Shawn
A surname likely derived from the Celtic name Ó Somhain.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,131 Americans carry the last name Shawn. That puts it at #25,659 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 303,054 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shawn 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
1.1K
1 in 303,054
Census rank
#25,659
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
961
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 961 bearers of the surname Shawn in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25659th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawn, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (11.7%) and Hispanic (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shawn
The surname Shawn originated in Ireland. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Séaghdha, which means "descendant of Seaghaidh". The name Seaghaidh is derived from the Irish word "seidigh", meaning "hawker" or "peddler".
The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 16th century in County Cork, Ireland. Some of the earliest spellings of the name include O'Shaughnessy, O'Shoghnessy, and O'Shawnessy. The surname was particularly prevalent in the baronies of Duhallow and Muskerry in County Cork.
In the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical record compiled in the 17th century, there are references to several individuals with the surname Shawn or its variations. One notable mention is of Donnchadh Ó Séaghdha, a poet and chronicler who lived in the 15th century.
The surname Shawn can also be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of documents from the reign of the Tudor monarchs in England. These records mention individuals with the name in various contexts, such as land grants and legal proceedings.
Some notable historical figures with the surname Shawn include:
1. Sir John O'Shaughnessy (1787-1871), an Irish-born British army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1869 to 1871.
2. Thomas O'Shaughnessy (1809-1889), an Irish-American civil engineer who oversaw the construction of several major railway lines in the United States, including the Union Pacific Railroad.
3. Edmond O'Shaughnessy (1887-1950), an Irish-American lawyer and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 1944 to 1948.
4. Richard O'Shaughnessy (1871-1944), an Irish-American attorney and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1909 to 1913.
5. Michael O'Shaughnessy (1864-1934), an Irish-American civil engineer who designed and oversaw the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Project, a major water supply system for San Francisco.
The surname Shawn has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Shanaglish, Shanaglish Island, and Shanakill, which are derived from the Irish words "sean" (old) and "cill" (church).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shawn
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawn, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (11.7%) and Hispanic (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Shawn 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 Shawn surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.3%
- Black or African American11.7%
- Hispanic or Latino5.7%
- Two or more races3.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.2%
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.1%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Shawn 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 | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,128 | #25,659 | -10.9% |
| Count | 1,031 | 961 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.33 | -13.2% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Shawn bearers went from 1,031 to 961 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 2,531 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,128 to #25,659.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shawn
FAQ
Shawn surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Shawn?
The surname Shawn holds position #25,659 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,131 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Shawn surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shawn, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (11.7%) and Hispanic (5.7%). 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.