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

Shepard, 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 Shepard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shepard in America

Shepard is the 882nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shepard surname appeared 39,430 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Shepard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shepard 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 Shepard

The surname Shepard is of English origin and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English word "sceaphierde," which means shepherd or sheep herder. This surname was originally an occupational name given to individuals who worked as shepherds, tending to and caring for flocks of sheep.

During the Middle Ages, shepherding was a crucial occupation, and the surname Shepard was commonly found in various regions of England. The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Scepeherde" and "Schepherde."

In the 13th century, the name was also documented in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and Huntingdonshire as "Schephurd" and "Schephird." These variations in spelling reflect the evolution of the English language over time.

One notable individual bearing this surname was John Shepard, a prominent English clergyman born in 1512. He served as the Bishop of Bangor from 1551 to 1555 and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in England.

Another historical figure was Thomas Shepard, an English Puritan minister born in 1605. He emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 and became a prominent figure in the early colonial history of New England, serving as a minister in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In the literary world, Thomas Shepard (1605-1649) was an influential Puritan minister and author who wrote several notable works, including "The Sound Believer" and "The Sincere Convert." His writings had a profound impact on Puritan theology and spirituality in colonial New England.

Alan Shepard (1923-1998), an American astronaut and naval aviator, made history as the first American to travel into space. He piloted the Freedom 7 mission in 1961, becoming the second person and the first American to achieve spaceflight.

Another notable individual was Saidiya Hartman, a renowned American author and scholar born in 1959. Her works, such as "Scenes of Subjection" and "Lose Your Mother," have significantly contributed to the fields of African American literature and cultural studies.

While the surname Shepard has its roots in the English language and occupation, it has since spread worldwide and can be found in various cultural contexts, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shepard

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

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

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

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