2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shanty
A nickname surname based on the dwellings of humble origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Shanty. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shanty surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Shanty in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shanty, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shanty
The surname "SHANTY" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "scantian," which means "to mock or ridicule." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone known for their sarcastic or mocking nature.
In the early 13th century, records show a Peter de Shantun residing in the village of Shanton, located in the county of Leicestershire. This place name, which shares a similar spelling to the modern surname, may have contributed to the development of the name's spelling variations over time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SHANTY" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a William Shanty as a landowner. This document provides valuable insight into the name's usage during the Middle Ages.
During the 16th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Parish Registers of Gloucestershire, where a John Shanty was listed as a resident in 1587. Around the same time, a Thomas Shanty was mentioned in the records of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
One notable figure with the surname "SHANTY" was Sir Robert Shanty (1602-1677), a prominent English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Ludlow during the reign of King Charles I. He was known for his vocal opposition to the policies of the monarch, which ultimately led to the English Civil War.
Another individual of historical significance was Elizabeth Shanty (1710-1792), a renowned English botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the 18th century. Her extensive collection of botanical specimens and detailed observations were highly regarded by her contemporaries.
In the 19th century, the name "SHANTY" gained prominence with the birth of John Shanty (1820-1901), a celebrated English author and poet. His works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed and influenced many writers of his time.
Other notable figures with the surname "SHANTY" include:
- William Shanty (1745-1822), a pioneering English architect known for his innovative designs and contributions to the development of the Georgian architectural style.
- Mary Shanty (1870-1945), a prominent English suffragette and activist who played a crucial role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.
While the surname "SHANTY" has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shanty
Among Census respondents with the surname Shanty, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Shanty bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Shanty surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.0% · 96
- Two or more races8.8% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shanty
Shanty appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+15 bearers (+14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,955 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-5 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,081 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.6%) | Up 5,955 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 6,081 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shanty surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #147,221 | -4.3% |
| Count | 118 | 113 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shanty bearers went from 118 to 113 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 6,081 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #147,221.
FAQ
Shanty surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shanty?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Shanty. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Shanty?
Shanty ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Shanty. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shanty.
Has Shanty become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shanty went from 118 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Shanty?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shanty, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shanty in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shanty appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.0%), Two or More Races (8.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shanty (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shanty mean?
A nickname surname based on the dwellings of humble origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shanty (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Shanty?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Shanty, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.