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

Shorts, 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 Shorts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shorts in America

Shorts is the 12370th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shorts surname appeared 2,514 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 Shorts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shorts 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 Shorts

The surname Shorts has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "scort," which means "short" or "small in stature." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone of short height or small build.

The name Shorts first appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were a census of households in various counties of England. This early record indicates that the name was already well-established by the latter part of the 13th century. One of the earliest individuals recorded with this surname was John Shorts, who was mentioned in a document from the county of Oxfordshire in 1279.

During the medieval period, the Shorts surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. The name was also found in various spellings, including Schort, Shorte, and Schorte, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in those times.

Interestingly, the Shorts surname may also have been derived from certain place names, such as Short's Green in Kent or Short's Croft in Northamptonshire. These localities could have contributed to the development of the surname in their respective regions.

One notable figure in history who bore the surname Shorts was Sir Richard Shorts, a prominent English politician and member of Parliament in the late 16th century. He was born in 1542 and served as a member of Parliament for Somerset from 1589 until his death in 1611.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Shorts, a Puritan minister and author who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1609, Shorts was a prominent figure in the religious turmoil of the English Civil War era and published several works on religious topics.

In the literary world, James Shorts was a renowned English poet and playwright of the 18th century. He was born in 1720 and gained recognition for his satirical works, which often explored social and political themes of the time.

Moving into the 19th century, John Shorts was a notable architect and surveyor who made significant contributions to the development of cities like Manchester and Liverpool. He was born in 1789 and is remembered for his innovative designs and urban planning efforts.

Finally, William Shorts was a prominent British explorer and naturalist who was active in the mid-19th century. Born in 1818, he led several expeditions to various parts of Africa and made important contributions to the study of flora and fauna in those regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shorts

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

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

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

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