Shire
A surname referring to an inhabitant or dweller of a shire (county or rural district).
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,919 Americans carry the last name Shire. That puts it at #17,239 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 178,611 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shire surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
1.9K
1 in 178,611
Census rank
#17,239
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,643 bearers of the surname Shire in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 17239th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shire, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shire
The surname Shire originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "scir," meaning a division of land or a county. This name is likely to have originated as a place name, referring to someone who lived near or came from a particular shire or county.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Shire can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Scir" and "Schir," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Shire was Robert de Schir, who lived in Lincolnshire, England, in the 12th century. Another notable figure was William Shire, who served as the Mayor of London in 1424.
In the 16th century, the surname Shire was prominent in Northamptonshire, where families like the Shires of Upton and the Shires of Collingtree held significant landholdings. Sir John Shire (1532-1588) was a notable member of this family and served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The surname Shire also has connections to various place names in England, such as Shire Green in Hertfordshire and Shire Newton in Cheshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English word "scir," indicating that the name was derived from a geographical location.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Shire, including:
1. Sir John Shire (1532-1588), mentioned earlier, a Member of Parliament and landowner in Northamptonshire.
2. John Shire (1590-1658), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge.
3. Talisker Shire (1857-1920), a British explorer and adventurer known for his expeditions to Africa and Asia.
4. Violet Shire (1892-1976), a British novelist and playwright who wrote several popular novels in the early 20th century.
5. Geoffrey Shire (1935-2022), a renowned English architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the design of modern cities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shire
Among Census respondents with the surname Shire, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Shire bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Shire surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.7%
- Black or African American26.2%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9%
- Two or more races1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Shire surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,098 | #17,239 | 22.0% |
| Count | 1,092 | 1,643 | 50.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.40 | 0.56 | 40.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Shire bearers went from 1,092 to 1,643 (+50.5% change). The surname moved up 4,859 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,098 to #17,239.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shire
FAQ
Shire surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Shire?
The surname Shire holds position #17,239 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,919 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.56 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Shire surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shire, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.2%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.