# Shane (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/shane/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname from Irish [in turn originating as a patronymic].

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Irish |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 7,372 |
| US rank (2010) | 4,796 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 41,881 people |
| Change since 2000 | +5.4% (6,991 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ʃeɪn/, 1 syllable |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

Anglicized form of the Northern Irish pronunciation of Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Johannes, variant of Ioannes, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān, literally “God is gracious”). Doublet of John, Jack, Johan, Johann, Johannes, Jean, Juan, João, Ian, Evan, Ivan, Sean, Shaun, and Giovanni as a male name. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena as a female name.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Shane in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 86% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 5.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.1% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.8% |
| Two or more races | 2.6% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Shane in the United States and the United Kingdom.

## People named Shane

- Sara Shane, American actress
- Paul Shane, British comedian and actor (1940–2013)
- Bob Shane, American musician

## Similar surnames

Shin, Shen, Shine, Shain, Sheen, Shan, Shon, Swaney, Shahan, Shaheen, San, Schwan.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.