2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Shoy
A surname denoting someone from a forest or wooded area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Shoy. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shoy surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Shoy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoy, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (33.9%) and Two or More Races (9.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shoy
The surname Shoy is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from a place name or an occupational term. It may have evolved from the Old English word "sceoh," meaning "shy" or "timid," suggesting that the name might have been initially used as a descriptive nickname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Shoy surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Schoies" in the county of Gloucestershire. This entry indicates that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.
During the 13th century, the spelling variations "Shoye" and "Shoy" emerged in various historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273. These records suggest that the name may have been associated with certain locations or settlements, possibly originating from a now-lost or obscure place name.
In the 14th century, the Shoy surname gained prominence with the birth of Sir John Shoy (c. 1320 – 1380), a notable English knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in several battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and his bravery and military achievements brought recognition to the Shoy name.
Another significant figure bearing the Shoy surname was Elizabeth Shoy (c. 1480 – 1552), a wealthy landowner and benefactor from Lincolnshire. She is recorded as having donated substantial funds for the construction of a church and a school in her local community, leaving a lasting legacy.
During the 16th century, the Shoy surname appeared in various parish records and legal documents across different regions of England, indicating its widespread distribution. One notable individual from this period was William Shoy (c. 1520 – 1590), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London.
In the 17th century, the Shoy surname was associated with the village of Shoyswell in Oxfordshire, a place name that may have derived from the same linguistic roots as the surname itself. This connection suggests that the Shoy family may have originated from or held significant influence in this area.
Throughout the centuries, the Shoy surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military personnel. However, due to the limited historical records available, it is challenging to provide an exhaustive list of notable figures bearing this surname across different time periods and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shoy
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoy, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (33.9%) and Two or More Races (9.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Shoy bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shoy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American48.2% · 54
- Hispanic or Latino33.9% · 38
- Two or more races9.8% · 11
- White4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shoy
Shoy appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-16 bearers (-13.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,288 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,953 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-13.2%) | Down 25,288 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 6,953 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shoy surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #147,954 | 4.5% |
| Count | 105 | 112 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shoy bearers went from 105 to 112 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 6,953 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #147,954.
FAQ
Shoy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shoy?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Shoy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Shoy?
Shoy ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Shoy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Shoy.
Has Shoy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shoy went from 105 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Shoy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shoy, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (33.9%) and Two or More Races (9.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shoy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.2% (54 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shoy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (48.2%), Hispanic (33.9%), Two or More Races (9.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shoy (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shoy mean?
A surname denoting someone from a forest or wooded area. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shoy (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Shoy?
Want to know how many people have the surname Shoy? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.