History of your Surname
Get access to Shires family records.Start a free trial

Shires Family History

Shires Name Meaning

English (West Yorkshire):: habitational name perhaps from Shiregreen in Sheffield (Yorkshire) or in many instances almost certainly from Skier's Hall in Nether Hoyland (Yorkshire). The latter is the source of the surname de Skiris which was sometimes changed to Shires. The placename Shiregreen derives from Old English scīr ‘region district’ with the later addition of Middle English grene ‘green grassy place’; the origin of Skier's Hall is uncertain. in Lancashire the Midlands and southern England a variant of Shire with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


Similar surnames: Spires, Swires, Shire, Hines, Shirts, Sires, Stires, Spikes, Shirer

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Shires family from?

You can see how Shires families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shires family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shires families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 11 Shires families living in Ontario. This was about 33% of all the recorded Shires's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Shires families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shires surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shires ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Shires. 43% of Shires men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Shires | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    43%
  • Bricklayer
    29%
  • Labourer
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shires family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Shires. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shires census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shires

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Shires. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shires immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Shires. For the veterans among your Shires ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shires military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shires family history

Discover More

What is the average Shires lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Shires life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Shires in 1953 was 43, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shires

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Shires family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Shires last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial