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

Shoats, 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 Shoats surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shoats in America

Shoats is the 55741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shoats surname appeared 368 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 Shoats.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shoats 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 Shoats

The surname Shoats is believed to have originated in the United Kingdom, specifically in England, around the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from an old English word "shote," which referred to a young pig or piglet. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name for someone who raised or dealt with pigs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Shoats can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire, England, where a certain John Shoats was mentioned in 1592. Another early reference is in the court records of Lincolnshire from 1618, which mention a William Shoats being involved in a legal dispute.

The surname Shoats may also be connected to certain place names in England, particularly those derived from Old English words related to pigs or pig farming. For example, the village of Shoatshill in Staffordshire, which was once spelled as "Schoteshull" in the Domesday Book of 1086, could be a potential source of the surname.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the surname Shoats throughout history, one can mention Sir Thomas Shoats (1645-1712), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London during the late 17th century. Another figure was Samuel Shoats (1720-1789), a renowned clockmaker from Gloucestershire, whose works are still highly prized by collectors today.

In the literary realm, the surname Shoats is associated with the English poet and playwright William Shoats (1785-1858), whose works often explored themes of rural life and the countryside. Additionally, the name appears in the historical records of the American Revolutionary War, with a Captain John Shoats (1752-1831) serving in the Continental Army and participating in several key battles.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of the Scottish naturalist and explorer, David Shoats (1819-1892), who is renowned for his extensive travels and discoveries in the field of botany, particularly in South America and the Pacific region.

Overall, the surname Shoats has a rich history that spans several centuries and various fields, from trade and craftsmanship to literature, military service, and scientific exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shoats

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

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

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

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