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

Shockley, 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 Shockley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shockley in America

Shockley is the 2877th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shockley surname appeared 12,504 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Shockley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shockley 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 Shockley

The surname Shockley originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "sceacca" and "leah," which translates to "dweller by the shake or shake wood." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a wooded area known for its abundant oak trees.

The earliest recorded reference to the Shockley name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Schokkesley." This spelling variation reflects the medieval practice of adapting surnames to local dialects and pronunciations.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Shokesleye" and "Shokkesley," in records from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. These entries provide insight into the geographical spread of the Shockley family across different counties in England.

One notable early bearer of the Shockley surname was Sir John Shokley, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III at the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His bravery and service to the crown were documented in chronicles of the time.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes associated with place names like Shackleford, a village in Surrey, and Shackleton, a hamlet in Yorkshire. This connection suggests that some Shockley families may have derived their surname from the locations where they resided.

Another prominent figure with the Shockley surname was Thomas Shockley (1557-1618), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of York from 1609 until his death. His published works include sermons and theological treatises that provide valuable insights into religious thought during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.

During the 17th century, records show the Shockley name appearing in various parts of England, including Essex, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. One notable individual from this period was William Shockley (1634-1692), a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol.

In the 19th century, the Shockley surname gained further prominence with the birth of William Bradford Shockley (1910-1989), an American physicist and Nobel laureate. He was instrumental in the development of the transistor and made significant contributions to the field of solid-state physics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shockley

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

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

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

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