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Strictly speaking, "profane" simply means something that is not sacred.
Generally speaking though, "profane" and "profanity" are taken to mean vulgarity or offensive language or behaviour. At the very least, outside of a discussion on religion, one would assume that's the meaning.
When did this happen? Was it a simple subtle shift or was it brought about by something?
The original meaning is that of “secular”, which evolved the “offensive” connotation from the 16th century apparently the from “Old French profaner, prophaner (13c.), directly from Latin profanare "to desecrate, render unholy, violate," from profanus "unholy, not consecrated".
mid-15c., "un-ecclesiastical, secular," from Old French profane (12c.) and directly from Latin profanus "unholy, not consecrated," according to Barnhart from pro fano "not admitted into the temple (with the initiates)," literally "out in front of the temple,"....... Sense of "unholy, polluted" is recorded from c. 1500.
(Etymonline)
