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

Shirling, 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 Shirling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shirling in America

Shirling is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shirling surname appeared 106 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 Shirling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shirling 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 Shirling

The surname "SHIRLING" is believed to have originated in England, possibly as early as the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "scir" meaning "bright" or "shining" and "ling" meaning "meadow" or "pasture." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a bright or shining meadow.

The name can be found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in 1273, when a Richard Shirling was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Schirling" and "Shyrling," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable figure from this period was John Shirling, who was born around 1350 and served as a member of the English Parliament.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name continued to be documented across various regions of England. In 1487, a William Shirling was listed as a landowner in the village of Aston, Oxfordshire. Another notable individual was Sir Robert Shirling, who was born in 1525 and served as a military commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals bearing the surname Shirling. One such person was Thomas Shirling, born in 1602, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Shirling, born in 1631, who served as a judge and was knighted for his contributions to the legal system.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be associated with various professions and social standings. One notable individual was Richard Shirling, born in 1712, who was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in London. Another figure was Captain James Shirling, born in 1745, who served in the British Navy and participated in several significant naval battles during the American Revolutionary War.

The 19th century saw the continued presence of the Shirling name across various fields. One notable individual was Dr. William Shirling, born in 1812, who was a pioneering physician and made significant contributions to the field of medical research. Another figure was Sir Henry Shirling, born in 1832, who was a prominent politician and served as a member of the British Parliament.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shirling

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

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

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

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