Kentucky

Shelby

48,065
2020 population
1800
first census record
23
census records

About Shelby

Shelby, Kentucky, first appears in the United States federal census in 1800, when it recorded a population of 8,191. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 48,065.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 3 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Action at Shelbyville (Shelby County), Sue Mundy Raids in Shelby County, Skirmish at Simpsonville, Kentucky, and 141 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202048,065
201042,074
200033,337
199024,824
198023,328
197018,999
196018,493
195017,912
194017,759
193017,679
192018,532
191018,041
190018,340
189016,521
188016,813
187015,733
186016,433
185017,095
184017,768
183019,030
182021,047
181014,877
18008,191
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Shelby

Military engagements that took place in Shelby, Kentucky.

Action at Shelbyville (Shelby County)
1862
Sue Mundy Raids in Shelby County
1864
Skirmish at Simpsonville, Kentucky
1865

Historic places in Shelby

National Register of Historic Places listings in Shelby, Kentucky.

Young, Whitney M., Jr., Birthplace
Simpsonville
Snook, Van B., House
Cropper
Lincoln Institute Complex
Simpsonville
Blaydes House
Bagdad
Science Hill School
Shelbyville
Snook House
Mulberry
Allen, J. B., House
Chestnut Grove
Bird, Philomen, House
Bagdad
Swindler House
Cropper
Brown, John C., House
Mulberry
Bird's Nest
Cropper
Thomas House
Mulberry
Carnegie Public Library
Shelbyville
Calloway House
Eminence
Wickland
Shelbyville
Bethel AME Church
Shelbyville
St. John United Methodist Church
Shelbyville
Bayne House
Shelbyville
East Shelbyville District
Shelbyville
Bird Octagonal Mule Barn
Cropper
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Other counties in Kentucky

Explore census history and historic records for more Kentucky counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Shelby County, Kentucky

This page charts the census history of Shelby County, Kentucky. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Shelby

When does Shelby first appear in the US census?
Shelby, Kentucky first appears in the federal census in 1800, with a recorded population of 8,191.
What is the population of Shelby?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Shelby had a recorded population of 48,065.
Were any battles fought in Shelby?
3 documented military engagements took place in Shelby, including Action at Shelbyville (Shelby County), Sue Mundy Raids in Shelby County, Skirmish at Simpsonville, Kentucky.
How many historic places are in Shelby?
141 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Shelby, Kentucky.
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