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

Shoulders, 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 Shoulders surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shoulders in America

Shoulders is the 11472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shoulders surname appeared 2,744 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 Shoulders.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shoulders 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 Shoulders

The surname "SHOULDERS" is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sculdor," meaning "shoulder," which was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with broad or strong shoulders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Parish Records of St. Mary's Church in Chilham, Kent, England, where a John Shoulders was christened in 1592. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1611, which mention a Thomas Shoulders.

It is possible that the name Shoulders originated as a place name, as there are several villages and hamlets in England with similar names, such as Shouldham in Norfolk and Shoulderton in Lincolnshire. These place names may have been derived from the Old English words "sculdor" and "ham," meaning "shoulder" and "homestead" or "village."

One notable historical figure with the surname Shoulders was Sir John Shoulders (1616-1686), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Guildford in the 17th century. Another was Robert Shoulders (1778-1853), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several prominent buildings in London, including the Buckingham Palace and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

In the United States, one of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Shoulders, who was born in Virginia in the late 17th century and was among the early settlers of Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War, a Captain James Shoulders served in the Virginia militia and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

Other notable individuals with the surname Shoulders include Alfred Shoulders (1821-1899), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes, and John Shoulders (1840-1916), an American politician who served as the 26th Governor of Tennessee from 1913 to 1915.

Overall, the surname "SHOULDERS" has a long and fascinating history, with roots tracing back to medieval England and a connection to physical attributes, occupations, and places. Its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields over the centuries, cementing the name's place in history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shoulders

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

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

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

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