How to shift a column in Pandas DataFrame

Question

In [18]: a
Out[18]: 
   x1  x2
0   0   5
1   1   6
2   2   7
3   3   8
4   4   9

In [19]: a['x2'] = a.x2.shift(1)

In [20]: a
Out[20]: 
   x1  x2
0   0 NaN
1   1   5
2   2   6
3   3   7
4   4   8

You need to use df.shift here.
df.shift(i) shifts the entire dataframe by i units down.

So, for i = 1:

Input:

    x1   x2  
0  206  214  
1  226  234  
2  245  253  
3  265  272    
4  283  291

Output:

    x1   x2
0  Nan  Nan   
1  206  214  
2  226  234  
3  245  253  
4  265  272 

So, run this script to get the expected output:

import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame({'x1': ['206', '226', '245',' 265', '283'],
                   'x2': ['214', '234', '253', '272', '291']})

print(df)
df['x2'] = df['x2'].shift(1)
print(df)

Lets define the dataframe from your example by

>>> df = pd.DataFrame([[206, 214], [226, 234], [245, 253], [265, 272], [283, 291]], 
    columns=[1, 2])
>>> df
     1    2
0  206  214
1  226  234
2  245  253
3  265  272
4  283  291

Then you could manipulate the index of the second column by

>>> df[2].index = df[2].index+1

and finally re-combine the single columns

>>> pd.concat([df[1], df[2]], axis=1)
       1      2
0  206.0    NaN
1  226.0  214.0
2  245.0  234.0
3  265.0  253.0
4  283.0  272.0
5    NaN  291.0

Perhaps not fast but simple to read. Consider setting variables for the column names and the actual shift required.

Edit: Generally shifting is possible by df[2].shift(1) as already posted however would that cut-off the carryover.

If you don't want to lose the columns you shift past the end of your dataframe, simply append the required number first:

    offset = 5
    DF = DF.append([np.nan for x in range(offset)])
    DF = DF.shift(periods=offset)
    DF = DF.reset_index() #Only works if sequential index