Explore the Family Name Shells
The meaning of Shells
English and Scottish: 1. variant of Shields. 2. variant of Shell, with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shells in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Shells has seen a slight decrease in rank from 36716 in 2000 to 37492 in 2010, representing a change of -2.11%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 3.48%, from 574 in 2000 to 594 in 2010. Proportionally per 100,000 people, there was a minor decline of -4.76% in the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,716 | #37,492 | -2.11% |
| Count | 574 | 594 | 3.48% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.2 | -4.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shells
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Shells identify as Black, increasing slightly from 82.93% in 2000 to 84.18% in 2010. Those identifying as White saw a substantial decrease from 13.07% to 8.25%. There was an increase in those identifying as belonging to two or more races, rising from 2.61% to 4.88%. The Hispanic representation also grew from 1.22% to 1.85%. There were no recorded individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 82.93% | 84.18% | 1.51% |
| White | 13.07% | 8.25% | -36.88% |
| Two or More Races | 2.61% | 4.88% | 86.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.22% | 1.85% | 51.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |