2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shevel
A Jewish surname denoting one who played or made shevel (pipes or flutes).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Shevel. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shevel 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.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Shevel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shevel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shevel
The surname SHEVEL is of Ukrainian origin, with its earliest roots traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Ukrainian word "shevel", which means "silk" or "silk thread". This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with individuals involved in the silk trade or textile industry.
In the early days, the name was primarily concentrated in the western regions of Ukraine, particularly in the areas around Lviv and the Carpathian Mountains. Historical records from this period, including church registries and town chronicles, reveal various spellings of the name, such as Shevil, Shevyl, and Sheveli.
One of the earliest documented references to the name SHEVEL can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the town of Drohobych, which mentions a local merchant named Hryhoriy Shevel. This document provides insight into the economic activities of individuals bearing this surname during that time.
Another notable figure was Vasyl Shevel (1583-1652), a Ukrainian Orthodox priest and scholar who authored several religious texts and served as a rector at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. His writings played a significant role in the preservation and promotion of Ukrainian language and culture.
In the 18th century, the SHEVEL surname gained recognition through the works of Hryhoriy Shevel (1712-1788), a prominent Ukrainian philosopher and educator. His contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy were widely acclaimed, and he held influential positions at various academic institutions in Ukraine.
During the 19th century, the name SHEVEL was associated with several notable figures in the Ukrainian cultural and political spheres. One such individual was Ivan Shevel (1819-1891), a writer and poet who played a pivotal role in the Ukrainian national awakening movement. His literary works, often infused with patriotic themes, helped to shape the cultural identity of the Ukrainian people.
Another significant figure was Mykola Shevel (1867-1936), a prominent Ukrainian politician and diplomat who served as a representative of the Ukrainian People's Republic in various international negotiations. His efforts in advocating for Ukrainian independence and self-determination left a lasting impact on the country's history.
Throughout its history, the surname SHEVEL has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, merchants, scholars, and political figures, all of whom have contributed to the rich tapestry of Ukrainian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shevel
Among Census respondents with the surname Shevel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Shevel 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 Shevel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 94
- Two or more races4.9% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shevel
Shevel 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,981 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 413 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 11,981 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 413 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 Shevel 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 | #153,769 | #154,182 | -0.3% |
| Count | 106 | 103 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shevel bearers went from 106 to 103 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 413 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #154,182.
FAQ
Shevel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shevel?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Shevel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Shevel?
Shevel ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Shevel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Shevel.
Has Shevel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shevel went from 106 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Shevel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shevel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Shevel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shevel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Two or More Races (4.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Shevel (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 Shevel mean?
A Jewish surname denoting one who played or made shevel (pipes or flutes). 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 Shevel (0.03 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 have the last name Shevel?
Want to know how common the surname Shevel is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.