 Shakespeare surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shakespeare in America

Shakespeare is the 20739th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shakespeare surname appeared 1,275 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 Shakespeare.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shakespeare 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 Shakespeare

The surname Shakespeare is of English origin, with roots dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "sycer" or "sceacere," meaning "to shake" or "to brandish," combined with "spere," referring to a spear or lance. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who shook or brandished a spear or lance, possibly a soldier or watchman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Shakespere." The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I. This early spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the Shakespeare surname. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Schippesberia" (now known as Shipsbury) in Worcestershire.

Throughout the centuries, the Shakespeare surname has been associated with various notable individuals. One of the most famous bearers of the name is, of course, William Shakespeare, the renowned English playwright and poet born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His works, including plays like "Hamlet," "Macbeth," and "Romeo and Juliet," have had a profound impact on literature and the English language itself.

Another notable figure with the Shakespeare surname is Sir Richmond Campbell Shakespeare, a British naval officer and explorer born in 1866. He was involved in several expeditions to the Arctic regions and was knighted for his contributions to geographical discovery.

In the world of sports, Wilbur Shakespeare was an American baseball player born in 1888. He played as an outfielder for several teams in Major League Baseball, including the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians, during the early 20th century.

The surname Shakespeare has also been associated with academics and scholars. For instance, John Shakespeare, born in 1869, was a British educator and headmaster who served as the Principal of the Church of England Grammar School in Sydney, Australia, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Finally, Edward Oram Shakespeare was a British artist and illustrator born in 1846. He was known for his illustrations for various literary works, including those of Charles Dickens and Sir Walter Scott.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shakespeare

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

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

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

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