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

Shook, 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 Shook surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shook in America

Shook is the 2262nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shook surname appeared 16,070 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Shook.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shook 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 Shook

The surname Shook is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "scucca," which means "one who scares or frightens." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone with a fearsome or intimidating demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records and documents from England. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mention a person named William Shokke. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

Another early record is the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, which lists a certain John Shok. This document provides evidence of the name's presence in different parts of England during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Shook was William Shook, born around 1450 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a landowner and farmer who lived during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1523, which record a John Shoke. This further illustrates the variations in spelling that occurred over time.

During the 17th century, a notable figure was Sir Robert Shook (1622-1687), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. He played a significant role in the English Restoration and was knighted by King Charles II in 1660.

Another prominent individual was Samuel Shook (1678-1744), a Quaker minister and writer from Pennsylvania. He was a prominent figure in the early history of the American colonies and authored several religious works.

In the 18th century, the name Shook can be found in various parish records and census documents across England. One example is the baptismal record of William Shook, born in 1712 in the village of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

As the name spread to other parts of the world, particularly with the migration of English settlers, it took on different spellings and variations. For instance, in Scotland, the name Shuggie is believed to be a derivative of Shook.

Throughout history, the surname Shook has been associated with various occupations, ranging from farmers and merchants to ministers and writers. Its origins as a descriptive name reflect the diverse backgrounds and personalities of those who carried this surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shook

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!