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

Shiels, 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 Shiels surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiels in America

Shiels is the 31150th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiels surname appeared 745 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 Shiels.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiels 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 Shiels

The surname Shiels originated in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "scyl," meaning "shelter" or "dwelling," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a shielding or sheltered area.

The name is closely related to the Scottish placename "Shiel," which refers to a small hut or temporary dwelling used by shepherds or hunters in remote areas. This connection implies that the Shiels surname may have been initially bestowed upon individuals associated with such dwellings or those who lived in isolated regions.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1358, where a person named William Shele is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

The Shiels surname has been present in various historical records, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland from the 16th century. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Sir George Shiels (1620-1672), a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland.

Another prominent figure was Archibald Shiels (1675-1742), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several theological works. In the literary realm, Robert Shiels (1675-1753) was a Scottish playwright and biographer known for his play "The Life of the Reverend Mr. George Wishart."

The name also made its way to Ireland, where James Shiels (1828-1909) was a prominent Irish nationalist and Member of Parliament for the Cavan Borough constituency from 1874 to 1880.

In the realm of sports, Alec Shiels (1879-1957) was a Scottish professional footballer who played for various clubs, including Rangers F.C. and Falkirk F.C., in the early 20th century.

While the Shiels surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with notable individuals bearing the name in various fields, including politics, literature, and sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiels

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

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

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

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