The Shanks surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,822 people carried this name — #3,031 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 11,436 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Shanks surname

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as an English name: ‘a nickname from some peculiarity of the Leg(s)’.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 150 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 21 births for the Shanks name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “10 in Antrim and 7 in Down.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 21

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Shanks was found among the farmers of Northumberland: 33 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northumberland 33

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland, 1880s

Shanks was 11 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 909. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Lanarkshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 594 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Shanks was recorded 46 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 565th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 86. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Shanks in American newspapers,
1895–1921.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Shanks
The Sun 1918-03-17
Newspaper page from The Philipsburg Mail carrying the name Shanks
The Philipsburg Mail 1895-10-10
Newspaper page from Putnam County Herald carrying the name Shanks
Putnam County Herald 1921-08-18

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Shanks in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

14,466 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Shanks. The most, 2,386, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 5,090
South Australia 2,856
New South Wales 2,739
Victoria 2,408
Western Australia 1,172
Tasmania 131
ACT (Canberra) 50
Northern Territory 5

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Shanks.

Who carried it

People named Shanks,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James Steuart Shanks
    James Steuart Shanks 1824–1911
  • John P. C. Shanks
    John P. C. Shanks 1826–1901 · lawyer
  • John P. C. Shanks
    John P. C. Shanks 1829–1901 · lawyer
  • Elsie Vera Susan Shanks d. 1996
  • James Shanks 1800–1867 · engineer
  • James Shanks 1800–1867 · engineer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Shanks,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,049 records

1,049 records of the Shanks name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 422
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 186
  • Other U.S. records 441
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Everett Shanks

    Born 1950; from Springfield, Illinois. U.S. Army, combat engineer; killed in action 1971 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Illinois.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Raymond J. Shanks

    Born 1908 in Missouri. Enlisted 1943 at Sacramento, California; driver from Yolo County, California. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Eagle Point National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Shanks

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the Garrick from Liverpool, aged 20; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,049 records for Shanks in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia773 records

773 records of the Shanks name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 374
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 245
  • Other Australian records 154
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Agnes Shanks

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from Plymouth in 1848. Native of Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in New Norfolk, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Shanks

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852. Married 1852 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Walter Shanks

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Lusitania, aged 23; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 773 records for Shanks in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada197 records

197 records of the Shanks name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 155
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 13
  • Other Canadian records 29
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record John Shanks

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Shanks

    Came to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Grecian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record David Smith Shanks

    Buried in 1971 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 65.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 197 records for Shanks in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom57 records

57 records of the Shanks name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 24
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 17
  • Other British records 16
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Shanks

    Born 1895 at New Elgin; grocer's assistant. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Shanks

    Died 1972, aged 64; buried at Buchanan Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Shanks

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 33.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 57 records for Shanks in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand28 records

28 records of the Shanks name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 25
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Winifred E. Shanks

    Died 1966, aged 44; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kevin Hugh Shanks

    Died 1992; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Gray Shanks

    Died 1959, aged 89; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Shanks in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Shanks name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register George Shanks

    In the population register of Cullercoats (Gb); student, born 1909 in Cullercoats (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Theresa Shanks

    Died 1871 in Velsen, aged 28.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Shanks in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Shanks name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record John Shanks

    Born 1941 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Chambourcy (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Shanks.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Shanks is.
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