Explore the Family Name Shields
The meaning of Shields
1. English: variant of Shield 1 (and perhaps occasionally 2, 3, and 4) with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s. In the plural form, the surname may also be topographic, for someone who lived in or near some huts, or habitational, from a place so named, such as North Shields (Northumberland) and South Shields (Durham), though these are unlikely to be the main sources of the surname. 2. Irish: shortened form of O’Shields, an alternative Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Siadhail; see Shiel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shields in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Shields has experienced a slight decrease in rank from 623 in 2000 to 672 in 2010, representing a change of -7.87. However, the count, or number of individuals with this surname, has actually increased by 2.57%, from 49,556 in 2000 to 50,832 in 2010. Despite this increase in count, the proportion per 100k individuals has declined by -6.21.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #623 | #672 | -7.87% |
| Count | 49,556 | 50,832 | 2.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 18.37 | 17.23 | -6.21% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shields
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides data regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Shields. The data reveals an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those of two or more races, with changes of 52.38% and 24.18% respectively between 2000 and 2010. Individuals identifying as White represent the majority, although their percentage decreased slightly from 78.28% in 2000 to 75.83% in 2010. Hispanic representation increased by 48.30% over the decade, while Black representation also increased from 17.26% to 18.50%. The percentage of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a minor decrease of 7.77%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.28% | 75.83% | -3.13% |
| Black | 17.26% | 18.5% | 7.18% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.18% | 48.3% |
| Two or More Races | 1.53% | 1.9% | 24.18% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.03% | 0.95% | -7.77% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.64% | 52.38% |
Shields 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 Shields is British & Irish, which comprises 54.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.3%) and Eastern European (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.5% |
| French & German | 21.3% |
| Eastern European | 4.2% |
| Other | 20.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Shields
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 Shields have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.20% |
What Shields 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 Shields is R-Z30, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z30 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L1066.1 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lovell, Stone, Rowe, Davey, Giles, Horne, White, Lowery, Roe, Lewis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shields surname are: H1, T2b, H. 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 Shields 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.
"Shields" Surname 42.2%
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.
"Shields" Surname 33.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Shields" Surname 20.0%
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.
"Shields" Surname 15.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Shields?
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 Shields are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition