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

Sheppard, 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 Sheppard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheppard in America

Sheppard is the 938th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheppard surname appeared 36,960 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 Sheppard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheppard 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 Sheppard

The surname Sheppard originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "sceaphyrde," meaning "shepherd" or one who tended and herded sheep. This name was given to individuals who worked as shepherds or owned large flocks of sheep.

The earliest known record of the surname Sheppard dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Scepard" and "Scepeord." These early spellings highlight the evolution of the name from its Old English roots. The name was also found in various medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1192, where it was spelled "Schepehird."

In the 13th century, the surname Sheppard was also associated with certain place names. For example, the village of Sheppard's Green in Essex was recorded as "Schepherdesgrene" in 1258, indicating a connection between the surname and a specific location.

Historically, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Sheppard. One of the earliest was Thomas Sheppard (c. 1369-1432), an English clergyman who served as Bishop of Bangor and later as Bishop of St Asaph. Another prominent figure was William Sheppard (1594-1675), an English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reign of King Charles I.

During the 17th century, John Sheppard (1616-1665) was a renowned English architect who designed several churches in London, including St. Bride's Church on Fleet Street. In the realm of literature, Thomas Sheppard (1605-1658) was an English writer and poet who published works such as "The Faerie King" and "The Hermetick Romance."

In the 18th century, John Sheppard (1702-1724), also known as "Jack Sheppard," gained notoriety as a famous English burglar and escape artist. His daring prison breaks and exploits were widely publicized, and he became a folk hero of sorts.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the surname Sheppard throughout history, reflecting the name's deep roots in English society and its association with various professions and backgrounds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheppard

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

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

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

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