2000
#313
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 88,326
First available Census row
Per 100,000 32.74
Uncommon Last name
Shelton
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places in England named Shelton, meaning "shelf town."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 98,434 Americans carry the last name Shelton. That puts it at #359 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 28.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,482 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shelton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Shelton with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
98K
1 in 3,482
Census rank
#359
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
28.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
86K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 85,839 bearers of the surname Shelton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 28.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 359th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shelton, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (20.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shelton
The surname Shelton has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, specifically around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "scylf" or "scelf," meaning "shelf" or "ledge," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a settlement or dwelling located on a ledge or shelf-like area.
One of the earliest known references to the name Shelton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Scelftuun" in Bedfordshire. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of land and the names of landowners and tenants at the time.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Scheltun," "Sheltone," and "Sheltun." These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that period.
Shelton is also associated with several place names in England, such as Shelton in Bedfordshire, Shelton in Staffordshire, and Shelton in Nottinghamshire. These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname.
One notable individual bearing the surname Shelton was John Shelton (c. 1472-1539), an English courtier and landowner during the Tudor period. He served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII and played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of the time.
Another prominent figure was Richard Shelton (c. 1578-1642), an English poet and translator known for his works such as "A Remonstrance Against Romish Ceremonies." He is considered one of the metaphysical poets of the 17th century.
In the 18th century, Samuel Shelton (1753-1808) was a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He achieved the rank of Vice Admiral and was renowned for his bravery and leadership.
The 19th century saw the emergence of Sarah Shelton (1839-1919), an American artist and author who gained recognition for her illustrations and writings about Native American life and culture.
Additionally, Willard Shelton (1900-1985) was an American football player and coach who played for the University of Michigan and later coached at several universities, including Ohio State and Northwestern.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Shelton throughout history, demonstrating its deep roots and widespread recognition across various fields and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shelton
Among Census respondents with the surname Shelton, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (20.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Shelton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Shelton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.8% · 60,740
- Black or African American20.1% · 17,286
- Two or more races4.8% · 4,150
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 2,649
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 508
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 506
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shelton
Shelton appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#344
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 90,517
+2,191 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 30.69
Rank movement Down 31 places
2020
#359
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 85,839
-4,678 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 28.72
Rank movement Down 15 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #313 | 88,326 | 32.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #344 | 90,517 | 30.69 | +2,191 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 31 places |
| 2020 | #359 | 85,839 | 28.72 | -4,678 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 15 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Shelton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #344 | #359 | -4.4% |
| Count | 90,517 | 85,839 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 30.69 | 28.72 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shelton bearers went from 90,517 to 85,839 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 15 positions in the national ranking, going from #344 to #359.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Shelton
FAQ
Shelton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shelton?
Name Census estimates that about 98,434 living Americans carry the surname Shelton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,482 residents.
How common is Shelton?
Shelton ranks #359 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 28.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 29 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 85,839 people with the surname Shelton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (98,434), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 28.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 28.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 29 of them to have the surname Shelton.
Has Shelton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shelton went from 90,517 recorded bearers to 85,839. That is a decrease of 4,678 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #344 to #359.
What does the Census say about the background of Shelton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shelton, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (20.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Shelton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.8% (60,740 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shelton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.8%), Black (20.1%), Two or More Races (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Shelton (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Shelton mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places in England named Shelton, meaning "shelf town." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Shelton (28.72 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Shelton?
You can see how many people are called Shelton on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.