Shockey
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "robber's oak tree."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,176 Americans carry the last name Shockey. That puts it at #7,461 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 66,220 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shockey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
5.2K
1 in 66,220
Census rank
#7,461
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,467 bearers of the surname Shockey in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7461st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shockey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shockey
The surname Shockey has its origins in Scotland and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Scots word "shochie," which means a broad, flat piece of land or a tract of land by a river. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on such a piece of land.
Shockey is a variant spelling of the more common Scottish surname Shochie or Shoughie. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the Burgh of Lanark in Scotland, where the name appears as "Shochie" in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the name appears in various Scottish parish records, often with different spellings such as Shochie, Shoughy, and Shoughie. These variations in spelling were common in those times, as there were no standardized rules for spelling.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Shochie, who was born in Scotland around 1610. Another notable figure was Robert Shochie, a Scottish merchant who was active in the early 18th century and is mentioned in several historical records related to trade and commerce.
In the 19th century, the name Shockey began to appear more frequently in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, where Scottish immigrants had settled. One prominent individual with this surname was William Shockey (1805-1892), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Another notable figure was James Shockey (1849-1923), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and was involved in the establishment of several businesses in the province.
Other individuals with the surname Shockey include John Shockey (1795-1864), an American soldier who fought in the War of 1812, and Samuel Shockey (1830-1913), a Civil War veteran who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
While the surname Shockey is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich historical heritage that can be traced back to its Scottish origins and the early bearers of the name who played a role in various aspects of history across different regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shockey
Among Census respondents with the surname Shockey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Shockey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Shockey surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Two or more races1.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- Black or African American0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Shockey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,461 | #7,461 | 0.0% |
| Count | 4,467 | 4,467 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.51 | 1.51 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Shockey bearers went from 4,467 to 4,467 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #7,461 to #7,461.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shockey
FAQ
Shockey surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Shockey?
The surname Shockey holds position #7,461 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 5,176 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.51 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Shockey surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shockey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.