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Shiels Family History

Shiels Name Meaning

Scottish (Midlothian) and Irish: variant of Shields .

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


Similar surnames: Shiel, Shields, Shiell, Shield, Sheils, Shely, Shives, Spiers, Shiers

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shiels family from?

You can see how Shiels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shiels family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shiels families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1840 there were 3 Shiels families living in Indiana. This was about 43% of all the recorded Shiels's in USA. Indiana had the highest population of Shiels families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shiels surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Shiels ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shiels. 20% of Shiels men worked as a Salesman and 13% of Shiels women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shiels were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Shiels | 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 1940

  • Salesman
    20%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Saleslady
    11%
  • Housework
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shiels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Shiels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shiels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Shiels

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Shiels. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shiels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Shiels. For the veterans among your Shiels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shiels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shiels family history

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What is the average Shiels lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Shiels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Shiels in 1957 was 39, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shiels

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