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

Shaman, 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 Shaman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shaman in America

Shaman is the 110825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shaman surname appeared 159 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 Shaman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shaman 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 Shaman

The surname "Shaman" is believed to have originated in Central Asia, particularly in the regions of Siberia and Mongolia, where the practice of shamanism has been deeply ingrained in the cultures for centuries. The word "shaman" itself is derived from the Tungusic language family, which is widely spoken in these regions.

The earliest known reference to the term "shaman" can be traced back to the 17th century, when Western explorers and missionaries encountered these spiritual leaders and healers among the indigenous populations of Siberia. The name likely evolved as a way to identify those individuals who possessed the ability to communicate with the spiritual realm and serve as intermediaries between the physical and supernatural worlds.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, as European explorers and anthropologists delved deeper into the study of these ancient cultures, the term "shaman" gained wider recognition and usage. Notable figures who documented and studied shamanism during this period include the Russian explorer and ethnographer Grigory Shchukin (1762-1804) and the American anthropologist Walter J. Hoffman (1846-1899).

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "Shaman" was Tengis Shaman (c. 1700-1770), a prominent Buryat shaman who lived in the region of modern-day Buryatia, Russia. His name and legacy are still celebrated among the Buryat people as a symbol of their cultural heritage and spiritual traditions.

Another notable figure was Chuluun Shaman (1835-1912), a revered Mongolian shaman who was widely known for his healing abilities and his role in preserving the shamanic traditions of his people. His name has been recorded in various historical accounts and oral traditions of the region.

In the 20th century, the surname "Shaman" gained further recognition with the work of Mikhail Shaman (1900-1975), a Russian anthropologist and ethnographer who dedicated his life to the study of shamanism and the indigenous cultures of Siberia. His extensive fieldwork and publications helped to further the understanding of this ancient practice among scholars and the general public.

It's worth noting that while the surname "Shaman" is relatively uncommon outside of Central Asia, it has gained recognition globally due to the growing interest in and appreciation for shamanic practices and traditions in various cultures around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shaman

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

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

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

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