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

Sheldahl, 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 Sheldahl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheldahl in America

Sheldahl is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheldahl surname appeared 269 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 Sheldahl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheldahl 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 Sheldahl

The surname Sheldahl has its roots in Germany, originating in the late Middle Ages or early modern period. The name is believed to be derived from the Old German words "schild" meaning "shield" and "ahl" meaning "meadow" or "pasture." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow or pasture where shields were produced or stored.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sheldahl can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, dating back to the 16th century. The name was spelled variously as Sheldal, Scheldahl, and Schelldahl during this time.

In the 17th century, the Sheldahl family is mentioned in the records of the Principality of Ansbach, a small state within the Holy Roman Empire. Hans Sheldahl, born in 1632, was a prominent citizen and merchant in the town of Gunzenhausen.

As the Sheldahl family spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, variations in spelling emerged, including Scheldahl, Scheldal, and Schelldal. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One notable figure with the surname Sheldahl was Johann Christoph Sheldahl, born in 1737 in Nuremberg. He was a respected theologian and author, known for his works on religious philosophy and ethics.

In the 19th century, the Sheldahl name began to appear in records outside of Germany as families immigrated to other parts of Europe and North America. August Sheldahl, born in 1821 in Hanover, was a pioneer settler in Wisconsin, United States, where he established a successful farming community.

Another prominent individual was Sophie Sheldahl, born in 1865 in Berlin. She was a renowned opera singer and performed on stages across Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the name Sheldahl is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and regions, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have carried this surname throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheldahl

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

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

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

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