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

Shije, 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 Shije surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shije in America

Shije is the 97210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shije surname appeared 187 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 Shije.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shije 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 Shije

The surname SHIJE originated in the rural regions of northern Albania during the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from an archaic Albanian word "shije" meaning "taste" or "flavor", possibly referring to an ancestor's occupation or skill related to food or spice trade. The name was prevalent among families in the mountainous areas near the city of Shkodër.

Early records from the 16th century in local church registries and Ottoman tax rolls mention individuals with variations of the spelling, such as Shijë, Shijeh, and Shyje. One of the earliest known bearers was Pal Shije, a prominent trader from the village of Shllak, born around 1520.

The surname SHIJE appears in several historical manuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries, including land ownership documents and legal contracts from the regions of Shkodër and Lezhë. Notable figures from this period include Gjon Shije (1645-1712), a respected priest and scholar, and Marash Shije (1710-1781), a military leader during the Venetian-Ottoman conflicts.

In the 19th century, as the Albanian nationalist movement gained momentum, the SHIJE surname became associated with several influential figures. Pjetër Shije (1825-1902) was a prominent educator and author who published several books on Albanian grammar and folklore. His nephew, Ndoc Shije (1860-1924), was a renowned poet and playwright, considered one of the pioneers of modern Albanian literature.

Another notable bearer of the SHIJE surname was Lek Shije (1875-1947), a prominent politician and diplomat who served as the Albanian ambassador to Italy and France in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in securing international recognition for Albania's independence.

While the SHIJE surname originated in northern Albania, over the centuries it has spread to other regions of the country and beyond, carried by families who migrated or were displaced during various historical events.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shije

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

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

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

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