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

Shams, 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 Shams surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shams in America

Shams is the 22733rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shams surname appeared 1,127 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 Shams.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shams 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 Shams

The surname "SHAMS" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arab world. It is derived from the Arabic word "shams," which means "sun" or "sunshine." The name likely emerged during the medieval period in regions where Arabic was the predominant language.

One of the earliest known references to the surname "SHAMS" can be found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the 7th to 10th centuries. These documents often mentioned individuals with this surname, indicating its widespread use during the early Islamic era.

In some regions, the surname "SHAMS" was associated with certain professions or trades related to the sun, such as astronomers, astrologers, or those involved in sundial manufacturing. It was not uncommon for surnames to reflect occupations or crafts during that time period.

The name "SHAMS" has also been linked to various place names in the Middle East, such as the city of Shams in Iran or the town of Shamsabad in Pakistan. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

One notable figure with the surname "SHAMS" was Shams al-Din Muhammad ibn Malik-Shah al-Saljuqi (1087-1153), a prominent Persian philosopher and scholar who lived during the Seljuk Empire. His works on metaphysics and mysticism had a significant influence on Islamic thought.

Another individual of historical significance was Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Hafiz al-Shami (1357-1429), a renowned Syrian poet and calligrapher who contributed to the development of Arabic literature and calligraphic art.

In the 13th century, there was a famous Sufi mystic known as Shams al-Din Muhammad Tabrizi (1185-1248), who played a crucial role in the spiritual awakening of the celebrated Persian poet Rumi.

During the medieval period, the surname "SHAMS" was also found in various regions of the Middle East, including present-day Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. One notable example was Shams al-Din al-Isfahani (1250-1348), an influential Persian scholar and historian who documented the events of his time.

Furthermore, the surname "SHAMS" has been associated with several influential figures in the field of astronomy and mathematics throughout history, such as Shams al-Din al-Bukhari (1206-1277), a renowned astronomer and mathematician from Bukhara, and Shams al-Din al-Samarqandi (1456-1528), a celebrated Persian astronomer and mathematician.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shams

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

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

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

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