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

Shames, 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 Shames surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shames in America

Shames is the 48160th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shames surname appeared 439 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 Shames.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shames 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 Shames

The surname SHAMES has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in areas of modern-day Ukraine and Belarus. It is believed to have derived from the Hebrew word "shammash," which translates to "servant" or "caretaker," often referring to individuals responsible for maintaining synagogues or Jewish community centers.

One of the earliest documented references to the SHAMES surname can be found in the Kahal (Jewish community) records of the town of Pinsk, located in modern-day Belarus, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention individuals with the surname SHAMES, who were likely employed as caretakers or servants within the local Jewish community.

In the 17th century, the SHAMES surname appeared in various Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth records, reflecting the migration of Jewish communities from Ukraine and Belarus to other parts of Eastern Europe. Notable individuals from this period include Yitzhak SHAMES, a renowned Torah scholar born in Vilnius (now in Lithuania) in 1628.

As the Jewish diaspora spread across Europe and beyond, the SHAMES surname traveled with them. In the 18th century, records show individuals with this surname residing in Germany, particularly in the city of Frankfurt. One such individual was Moshe SHAMES, a prominent merchant and community leader born in 1742.

With the rise of the Russian Empire in the 19th century, many SHAMES families found themselves living within its borders. One notable figure was Aron SHAMES, a prominent rabbi and author from the city of Odessa (now in Ukraine), who lived from 1812 to 1888.

As Jewish communities migrated to the Americas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the SHAMES surname also took root in various parts of North America. Some notable individuals from this period include Isaac SHAMES, a successful businessman and philanthropist born in Montreal, Canada, in 1865, and Sarah SHAMES, a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, born in New York City in 1887.

Throughout its history, the SHAMES surname has been associated with individuals who played important roles in their respective Jewish communities, whether as religious leaders, scholars, or influential figures in various fields. While the name's origins can be traced back to Eastern Europe, it has since spread worldwide, reflecting the diaspora of Jewish communities over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shames

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

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

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

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