2000
#72,022
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 252
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Rare Last name
Shehu
A Nigerian surname possibly derived from the Arabic word "sheikh" meaning leader or chief.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,058 Americans carry the last name Shehu. That puts it at #27,651 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 323,964 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shehu 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Shehu with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 323,964
Census rank
#27,651
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
923
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 923 bearers of the surname Shehu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27651st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shehu, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shehu
The surname "SHEHU" is believed to have originated in the Hausa-speaking region of West Africa, particularly in present-day Northern Nigeria and parts of Niger. It is a traditional title used by the ruling dynasties and nobles of the Hausa people.
The name "SHEHU" is derived from the Arabic word "Shaikh," meaning a chief, leader, or elder. It is thought to have been adopted during the spread of Islam in the region, as the Hausa rulers and nobility embraced Islamic culture and incorporated Arabic titles and names.
Historical records indicate that the Shehu dynasty ruled over the Hausa city-states and kingdoms, such as the Sokoto Caliphate, which was established in 1804 by Usman dan Fodio, also known as Shehu Usman dan Fodio (1754-1817). He was a prominent Islamic scholar, religious reformer, and the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Another notable figure bearing the surname "SHEHU" was Abdullahi dan Fodio (1766-1828), the brother of Usman dan Fodio and the first Caliph of the Sokoto Caliphate. He played a crucial role in consolidating and expanding the Caliphate's territories.
In the 19th century, Shehu Ahmadu Rufa'i Zakari (1834-1899) was a prominent Islamic scholar and the 12th Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate. He is renowned for his contributions to the preservation of Islamic traditions and education in the region.
Shehu Laminu Liman (1860-1926) was a notable figure from the Sokoto Caliphate, serving as the 18th Sultan of Sokoto from 1915 to 1926. He played a significant role in maintaining the Caliphate's authority during the colonial era.
Another historical figure bearing the surname "SHEHU" was Shehu Idrissa (1890-1959), a prominent Islamic scholar and the 20th Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate, who ruled from 1938 to 1959. He is known for his efforts in promoting education and modernization while preserving Islamic traditions.
While the surname "SHEHU" has its roots in the Hausa-speaking region of West Africa, it has also been adopted by other ethnic groups in the region, reflecting the cultural influence and spread of Islam across various communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shehu
Among Census respondents with the surname Shehu, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Shehu 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 Shehu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 861
- Black or African American4.7% · 43
- Hispanic or Latino1.1% · 10
- Two or more races0.9% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shehu
Shehu 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
#39,212
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 561
+309 bearers (+122.6%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Up 32,810 places
2020
#27,651
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 923
+362 bearers (+64.5%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Up 11,561 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #72,022 | 252 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #39,212 | 561 | 0.19 | +309 bearers (+122.6%) | Up 32,810 places |
| 2020 | #27,651 | 923 | 0.31 | +362 bearers (+64.5%) | Up 11,561 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 Shehu 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 | #39,212 | #27,651 | 29.5% |
| Count | 561 | 923 | 64.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.31 | 62.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shehu bearers went from 561 to 923 (+64.5% change). The surname moved up 11,561 positions in the national ranking, going from #39,212 to #27,651.
FAQ
Shehu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shehu?
Name Census estimates that about 1,058 living Americans carry the surname Shehu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 323,964 residents.
How common is Shehu?
Shehu ranks #27,651 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 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 923 people with the surname Shehu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,058), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 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 Shehu.
Has Shehu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shehu went from 561 recorded bearers to 923. That is an increase of 362 (+64.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #39,212 to #27,651.
What does the Census say about the background of Shehu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shehu, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (1.1%). 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 Shehu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (861 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shehu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Black (4.7%), Hispanic (1.1%). 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 Shehu (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 Shehu mean?
A Nigerian surname possibly derived from the Arabic word "sheikh" meaning leader or chief. 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 Shehu (0.31 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 are called Shehu?
You can see how many people have the surname Shehu on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.