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

Shird, 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 Shird surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shird in America

Shird is the 58182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shird surname appeared 349 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 Shird.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shird 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 Shird

The surname SHIRD originated in the northern regions of England during the medieval period, likely emerging in the 12th or 13th century. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English words "scir" and "hyrd," which collectively meant "keeper of the shire" or "guardian of the county."

One of the earliest documented mentions of the SHIRD surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1246, where a certain Thomas Shird is recorded as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already established itself as a hereditary surname by that time.

During the 14th century, the SHIRD name gained prominence in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Records from the era indicate that several members of the family held positions of authority, such as constables or sheriffs, which reinforces the name's association with local governance and law enforcement.

In the 15th century, the SHIRD lineage expanded to other parts of England, with notable individuals including John Shird (1412-1478), a wealthy merchant from Bristol who served as a member of the city's council. Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Shird (1439-1512), a renowned military commander who fought alongside King Henry VII during the War of the Roses.

As the centuries passed, the SHIRD surname underwent various spelling variations, including Sherd, Shird, Shyrd, and Shyrde. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual scribes or record-keepers.

One notable figure from the 17th century was William Shird (1611-1677), a Puritan minister who played a significant role in the English Civil War. He was a vocal supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and authored several influential religious treatises.

In the 18th century, the SHIRD family continued to contribute to various fields. Notable individuals include Sir Thomas Shird (1724-1798), a prominent lawyer and judge who served on the King's Bench, and Elizabeth Shird (1746-1812), a respected author and poet whose work explored themes of nature and spirituality.

By the 19th century, the SHIRD surname had spread across the British Isles and beyond, with many members of the family emigrating to the Americas, Australia, and other parts of the world. Despite this diaspora, the name remains deeply rooted in its English heritage, carrying a rich history that spans centuries of cultural and societal change.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shird

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!