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

Shock, 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 Shock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shock in America

Shock is the 9932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shock surname appeared 3,248 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 Shock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shock 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 Shock

The surname "SHOCK" is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "sceacca," which means "one who moves to and fro" or "a wanderer." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who was constantly on the move or had a nomadic lifestyle.

In the medieval period, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or places of residence. The name "SHOCK" could have been given to someone who frequently traveled or had a tendency to move from one place to another, perhaps as a trader or merchant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "SHOCK" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. In this document, there is a mention of a person named "Willelmus Schocke" residing in the county of Oxfordshire.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, variations of the name such as "Shocke," "Shockley," and "Shockleigh" began to appear in various records and documents across England. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and spelling variations common in that era.

One notable individual with the surname "SHOCK" was John Shock (c. 1510-1590), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1559. Another prominent figure was William Shock (1662-1728), a merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, who made significant contributions to the city's development and founded several charitable institutions.

In the 17th century, the name "SHOCK" was found in several parish records in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, indicating that the name was well-established in these regions. One example is the baptismal record of Thomas Shock, son of William and Elizabeth Shock, dated 1634 in the parish of Swindon, Wiltshire.

The name "SHOCK" also has connections to various place names in England, such as Shocklach in Cheshire and Shockerwick in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname "SHOCK" throughout history include:

1. Samuel Shock (1763-1839), an American revolutionary soldier and early settler in Ohio.
2. John Shock (1795-1868), a Scottish-born businessman and fur trader who played a significant role in the development of the Red River Colony in Canada.
3. William Henry Shock (1835-1910), an English architect and surveyor known for his work in the design of churches and public buildings.
4. Mary Elizabeth Shock (1855-1939), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who co-founded the National Federation of College Women.
5. Phineas Shock (1884-1972), a Canadian-born politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shock

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

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

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

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