2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Shawger
A variant of the English locative surname Shaugher, denoting someone from a specific place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Shawger. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shawger 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Shawger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shawger
The surname "SHAWGER" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, between the 11th and 15th centuries. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English word "scaga," which means "dweller in a small wood or shaw." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who resided in or near a small wooded area.
One of the earliest documented references to the name "SHAWGER" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Shaughyr," indicating its presence in various parts of the country during that time.
During the 13th century, the surname "SHAWGER" was commonly found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, particularly in the areas surrounding the towns of Shawbury and Shawgate. These place names likely influenced the evolution of the surname, as it was common for individuals to adopt surnames derived from their place of residence or origin.
In the 14th century, the name took on various spellings, including "Shawgher," "Shaugher," and "Shaughyr." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname "SHAWGER" was Sir John Shawger (c. 1420-1489), a wealthy landowner and knight who served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Henry VI. His estate and lands were located in the county of Yorkshire.
Another prominent individual with this surname was William Shawger (c. 1530-1602), a renowned scholar and theologian who studied at the University of Oxford. He was known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek texts and his translations of various works.
In the 17th century, the name "SHAWGER" appeared in various parish records and documents across England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. One such record mentions a Thomas Shawger (c. 1620-1685), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Shawbury.
During the 18th century, the surname "SHAWGER" gained recognition through the notable achievements of Robert Shawger (1725-1790), a renowned architect who designed several prominent buildings in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral.
In the 19th century, the name "SHAWGER" continued to be found in various parts of England, with individuals bearing this surname engaged in diverse professions such as farming, trade, and craftsmanship. One notable figure from this period was Elizabeth Shawger (1845-1920), a celebrated novelist and poet whose works explored themes of social justice and women's rights.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shawger
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Shawger 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 Shawger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 8
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shawger
Shawger 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
+5 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,175 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-27 bearers (-20.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 23,942 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+3.9%) | Down 4,175 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -27 bearers (-20.5%) | Down 23,942 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 Shawger 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 | #129,047 | #152,989 | -18.6% |
| Count | 132 | 105 | -20.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shawger bearers went from 132 to 105 (-20.5% change). The surname moved down 23,942 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #152,989.
FAQ
Shawger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shawger?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Shawger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Shawger?
Shawger ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Shawger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Shawger.
Has Shawger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shawger went from 132 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 27 (-20.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Shawger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawger, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Shawger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shawger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Hispanic (7.6%), Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Shawger (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 Shawger mean?
A variant of the English locative surname Shaugher, denoting someone from a specific place. 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 Shawger (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 Shawger?
Find out how many people are called Shawger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.