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

Shey, 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 Shey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shey in America

Shey is the 73215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shey surname appeared 265 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 Shey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shey 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 Shey

The surname SHEY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from a place name or an occupational term. One theory suggests that it may have stemmed from the Old English word "sce," meaning "bright" or "shining," potentially referring to someone who worked with metals or lived near a bright or shining object.

In terms of historical records, the earliest known mention of the surname SHEY can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a certain William Shey is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 12th century.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the name SHEY, such as Robert de Shey and Henry de Shey, both recorded as residing in Oxfordshire. These entries indicate the presence of the surname in different parts of the country during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a John Shey is mentioned as a taxpayer in 1327. This record provides insights into the economic status of individuals bearing the surname during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname SHEY include Sir John Shey (c. 1440-1508), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench under King Henry VII. Another notable figure is Robert Shey (1505-1567), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire in the 16th century.

Moving forward to the 17th century, we find mention of William Shey (1618-1692), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial bodies.

In the 18th century, John Shey (1725-1795) was a renowned English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Lastly, in the 19th century, Samuel Shey (1854-1918) was a British explorer and naturalist who documented numerous plant and animal species during his expeditions to Africa and Asia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shey

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

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

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

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