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

Shyr, 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 Shyr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shyr in America

Shyr is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shyr surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shyr.

The history of the last name Shyr

The surname SHYR originated in the region of Silesia, which is now part of modern-day Poland and the Czech Republic, during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old Slavic word 'širъ', meaning 'wide' or 'broad', and was likely given as a descriptive surname to someone who possessed a broad or wide physique.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname SHYR can be found in the Liber Fundationis Claustri Sanctae Mariae Virginis in Heinrichau, a 13th-century manuscript detailing the history of the Cistercian monastery in Henryków, Silesia. The manuscript lists a 'Nicolaus Shyr' as a landowner in the village of Siemczyna in 1282.

In the 14th century, the surname SHYR appeared in the historical records of the Duchy of Opole, a region within Silesia. A certain 'Petrus Shyr' is mentioned as a nobleman in the Liber Privilegiorum Ducatus Opoliensis, a book recording the privileges granted to the nobility of the Duchy, in 1369.

During the 15th century, the surname SHYR was also found in the nearby region of Bohemia, which was then part of the Kingdom of Bohemia. The Desky Zemské, a series of land registers from Bohemia, record a 'Jan Shyr' as a landowner in the village of Slavkov in 1472.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname SHYR was Václav Shyr (c. 1490-1556), a Bohemian Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the Hussite movement. He was a prominent figure in the Unity of the Brethren, a Protestant denomination that emerged from the Hussite tradition.

Another notable figure with the surname SHYR was Mikuláš Shyr (1556-1632), a Silesian nobleman and military commander who served in the armies of the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War. He was a distinguished cavalry officer and played a role in several key battles of the conflict.

In the 18th century, the surname SHYR was also found in the region of Moravia, which was then part of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown. The Moravian Land Tables, a series of land records, mention a 'Jakub Shyr' as a landowner in the town of Velké Meziříčí in 1712.

Throughout its history, the surname SHYR has also been spelled in various ways, such as 'Schyr', 'Schier', 'Schir', and 'Szyr', reflecting the linguistic and orthographic traditions of different regions where it was found.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shyr

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

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 Shyr 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.

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

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

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