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Shakespeare Family History

Shakespeare Surname Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English shak(en) ‘shake brandish’ + spere ‘spear’

presumably for a spearman or perhaps (with a slang sense of spear) for an exhibitionist.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shakespeare family from?

You can see how Shakespeare families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shakespeare family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shakespeare families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 267 Shakespeare families living in Warwickshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Shakespeare's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Shakespeare families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shakespeare surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Shakespeare ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Shakespeare. 14% of Shakespeare men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Shakespeare women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shakespeare were Retired and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Shakespeare | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Carpenter
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Shorthand Typist
    2%

What Shakespeare family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Shakespeare. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shakespeare census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shakespeare

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Shakespeare. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shakespeare immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Shakespeare. For the veterans among your Shakespeare ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shakespeare military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shakespeare family history

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What is the average Shakespeare lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Shakespeare life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Shakespeare in 1945 was 47, and 61 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shakespeare

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shakespeare ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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