Explore the Family Name Shorty
The meaning of Shorty
1. Native American (Navajo): translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on (or just composed of) a Navajo word meaning ‘little (one), small’ (see Yazzie). Compare Little 4 and Shortman. 2. Altered form of English Short or Shorter or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname. The surname of this (or perhaps of different) origin is most common among African Americans; as such it may have originally been a genuine nickname for a short person (and not an altered form of an English surname).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shorty in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Shorty" saw a slight decrease in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 18,735 to 19,291, marking a decline of approximately 2.97%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 3.69%, from 1,354 to 1,404. The proportion per 100,000 also saw a marginal decrease of around 4%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,735 | #19,291 | -2.97% |
| Count | 1,354 | 1,404 | 3.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.5 | 0.48 | -4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shorty
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the most common ethnicity associated with the surname "Shorty" is American Indian and Alaskan Native at 63.82%, down 1.24% from 2000. The next largest group is Black, making up 28.92% of those with the Shorty surname in 2010, which is an increase of 2.77% from 2000. Individuals identifying as White account for 3.99%, a decrease of nearly 12.88% from 2000. The Hispanic population with the Shorty surname rose by 16.95% to make up 2.07% of the total. Those identifying as two or more races increased by over 35% to account for 1.21% of individuals with this surname. There were no reported Asian/Pacific Islanders with the surname "Shorty" in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 64.62% | 63.82% | -1.24% |
| Black | 28.14% | 28.92% | 2.77% |
| White | 4.58% | 3.99% | -12.88% |
| Hispanic | 1.77% | 2.07% | 16.95% |
| Two or More Races | 0.89% | 1.21% | 35.96% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |