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

Shifflett, 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 Shifflett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shifflett in America

Shifflett is the 4147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shifflett surname appeared 8,544 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Shifflett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shifflett 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 Shifflett

The surname Shifflett is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Schiffler," which means "boatman" or "sailor." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near bodies of water and worked in maritime-related professions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shifflett can be found in the historical records of the city of Worms, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. A document from 1589 mentions a man named Hans Schiffler, who was a member of the local boatmen's guild.

As the name spread across Europe, various spelling variations emerged, including Schifflett, Schifflet, and Shifflet. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the phonetic interpretations of scribes and record keepers.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many German immigrants from the Palatinate region of Germany began settling in the American colonies, particularly in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Among these early settlers were individuals bearing the name Shifflett, who brought their surname and heritage to the new world.

One notable figure in the early history of the Shifflett name was Johann Jacob Schifflet, who was born in Germany in 1722. He immigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century and is considered one of the earliest recorded ancestors of the Shifflett family in America.

Another significant individual was Peter Shifflett, who was born in Virginia in 1760. He served in the American Revolutionary War and is believed to be the progenitor of many Shifflett families that later settled in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

In the 19th century, the name Shifflett gained prominence in the southern United States, particularly in Virginia. One notable figure from this period was William H. Shifflett, a Virginia politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1875 to 1877.

Another individual of note was John Shifflett, who was born in Virginia in 1837. He fought in the American Civil War as a member of the Confederate Army and was captured at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

As the Shifflett family continued to grow and disperse across the United States, the name appeared in various historical records and documents throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, further solidifying its place in American genealogy and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shifflett

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

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

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

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