2000
#9,357
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,195
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.18
Rare Last name
Shoaf
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of a form of wheat bread.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,381 Americans carry the last name Shoaf. That puts it at #10,401 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,377 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shoaf 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
3.4K
1 in 101,377
Census rank
#10,401
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,948 bearers of the surname Shoaf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10401st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoaf, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shoaf
The surname Shoaf is of German origin, with its roots traceable to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "schof," which referred to a bundle of straw or a sheaf of wheat. This connection suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in agricultural pursuits, such as farmers or landowners.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Shoaf surname can be found in the annals of the town of Freiberg, located in the present-day state of Saxony, Germany. In a document dated 1532, a certain Hans Shoaf is mentioned, indicating the presence of the name in that region during that period.
As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Schoff, Schauf, and Schöff. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and linguistic nuances, as well as scribal errors in transcribing the name over time.
In the 17th century, the Shoaf surname made its way to the American colonies, with several individuals bearing the name appearing in various records. One notable example is Johann Schoff, who arrived in Pennsylvania from the Palatine region of Germany in 1743. He and his family settled in the area that is now known as Schuylkill County, where they established themselves as farmers and landowners.
Another prominent figure bearing the Shoaf surname was John Shoaf, born in 1762 in Virginia. He served as a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a respected community leader in his home state.
The 19th century saw the emergence of several individuals with the Shoaf surname who left their mark on various fields. One such individual was William Shoaf (1809-1885), a renowned educator and author from Ohio. He wrote several textbooks on mathematics and science, which were widely used in schools across the United States.
In the realm of politics, John W. Shoaf (1838-1912) was a notable figure. Born in Pennsylvania, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the state of Illinois from 1895 to 1899.
The 20th century brought forth several accomplished individuals bearing the Shoaf surname. Among them was Alfred C. Shoaf (1889-1964), a prominent lawyer and judge from North Carolina. He served as a Superior Court judge and was widely respected for his legal acumen and dedication to the pursuit of justice.
While the surname Shoaf may not be as prevalent as some others, its rich history and diverse contributions across various fields make it a testament to the enduring legacy of the German immigrants who brought it to the shores of the New World.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shoaf
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoaf, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Shoaf 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 Shoaf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 2,678
- Two or more races3.3% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 76
- Black or African American2.0% · 58
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shoaf
Shoaf 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
#9,994
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,227
+32 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Down 637 places
2020
#10,401
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,948
-279 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 407 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,357 | 3,195 | 1.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,994 | 3,227 | 1.09 | +32 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 637 places |
| 2020 | #10,401 | 2,948 | 0.99 | -279 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 407 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 Shoaf 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 | #9,994 | #10,401 | -4.1% |
| Count | 3,227 | 2,948 | -8.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.09 | 0.99 | -9.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shoaf bearers went from 3,227 to 2,948 (-8.6% change). The surname moved down 407 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,994 to #10,401.
FAQ
Shoaf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shoaf?
Name Census estimates that about 3,381 living Americans carry the surname Shoaf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,377 residents.
How common is Shoaf?
Shoaf ranks #10,401 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,948 people with the surname Shoaf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,381), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Shoaf.
Has Shoaf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shoaf went from 3,227 recorded bearers to 2,948. That is a decrease of 279 (-8.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,994 to #10,401.
What does the Census say about the background of Shoaf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoaf, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Shoaf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (2,678 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shoaf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Shoaf (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 Shoaf mean?
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of a form of wheat bread. 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 Shoaf (0.99 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 people are called Shoaf?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Shoaf at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.