Explore the Family Name Shockley

The meaning of Shockley

English: probably a habitational name from Shocklach in Cheshire, named in Old English with sceocca ‘goblin, evil spirit’ + læcc ‘boggy stream’. In the 17th century the name was common in Buckinghamshire, England. History: Richard Shockley (born c.1634, probably in Buckinghamshire, England) arrived in MD in 1671.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Shockley in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Shockley has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it held the rank of 2,675, but by 2010, it had slipped to 2,877, marking a decline of 7.55%. However, despite its drop in ranking, the actual count of people with the surname Shockley increased from 12,413 to 12,504, witnessing a growth of 0.73%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a slight dip of 7.83% from 4.6 to 4.24 during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#2,675#2,877-7.55%
Count12,41312,5040.73%
Proportion per 100k4.64.24-7.83%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shockley

The ethnic identity associated with the surname Shockley also shows interesting trends, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census. While the majority identified as White (84.71% in 2000 and 83.36% in 2010), there were notable increases among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (31.03% increase), two or more races (21.31% increase), Hispanic (44.27% increase), and Black (4.52% increase). There was a decrease of 27.50% in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native. These changes reflect the evolving diversity of ethnic identities associated with the surname Shockley between 2000 and 2010.

20002010Change
White84.71%83.36%-1.59%
Black11.06%11.56%4.52%
Two or More Races1.83%2.22%21.31%
Hispanic1.31%1.89%44.27%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.8%0.58%-27.5%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.29%0.38%31.03%

Shockley 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 Shockley is British & Irish, which comprises 56.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.2%) and Eastern European (3.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish56.2%
French & German22.2%
Eastern European3.4%
Other18.3%
Shockley

Possible origins of the surname Shockley

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 Shockley have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom88.80%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom88.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom88.50%
West Midlands, United Kingdom88.10%
Lancashire, United Kingdom88.10%

What Shockley 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 Shockley is R-Z225, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z225 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mather, Plunkett, Berrios, Reynoso, Brake, Tamez, Scoggins, Feliciano, Zayas, Ducharme.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shockley surname are: H1, H3, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

shockleyPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Shockley 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

Shockley

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Shockley" Surname 44.7%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Shockley

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Shockley" Surname 36.2%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Shockley

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Shockley" Surname 28.4%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Shockley

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Shockley" Surname 17.2%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Shockley?

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 Shockley are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%