2000
#7,574
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,048
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.50
Rare Last name
Shim
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese word for "heart" or "mind," often indicating a virtuous character.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,919 Americans carry the last name Shim. That puts it at #6,336 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,907 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shim 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Shim with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.9K
1 in 57,907
Census rank
#6,336
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,162 bearers of the surname Shim in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6336th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Black (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shim
The surname Shim has its origins in the Korean peninsula, dating back to the 14th century during the Goryeo dynasty. It is believed to be derived from the Korean word "sim," which means "heart" or "mind." The name may have been given to individuals who were known for their wisdom, kindness, or introspective nature.
In the early 15th century, the Shim surname appeared in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, a historical record that documented the lives of prominent figures and events during that era. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was Shim Sang-gi, a scholar and government official who lived from 1424 to 1493.
As the Shim surname spread throughout the Korean peninsula, regional variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. In some areas, the name was written as "Sim," while in others, it was spelled "Sheem" or "Shym." These variations were often reflective of local dialects and linguistic quirks.
During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the Shim family produced several notable figures. Shim Hyo-won (1541-1608) was a renowned Confucian scholar and calligrapher, while Shim Sang-hun (1566-1628) was a respected military leader who played a crucial role in defending the kingdom against Japanese invasions.
In the 18th century, Shim Bong-won (1735-1802) was a prominent philosopher and writer who contributed to the development of Korean Neo-Confucianism. His works, such as "Yeohun Jeongseo" (Essentials of Righteous Governance), were widely studied and influenced generations of scholars and statesmen.
Another notable figure was Shim Hoon (1828-1897), a pioneering educator and advocate for modern education in Korea. He established the country's first modern school, Baekungwon, and played a pivotal role in introducing Western learning and ideas to the Korean society.
As the Shim surname spread beyond the Korean peninsula, it has been adopted by individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, particularly in regions with strong historical ties to Korea, such as China, Japan, and parts of Southeast Asia. While the exact origins and meanings may vary, the surname continues to hold a rich cultural heritage and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shim
Among Census respondents with the surname Shim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Black (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Shim 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 Shim surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander86.6% · 4,468
- Two or more races4.5% · 231
- Black or African American4.4% · 225
- White3.5% · 180
- Hispanic or Latino1.1% · 56
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shim
Shim 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
#6,801
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,958
+910 bearers (+22.5%)
Per 100,000 1.68
Rank movement Up 773 places
2020
#6,336
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,162
+204 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 1.73
Rank movement Up 465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,574 | 4,048 | 1.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,801 | 4,958 | 1.68 | +910 bearers (+22.5%) | Up 773 places |
| 2020 | #6,336 | 5,162 | 1.73 | +204 bearers (+4.1%) | Up 465 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 Shim 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 | #6,801 | #6,336 | 6.8% |
| Count | 4,958 | 5,162 | 4.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.68 | 1.73 | 2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shim bearers went from 4,958 to 5,162 (+4.1% change). The surname moved up 465 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,801 to #6,336.
FAQ
Shim surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shim?
Name Census estimates that about 5,919 living Americans carry the surname Shim. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 57,907 residents.
How common is Shim?
Shim ranks #6,336 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.73 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,162 people with the surname Shim. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,919), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.73 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Shim.
Has Shim become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shim went from 4,958 recorded bearers to 5,162. That is an increase of 204 (+4.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,801 to #6,336.
What does the Census say about the background of Shim?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shim, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 86.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Black (4.4%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shim in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.6% (4,468 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shim appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (86.6%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Black (4.4%). 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 Shim (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 Shim mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese word for "heart" or "mind," often indicating a virtuous character. 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 Shim (1.73 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 common is the surname Shim?
Want to know how many people have the surname Shim? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.