Explore the Family Name Shepherd
The meaning of Shepherd
1. English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): occupational name from Middle English schepeherde ‘shepherd’ (Old English scēaphyrde, scēap‐weard). 2. Americanized form (translation into English) of surnames meaning ‘shepherd’, for example German and Jewish Schäfer (see Schaefer).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shepherd in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Shepherd decreased slightly between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Shepherd was ranked 515th in popularity amongst all surnames, however, it dropped to 557th place in 2010, marking an 8.16% decrease. Despite this drop in rank, the number of individuals with the Shepherd surname actually increased from 57,935 to 60,479 during the same time frame. This growth signifies a 4.39% increase, although its proportion per 100k people decreased by 4.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #515 | #557 | -8.16% |
| Count | 57,935 | 60,479 | 4.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 21.48 | 20.5 | -4.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shepherd
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts in the distribution for the surname Shepherd from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of Shepherds identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw an increase of 42.11%, while those identifying as two or more races rose by 25.81%. The Hispanic representation within the Shepherd surname also experienced significant growth, increasing by 52.24%. Those identifying as Black increased by 8.14%. However, there were slight decreases in the percentages identifying as White and American Indian and Alaskan Native, dropping by 2.89% and 11.88% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.98% | 78.64% | -2.89% |
| Black | 14.74% | 15.94% | 8.14% |
| Hispanic | 1.34% | 2.04% | 52.24% |
| Two or More Races | 1.55% | 1.95% | 25.81% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.01% | 0.89% | -11.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.54% | 42.11% |
Shepherd 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 Shepherd is British & Irish, which comprises 57.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.2%) and Eastern European (3.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.2% |
| French & German | 22.2% |
| Eastern European | 3.5% |
| Other | 17.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Shepherd
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 Shepherd have recent ancestry locations all within United Kingdom.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
What Shepherd 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 Shepherd is R-Z8, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z8 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hill, Wilson, Smith, Bishop, Taylor, Thompson, Cook, White, Davis, Brown.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shepherd surname are: T2b, H, H1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Shepherd 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.
"Shepherd" Surname 47.8%
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.
"Shepherd" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Shepherd" Surname 24.6%
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.
"Shepherd" Surname 19.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Shepherd?
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 Shepherd are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition