2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shedivy
A surname of Czech origin meaning "grey, ash-colored".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Shedivy. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shedivy 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Shedivy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shedivy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shedivy
The surname SHEDIVY is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic, likely in the late 15th or early 16th century. It is thought to derive from the Czech word "šedivý," meaning "gray-haired" or "graying," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with prematurely gray hair.
The earliest known written record of the SHEDIVY name dates back to around 1520, when it appeared in a parish register from a small village near the town of Česká Lípa in northern Bohemia. Over the next few centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Ssediwy, Schediwy, and Schedivy, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and scribal conventions.
One of the first notable individuals bearing the SHEDIVY surname was Jan Shedivy (c. 1570-1642), a prominent Czech Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the early stages of the Bohemian Reformation. His writings and sermons were widely circulated and helped shape the religious landscape of the region during a tumultuous period of religious upheaval.
Another historical figure with the SHEDIVY name was Katerina Shedivy (1790-1867), a celebrated Czech folk artist known for her intricate embroidery and textile work. Her creations, which often incorporated traditional Czech motifs and designs, were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons across Europe.
In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Frantisek Shedivy (1835-1912), a pioneering Czech architect and urban planner. He was instrumental in the design and development of several iconic buildings and public spaces in Prague, including the Czech National Theater and the iconic Wenceslas Square.
Another notable figure was Vaclav Shedivy (1896-1976), a distinguished Czech mathematician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of topology. His groundbreaking work on topological groups and spaces earned him international acclaim and numerous honors throughout his career.
More recently, the name SHEDIVY has been associated with Jaroslav Shedivy (1933-2003), a renowned Czech film director and screenwriter. His films, which often explored themes of social injustice and political oppression, were widely acclaimed for their artistic merit and powerful storytelling. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Czech New Wave cinema movement of the 1960s.
While the SHEDIVY surname originated in the Czech lands, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural heritage and history of the Czech Republic.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shedivy
Among Census respondents with the surname Shedivy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Shedivy 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 Shedivy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 102
- Two or more races5.5% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shedivy
Shedivy 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-10 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,207 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,839 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 20,207 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Up 5,839 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 Shedivy 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 | #156,044 | #150,205 | 3.7% |
| Count | 104 | 109 | 4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shedivy bearers went from 104 to 109 (+4.8% change). The surname moved up 5,839 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #150,205.
FAQ
Shedivy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shedivy?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Shedivy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Shedivy?
Shedivy ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Shedivy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Shedivy.
Has Shedivy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shedivy went from 104 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 5 (+4.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Shedivy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shedivy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Shedivy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shedivy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Two or More Races (5.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Shedivy (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 Shedivy mean?
A surname of Czech origin meaning "grey, ash-colored". 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 Shedivy (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 many Americans have the surname Shedivy?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.