Explore the Family Name Shephard
The meaning of Shephard
English: variant of Shepherd.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shephard in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Shephard saw a slight decrease in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 4950th place to 5105th, marking a decline of 3.13%. However, the count of individuals bearing this name increased by 5.22% during the same period, growing from 6,519 to 6,859. Despite this growth in count, the proportion of individuals named Shephard per 100,000 people decreased slightly, from 2.42 to 2.33, a drop of 3.72%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,950 | #5,105 | -3.13% |
| Count | 6,519 | 6,859 | 5.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.42 | 2.33 | -3.72% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shephard
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Shephard, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals several shifts between 2000 and 2010. The greatest increase was among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, up 69.23%, followed by those reporting two or more races, which rose by 41.94%. Those identifying as Hispanic also showed an increase, rising by 35.63%. Meanwhile, individuals identified as White made up the majority of Shephards but showed a small decline of 3.26%. The proportion of Shephards who identified as Black remained relatively stable, decreasing by only 0.23%. Lastly, the proportion of Shephards who identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw an increase, rising by 33.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 64.34% | 62.24% | -3.26% |
| Black | 30.13% | 30.06% | -0.23% |
| Hispanic | 2.61% | 3.54% | 35.63% |
| Two or More Races | 1.86% | 2.64% | 41.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.81% | 1.08% | 33.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.26% | 0.44% | 69.23% |
Shephard ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Shephard is British & Irish, which comprises 52.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.7%) and Scandinavian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Nigerian, Italian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.6% |
| French & German | 19.7% |
| Scandinavian | 4.3% |
| Other | 23.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Shephard
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Shephard have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 84.70% |
What Shephard haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Shephard is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and E-P179, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Chalmers, Hardie, Brazil, Mcewen, Karr, Jeffrey, Simmonds, Langdon, Jack, Lacey.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shephard surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Shephard have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Shephard" Surname 47.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Shephard" Surname 37.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Shephard" Surname 22.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Shephard" Surname 18.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Shephard?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Shephard are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition