2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sheftic
An anglicized form of the Slavic surname derived from the root word "Svet" meaning light or bright.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Sheftic. 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 Sheftic 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 Sheftic 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 Sheftic, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sheftic
The surname Sheftic is believed to have originated in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, primarily in areas that are now part of modern-day Croatia and Serbia. Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century or earlier. The name is thought to derive from the Slavic word "šeftek," which referred to a type of cloth or fabric, potentially indicating an ancestral occupation in the textile trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sheftic name can be found in a Croatian census record from the late 16th century, where it appears as "Sheftich." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time period, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and scribal interpretations.
In the 17th century, the name Sheftic appeared in several historical documents and land registries in the region now known as Vojvodina, situated in modern-day Serbia. These records suggest that the Sheftic family had established roots in the area and may have held notable positions within their local communities.
A notable figure bearing the Sheftic surname was Mihajlo Sheftic, a Serbian merchant and landowner who lived in the late 18th century. His name is mentioned in several business transactions and property records from the time, indicating his economic and social standing.
Another prominent individual was Petar Sheftic, a Croatian artist and sculptor born in 1812. His works, primarily religious sculptures and architectural carvings, can still be found adorning various churches and buildings throughout the Dalmatian region of Croatia.
In the 19th century, the Sheftic name gained prominence in the field of education. Ivan Sheftic, born in 1835, was a renowned educator and author who contributed significantly to the development of Slavic language studies and literature. His writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the intellectual landscape of the region.
Marija Sheftic, born in 1872, was a notable figure in the early women's rights movement in Croatia. She campaigned tirelessly for equal educational opportunities and women's suffrage, leaving a lasting legacy as a pioneer in the fight for gender equality.
While the Sheftic name may have roots dating back several centuries, its presence and influence have spanned various fields, from commerce and art to education and social activism, showcasing the diverse contributions of individuals bearing this surname throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sheftic
Among Census respondents with the surname Sheftic, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sheftic 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 Sheftic surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sheftic
Sheftic 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+8 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,521 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-8 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,917 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 1,521 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 8,917 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 Sheftic 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 | #138,304 | #147,221 | -6.4% |
| Count | 121 | 113 | -6.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sheftic bearers went from 121 to 113 (-6.6% change). The surname moved down 8,917 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #147,221.
FAQ
Sheftic surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sheftic?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Sheftic. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Sheftic?
Sheftic 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 Sheftic. 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 Sheftic.
Has Sheftic become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sheftic went from 121 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Sheftic?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sheftic, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (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 Sheftic in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sheftic appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Hispanic (4.4%), Black (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 Sheftic (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 Sheftic mean?
An anglicized form of the Slavic surname derived from the root word "Svet" meaning light or bright. 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 Sheftic (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 people have the surname Sheftic?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.