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

Shedd, 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 Shedd surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shedd in America

Shedd is the 8512th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shedd surname appeared 3,868 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 Shedd.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shedd 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 Shedd

The surname Shedd originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sceard," which means a gap or opening, referring to a specific geographic location or feature. The name was often associated with those living near such gaps or openings in hills, valleys, or ridges.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Scead" and "Scede." This indicates that the name was already established in parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name was spelled in various ways, including Shedd, Shedde, and Schedd. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

The Shedd family was particularly prominent in the counties of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. In the 14th century, John Shedd was recorded as a landowner in the village of Ecclesfield, near Sheffield, Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname was William Shedd (c. 1550-1628), a wealthy merchant and alderman from London. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and contributed to the construction of several churches and schools in the city.

Another prominent individual was Benjamin Shedd (1770-1839), an American theologian and educator. He served as the president of the University of Vermont and played a significant role in the development of the institution.

Moving into the 19th century, William Greenleaf Taylor Shedd (1820-1894) was a renowned American theologian, educator, and author. He served as a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York and wrote several influential works on theology and philosophy.

In the early 20th century, John Cutler Shedd (1860-1928) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Chicago. He amassed a significant fortune through his investments and later donated a substantial portion of his wealth to establish the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, which opened in 1930.

Martha Shedd (1917-2010) was a notable American author and illustrator known for her children's books, including "Catch That Frog!" and "The Harmless Hunter." Her work was praised for its whimsical illustrations and engaging storytelling.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shedd

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

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

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

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