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

Shiver, 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 Shiver surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiver in America

Shiver is the 7812th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiver surname appeared 4,238 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Shiver.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiver 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 Shiver

The surname Shiver is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "scyfan," which means "to move quickly or agitate." This suggests that the name may have been originally given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a nervous or fidgety disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a person named William Shyvere is mentioned as residing in Oxfordshire. The name also appears in various medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a John Shivere is listed in Somerset.

The name has undergone several spelling variations over the centuries, including Shyver, Shyvere, and Shivere. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation that were common in earlier times.

While the surname Shiver is not particularly widespread, it has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was John Shiver (1639-1696), an English farmer and landowner from Gloucestershire, who is mentioned in local parish records of the time.

Another individual of note was Thomas Shiver (1722-1798), a merchant and shipping magnate from Liverpool, who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade during the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the name was held by William Shiver (1815-1892), a British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in South America and documented many new species of plants and animals.

Moving into the 20th century, we find Margaret Shiver (1901-1982), an American author and educator who wrote several books on children's literature and teaching methods.

Finally, a more contemporary figure is Mark Shiver (born 1968), a Canadian businessman and philanthropist known for his work in promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation.

It is worth noting that while the surname Shiver has historical roots in England, it has since spread to various other parts of the world, likely through migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the British Isles and the descriptive nickname given to an individual with a particular physical characteristic or behavior.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiver

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

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

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

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