Rename shapefile data fields in ArcGIS Pro

Summary

In some instances, it is necessary to rename the fields of a shapefile attribute table in ArcGIS Pro. However, altering the shapefile field properties, including field names, is not supported when the field is saved. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Limitation of shapefiles for more information.

This article provides methods to rename shapefile data fields in ArcGIS Pro.

Procedure

Create a new field and populate the data

Follow the steps below to create a new field with a new field name, and populate it with data from the old field.

1. In the Fields view of the attribute table, create a new field, and set the required field properties. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Create a field and apply a domain and default value for steps to do this. In this example, the new field name is ZIPNEW.
2. Click the Save button on the Fields tab to save the new field.
3. Use the Calculate Field geoprocessing tool to populate the old field values in the new field using the following expression:

New_Field = !Old_Field! 

4. Delete the old field. In this example, the old field is ZIP. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Delete a field for options to delete a field.

5. Click the Save button on the Fields tab to save the modifications made to the table.

Convert the shapefile to a geodatabase feature class

Use the Feature Class to Feature Class geoprocessing tool to convert the shapefile to a feature class. Field names in the attribute table of the feature class can be changed by using the Alter Field geoprocessing tool. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Feature Class to Feature Class and ArcGIS Pro: Alter Field (Data Management) for more information.