Explore the Family Name Shield
The meaning of Shield
1. English: from Middle English s(c)held ‘hut’ (Old English sceld ‘shield’ in the sense ‘protection, shelter’), synonymous with the word in Shell 2, but found across England. 2. English: habitational name from one or more places called from Old English sceldu ‘shallow (water)’, perhaps including Shell Farm in Soham (Cambridgeshire). 3. English: nickname perhaps for an armorer, from Middle English sheld(e), shield(e) ‘shield’ (Old English scild, sceld). 4. English: perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Schild, Scheld (Old English Sceld, from sceld ‘shield’). 5. Irish: variant of Shiel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shield in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Shield' has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, this surname ranked 20,676 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it had slipped to 21,583, a decrease of 4.39%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the surname 'Shield' increased from 1,189 in 2000 to 1,209 in 2010, an increase of 1.68%. However, when considering the proportion per 100k people, the presence of the surname 'Shield' decreased by 6.82%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,676 | #21,583 | -4.39% |
| Count | 1,189 | 1,209 | 1.68% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.44 | 0.41 | -6.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shield
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides information about the ethnicity of those with the surname 'Shield'. From 2000 to 2010, there were increases in every category except for one: White individuals with this surname saw a decrease of 5.19%. In contrast, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all saw increases in representation among those carrying the 'Shield' surname. The most significant growth was seen within the Two or more races category, which grew by 34.8%, closely followed by the Asian/Pacific Islander group at 30.26%. American Indian and Alaskan Native increased by 26.82% while the Hispanic and Black categories grew by 25.99% and 11.76% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 77.21% | 73.2% | -5.19% |
| Black | 15.39% | 17.2% | 11.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.61% | 3.31% | 26.82% |
| Two or More Races | 2.27% | 3.06% | 34.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.77% | 2.23% | 25.99% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.76% | 0.99% | 30.26% |