Explore the Family Name Shala
The meaning of Shala
1. Americanized form of Czech Šála, Šala, and Slovenian or Croatian Šala (see Sala). 2. Albanian (mainly Kosovo): from the name of the northern Albanian Shala tribe, originating from the Shalë (definite form Shala) region in northern Albania. Shala (probably also in the sense 3 below) is the fourth or fifth most common surname in Kosovo. 3. Albanian: probably also a metonymic occupational name from shalë (definite form shala) ‘saddle’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shala in the United States?
The surname Shala has seen a noticeable increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010, according to data based on the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Shala ranked 62,046 in popularity, moving significantly up to 47,186 by 2010, reflecting a change of 23.95%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew from 302 in 2000 to 450 in 2010, marking an increase of 49.01%. Its proportion per 100k people similarly increased by 36.36% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62,046 | #47,186 | 23.95% |
| Count | 302 | 450 | 49.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.15 | 36.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shala
Regarding ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts. In 2000, 84.44% of those bearing the Shala surname identified as White, and this percentage increased to 96.00% by 2010, showing a change of 13.69%. The percentages of those identifying as Black decreased from 2.65% to 1.78%, while the figures for Hispanic ethnicity dropped entirely from 2.32% to none. The census period also saw new representations from the Asian/Pacific Islander category at 1.33%, which was not present in 2000. There were no changes in the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, and the percentage of those identifying with two or more races dropped completely from 9.93% to zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.44% | 96% | 13.69% |
| Black | 2.65% | 1.78% | -32.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.33% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 9.93% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 2.32% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |