2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Shirling
A location surname originating from a place named Shirland or Shirelands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Shirling. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shirling 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.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Shirling in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shirling, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shirling
Among Census respondents with the surname Shirling, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Shirling 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 Shirling surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shirling
Shirling 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-19 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,369 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+7 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,548 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 27,369 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.6%) | Up 6,548 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 Shirling 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 | #153,769 | #147,221 | 4.3% |
| Count | 106 | 113 | 6.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shirling bearers went from 106 to 113 (+6.6% change). The surname moved up 6,548 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #147,221.
FAQ
Shirling surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shirling?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Shirling. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Shirling?
Shirling ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Shirling. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shirling.
Has Shirling become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shirling went from 106 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 7 (+6.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Shirling?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shirling, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shirling in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shirling appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Hispanic (2.7%), Black (0.9%). 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 Shirling (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 Shirling mean?
A location surname originating from a place named Shirland or Shirelands. 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 Shirling (0.04 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 many Americans have the surname Shirling?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.