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

Shorter, 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 Shorter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shorter in America

Shorter is the 4092nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shorter surname appeared 8,675 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Shorter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shorter 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 Shorter

The surname SHORTER is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'sceort' meaning 'short' or 'small'. It was initially used as a descriptive nickname to distinguish a person of shorter stature from others within the same community. The name first emerged in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Records from the Domesday Book of 1086 indicate that the name was present in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Lincolnshire. Early spellings of the name included Schort, Schurte, and Schorte, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname SHORTER was William le Schort, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1200. Another notable bearer of the name was John Shorter, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Bristol, who lived during the 15th century (c. 1420-1489).

In the 16th century, the SHORTER surname was found in various parts of England, including Hertfordshire, where the village of Shorter's Green derived its name from the family. Sir John Shorter (1558-1628), a prominent merchant and Lord Mayor of London, was born in this village.

The SHORTER family also had connections to the county of Yorkshire, where they held lands in the parish of Scorton. One member of this branch was Sir Samuel Shorter (1619-1688), a Member of Parliament and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several members of the SHORTER family made notable contributions in various fields. Sir Robert Shorter (1646-1707) was a renowned physician and Fellow of the Royal Society, while Edward Shorter (1677-1747) was a prominent architect responsible for designing several churches and buildings in London.

In the literary realm, Dora Shorter (1866-1954) was a notable English writer and suffragist, best known for her works on women's rights and education. She was also a founder of the Girton College Newnham Association, which supported women's higher education.

Throughout its history, the surname SHORTER has been associated with various professions and achievements, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shorter

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

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

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

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