Explore the Family Name Shorten
The meaning of Shorten
1. Irish (Cork): Anglicized form of Gaelic Seartáin, a variant of Soirtéil (see Shortell). 2. English (Norfolk): habitational name from Shorton in Paignton (Devon), and perhaps from one or more unidentified places. The Devon placename may derive from Old English scīr ‘bright, gleaming’ + dūn ‘hill’, but this cannot be certain due to a lack of medieval forms.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shorten in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the Shorten surname has experienced a notable increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 35,994th position, while in 2010 it had risen to 31,790th place, marking an improvement of approximately 11.68%. The count, which represents the number of people with this surname, also surged from 589 in 2000 to 726 in 2010, showing a substantial growth of 23.26%. Moreover, its proportion per 100,000 people rose by 13.64%, from 0.22 to 0.25.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #35,994 | #31,790 | 11.68% |
| Count | 589 | 726 | 23.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.22 | 0.25 | 13.64% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shorten
Turning to ethnicity based on the Decennial U.S. Census, people with the Shorten surname predominantly identify as White, with a slight decrease from 80.31% in 2000 to 79.61% in 2010. The percentage of those who identify as Black or African American fell slightly by 2.81%, from 14.60% to 14.19%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a significant decrease of 28.37%, from 2.89% to 2.07%. Interestingly, there were no individuals with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic in these years. However, there was a new emergence of people who identified with two or more races by 2010, although the specific count was suppressed for privacy.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.31% | 79.61% | -0.87% |
| Black | 14.6% | 14.19% | -2.81% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.34% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.89% | 2.07% | -28.37% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 1.19% | 0% | 0% |