Shankman
A surname of Yiddish origin, possibly an Americanized variant of "Shenkman" meaning innkeeper or bartender.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Shankman. That puts it at #49,914 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shankman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#49,914
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
420
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 420 bearers of the surname Shankman in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49914th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shankman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shankman
The surname Shankman is of Jewish origin, derived from the Yiddish word "shank" meaning to pour or serve drinks. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, particularly in parts of modern-day Poland and Ukraine, during the 16th and 17th centuries.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Shankman name can be found in the records of the Kraków Jewish community in the late 1600s. These records mention a certain Yitzhak Shankman, who was a respected member of the local Jewish community and worked as a tavern keeper or innkeeper.
The Shankman surname is also linked to several small towns and villages in the region, such as Shankov and Shankovtsy, where the name may have been derived from the local place names. These places were known for their taverns and inns, which served as important gathering places for travelers and locals alike.
As Jewish communities migrated westward throughout Europe and beyond, the Shankman name spread to other regions. By the 18th century, there were Shankman families established in various parts of Germany, including the cities of Frankfurt and Berlin.
Notable individuals with the Shankman surname include:
1. Issachar Baer Shankman (1776-1847), a prominent rabbi and scholar who served as the Chief Rabbi of Vilna, Lithuania.
2. Yitzhak Shankman (1830-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist in Warsaw, Poland.
3. David Shankman (1855-1922), a renowned Yiddish writer and playwright from Odesa, Ukraine.
4. Sarah Shankman (1876-1954), an American social activist and advocate for women's rights, born in New York City.
5. Morris Shankman (1896-1968), a Canadian entrepreneur and founder of the Shankman & Coughlin Ltd. department store chain in Toronto.
While the Shankman name has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since spread across the globe, with families bearing this surname found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shankman
Among Census respondents with the surname Shankman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Shankman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shankman surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- Two or more races1.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Shankman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #49,914 | #49,914 | 0.0% |
| Count | 420 | 420 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Shankman bearers went from 420 to 420 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #49,914 to #49,914.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shankman
FAQ
Shankman surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Shankman?
The surname Shankman holds position #49,914 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Shankman surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shankman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.