Explore the Family Name Shires
The meaning of Shires
English (West Yorkshire): 1. habitational name perhaps from Shiregreen in Sheffield (Yorkshire), or in many instances almost certainly from Skier’s Hall in Nether Hoyland (Yorkshire). The latter is the source of the surname de Skiris, which was sometimes changed to Shires. The placename Shiregreen derives from Old English scīr ‘region, district’, with the later addition of Middle English grene ‘green, grassy place’; the origin of Skier’s Hall is uncertain. 2. in Lancashire, the Midlands, and southern England a variant of Shire, with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shires in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Shires" saw a slight decrease in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 14,292 and by 2010, it had slightly fallen to the 14,507th position. This represents a -1.5% change in rank. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased from 1,922 in 2000 to 2,056 in 2010, indicating a growth of 6.97%. The proportion per 100,000 people also experienced a minimal decrease, dropping from 0.71 to 0.7, which is a -1.41% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,292 | #14,507 | -1.5% |
| Count | 1,922 | 2,056 | 6.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.71 | 0.7 | -1.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shires
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that the majority of people with the last name "Shires" identify as White, accounting for 95.06% in 2000 and 94.02% in 2010. There was an observable growth in the Hispanic community, with 1.25% identifying as Hispanic in 2000 and increasing to 2.77% in 2010 - a significant change of 121.60%. The Asian/Pacific Islander and those identifying as two or more races remained fairly stable, with only minor decreases. Those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by -37.18% and -30.95% respectively. Please note that for some groups, the data was suppressed due to privacy concerns.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.06% | 94.02% | -1.09% |
| Hispanic | 1.25% | 2.77% | 121.6% |
| Two or More Races | 1.72% | 1.7% | -1.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.78% | 0.73% | -6.41% |
| Black | 0.78% | 0.49% | -37.18% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.29% | -30.95% |