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

Shanklin, 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 Shanklin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shanklin in America

Shanklin is the 8645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shanklin surname appeared 3,804 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Shanklin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shanklin 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 Shanklin

The surname Shanklin is of English origin, specifically from the town of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. The name is derived from the Old English words "scanca" meaning shank or leg, and "lin" meaning a small hill or ridge, referring to the town's location on a ridge or slope.

Shanklin is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Senclinges", indicating that the name and settlement existed during the Norman Conquest of England. In the 12th century, the name appeared as "Sancelina" and "Schanckelyn", reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Shanklin was John Shanklin, born in 1590 in Shanklin, Isle of Wight. He was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area. Another early bearer of the name was William Shanklin, born in 1625, also from the Isle of Wight, who served as a local magistrate.

In the 18th century, the Shanklin family played a significant role in the development of the town as a seaside resort. Thomas Shanklin (1725-1799) was a successful merchant and landowner who helped establish Shanklin as a popular destination for visitors seeking the therapeutic benefits of sea bathing.

Notable individuals with the Shanklin surname include Sir John Shanklin (1810-1888), a British industrialist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight from 1857 to 1868. Mary Shanklin (1844-1923) was a celebrated artist and painter, known for her landscapes and coastal scenes of the Isle of Wight.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded bearers of the Shanklin name was John Shanklin, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. His descendants later migrated westward, and the Shanklin family became prominent in Kentucky and Tennessee. Benjamin Shanklin (1780-1855) was a pioneer settler and farmer in Tennessee, while William Shanklin (1835-1909) served as a Union officer during the American Civil War.

Overall, the surname Shanklin has a rich history rooted in the English Isle of Wight, with bearers of the name playing significant roles in various fields, including agriculture, politics, art, and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shanklin

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

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

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

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