Explore the Family Name Shames
The meaning of Shames
Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): status name from Yiddish shames ‘sexton (in a synagogue)’ (Hebrew shammash). Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Raanan. Russian Igor, Mikhail, Semyon, Valeriy, Yuriy, Zyama.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shames in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Shames' saw a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 41,320th but dropped to 48,160th in 2010—a change of -16.55%. The number of people with this surname also decreased from 497 in 2000 to 439 in 2010, reflecting an 11.67% decline. The proportion per 100k individuals bearing this surname also dropped by 16.67%, from 0.18 to 0.15.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,320 | #48,160 | -16.55% |
| Count | 497 | 439 | -11.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.15 | -16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shames
When looking at the ethnicity of those named 'Shames', the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased significantly from 1.01% to 1.82%, an 80.20% change. There was also a rise in individuals of Hispanic ethnicity from 2.01% to 3.19%, a 58.71% increase. The census began tracking individuals identifying with two or more ethnicities in 2010, and 1.37% of the 'Shames' population fell into that category. Conversely, there was a 2.10% decrease in those identifying as White, dropping from 95.17% to 93.17%. Those identifying as Black fell from 1.01% to zero, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.17% | 93.17% | -2.1% |
| Hispanic | 2.01% | 3.19% | 58.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.01% | 1.82% | 80.2% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.37% | 0% |
| Black | 1.01% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |