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

Shek, 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 Shek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shek in America

Shek is the 36048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shek surname appeared 622 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shek 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 Shek

The surname SHEK is believed to have originated in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Punjab and Haryana. It can be traced back to the 16th century and is derived from the Sanskrit word "shekh," which means "leader" or "chief."

During the Mughal rule in India, the name SHEK was commonly used by individuals who held positions of authority or leadership within their communities. It was often associated with individuals of the Khatri caste, a prominent trading and mercantile group in northern India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHEK can be found in the Mughal administrative records known as the "Ain-i-Akbari," compiled during the reign of Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname SHEK who held prominent positions within the Mughal administration.

In the 17th century, the name SHEK gained further prominence with the rise of the Sikh Empire in Punjab. Several notable figures from this period bore the surname, including Bhai Mani Singh SHEK (1644-1734), a revered Sikh scholar and warrior who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Sikh scriptures.

Another notable individual was Baba Kharak Singh SHEK (1801-1840), a prominent Sikh military leader and statesman who served as the head of the Sikh Empire's army during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In the 18th century, the name SHEK was also associated with the Maratha Empire, a dominant power in central and northern India. One notable figure from this period was Shivaji SHEK (1627-1680), a renowned Maratha warrior and statesman who founded the Maratha Empire.

During the British colonial era in India, the surname SHEK continued to be prominent among the trading and mercantile communities in northern India. One notable individual from this period was Sir Ganga Ram SHEK (1851-1927), a prominent philanthropist and civil engineer who was instrumental in the development of several urban infrastructure projects in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname SHEK has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, warriors, statesmen, and entrepreneurs, reflecting its roots as a title signifying leadership and authority.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shek

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

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

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

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