Surname Shockley - Meaning and Origin
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read moreShockley: What does the surname Shockley mean?
Shockley is an English surname derived from the Old English personal name 'Sceocca' combined with 'leah,' meaning woodland clearing. Thus, the surname Shockley can be translated as "Sceocca's clearing" or "woodland clearing of Sceocca." It is believed to have originated from a place name, signifying that the original bearers of the surname resided near a prominent woodland clearing. Sceocca, the given name, is thought to have been associated with the Old English word 'sceocca' which means 'demon'. Place names and geographical landmarks often formed the basis for surnames in England, making them an important aspect of family history and genealogy. Like many surnames, variations of spelling can exist, further diversifying the lineage of families with this name.
Order DNA origin analysisShockley: Where does the name Shockley come from?
The last name Shockley is predominantly found in the United States, where it is most common in the South. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2019 Shockley was the 10,354th most common surname in the United States. Shockley is of English origin, derived from the Old English surname ‘Shockeley’ which is derived from ‘sceoc’ (a modern English word for ‘barren’ or ‘infertile’) and the suffix ‘-ley’ which was added to indicate ‘clearing’ or ‘field.’
As of 2019, the states with the highest incidence of the Shockley surname are: Alabama (ranked 31st state for Shockley), Virginia (ranked 53rd state for Shockley), Georgia (ranked 67th state for Shockley), Texas (ranked 73rd state for Shockley), and Kentucky (ranked 81st state for Shockley).
The surname Shockley is relatively uncommon in other countries, and according to Canada 411 Shockley is not among the most common surnames in Canada. In Australia, the surname is ranked 1,671st most common according to Ancestry.com, while in England Shockley is rank is 97,456th most commonly found last name.
The Shockley family is believed to come from all walks of life and still carries a strong presence in modern day America, especially in the south.
Variations of the surname Shockley
The Shockley surname has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Those include Shockly, Shookly, Shukly, Schochle, Sholley, Shollie, Shackelle, Shockey, Shockeye, Shockely, Shockeley, and Schkolleg.
Shockley is believed to be of English and Irish origin. In England, the earliest records of this surname can be traced back to the 1600s in Derbyshire. In Ireland, the surname made its way to the country in the late 18th century with several spellings.
Most of the variants of Shockley can be traced to a single origin due to a process called “apheretic changes”, which is when a letter or phoneme is omitted from a word or name without the overall meaning much changing. For example, “c” was omitted in Shockey and “k” was omitted in Schkolleg.
Additionally, the Shockley surname may be linked to several other surnames that have different origins or etymologies. Such variants include Shackelford, Shimko, and Chockley.
Despite the numerous spellings, Shockley remains a relatively uncommon surname worldwide. However, it can be found in records up to the present day in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Austria.
Famous people with the name Shockley
- William Shockley: William Shockley was an American physicist and Nobel Prize winner. He was the co-inventor of the transistor and is recognized as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.
- Jean Shockley: Jean Shockley is an American actress and screenwriter. She has appeared in films such as Kingpin, My Best Friend's Wedding, Sabrina, and As Good As It Gets.
- Robert Shockley: Robert Shockley is a sculptor and installation artist. He has created pieces in numerous public spaces, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Hess Collection in Napa Valley, California.
- Omar Shockley: Omar Shockley is an American actor who has starred in television shows such as "The Walking Dead", "Sons of Anarchy", and "Power".
- inundedi Shockley: inundedi Shockley is an American visual artist best known for her work exploring identity, representation, and African-American history and culture.
- Drew Shockley: Drew Shockley is a professional bassist and musician who has performed with a variety of artists including Patti Labelle, Celine Dion, and Wynton Marsalis.
- Arica Shockley: Arica Shockley is an American YouTube beauty and fashion vlogger. She is best known for her fashion and beauty advice, as well as for her vlogs exploring her life as a wife and mother.
- Walt Shockley: Walt Shockley is an American figurative painter and illustrator. His work is often characterised by its use of strong colour and figurative narrative.