NameCensus.

UK surname

Sharrock

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a small wood or thicket.

In the 1881 census there were 938 people recorded with the Sharrock surname, ranking it #4,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,385, ranked #4,367, down from #4,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bolton-le-Moors, Preston and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sharrock is 1,509 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.7%.

1881 census count

938

Ranked #4,107

Modern count

1,385

2016, ranked #4,367

Peak year

1999

1,509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sharrock had 938 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016, ranked #4,367.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,448 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Sharrock surname distribution map

The map shows where the Sharrock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Sharrock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sharrock over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 708 #3,689
1861 historical 706 #3,836
1881 historical 938 #4,107
1891 historical 1,087 #3,886
1901 historical 1,234 #4,013
1911 historical 1,448 #3,333
1997 modern 1,425 #4,082
1998 modern 1,459 #4,146
1999 modern 1,509 #4,056
2000 modern 1,485 #4,094
2001 modern 1,434 #4,135
2002 modern 1,396 #4,306
2003 modern 1,396 #4,233
2004 modern 1,385 #4,264
2005 modern 1,341 #4,325
2006 modern 1,355 #4,305
2007 modern 1,374 #4,297
2008 modern 1,380 #4,307
2009 modern 1,436 #4,249
2010 modern 1,436 #4,327
2011 modern 1,406 #4,346
2012 modern 1,396 #4,316
2013 modern 1,430 #4,302
2014 modern 1,414 #4,359
2015 modern 1,397 #4,358
2016 modern 1,385 #4,367

Geography

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Where Sharrocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bolton-le-Moors, Preston, Wigan and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands and Wigan. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Wigan 018 Wigan
3 Wigan 005 Wigan
4 Wigan 014 Wigan
5 Wigan 007 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sharrock

These lists show first names that appear often with the Sharrock surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sharrock

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sharrock, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Sharrock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sharrock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Sharrock is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sharrock is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sharrock falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sharrock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Sharrock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sharrock

The surname Sharrock is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "scearra" meaning a shearer or wool-cutter, and "ac" meaning oak. It was an occupational surname given to those who worked as shearers of sheep or clipped the wool from their coats.

Sharrock is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, where the wool trade was a significant industry during the Middle Ages. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners in England, the name is mentioned as "Robert le Sherrok" in Yorkshire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

One of the earliest known references to the Sharrock name can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1310-1333, where a Thomas Sharok is mentioned as a juror. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the region during that period.

In the 16th century, the Sharrock family is recorded in the parish registers of Whalley, Lancashire. Notable individuals from this time include John Sharrock, born in 1542, and his son, Thomas Sharrock, born in 1578.

The name also appears in the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1548 to 1625, further solidifying its presence in the region.

One of the earliest known place names associated with the Sharrock surname is Sharrock Green, a hamlet near Chorley in Lancashire, which likely derived its name from a family or individual bearing the surname.

Several notable figures throughout history have borne the surname Sharrock, including:

1. Robert Sharrock (1630-1684), an English botanist and writer on plants and trees. 2. John Sharrock (1642-1691), an Anglican priest and theologian from Lancashire. 3. William Sharrock (1744-1824), an English landscape painter and engraver. 4. Roger Sharrock (1887-1926), an English cricketer who played for Lancashire and England. 5. Benjamin Sharrock (born 1975), a British film director known for his movie "Jellyfish."

While the surname has its roots in northern England, over time, individuals bearing the name Sharrock have dispersed across various regions of the country and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sharrock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sharrock surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 840 Sharrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 840 7.77x
Yorkshire 18 0.20x
Cheshire 17 0.85x
Cornwall 14 1.36x
Middlesex 8 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.65x
Staffordshire 8 0.26x
Devon 4 0.21x
Northamptonshire 4 0.47x
Derbyshire 3 0.21x
Northumberland 3 0.22x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Lincolnshire 2 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.04x
Kent 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pemberton in Lancashire leads with 128 Sharrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 296.91x.

Place Total Index
Pemberton 128 296.91x
Hindley 60 130.18x
Wigan 47 31.11x
Everton 42 12.19x
Upholland 38 274.37x
Orrell 36 267.86x
Preston 32 11.06x
Aspull 30 117.97x
Great Bolton 30 20.95x
Liverpool 21 3.20x
Ince In Makerfield 20 39.76x
Rufford 20 706.71x
North Meols 19 17.95x
Over Darwen 16 18.53x
Lytham 14 84.85x
Scarisbrick 14 111.55x
Forrabury 13 1397.85x
Westleigh 13 52.95x
Lathom 11 84.29x
Blackrod 10 74.40x
Chorley 10 16.49x
Frodsham 10 128.37x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 16.58x
Garston 9 28.20x
Halsall 9 210.77x
Ashton In Makerfield 8 25.99x
Dewsbury 8 8.64x
Euxton 8 222.84x
Tettenhall 8 42.55x
Westhoughton 8 27.73x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 8.15x
Fishwick 7 104.63x
Mawdesley 7 241.38x
Openshaw 7 13.83x
Pennington In Leigh 7 33.75x
Skelmersdale 7 38.85x
Turton 7 39.55x
West Derby 7 2.21x
Ecclesfield 6 9.06x
Friern Barnet 6 29.90x
Nuthall 6 130.15x
Ormskirk 6 29.00x
Aughton 5 46.69x
Blackburn 5 1.74x
Brinnington 5 26.61x
Burscough 5 303.03x
Chadderton 5 9.46x
Golborne 5 35.49x
Haigh 5 132.63x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 5 185.19x
Lydiate 5 148.37x
Spotland 5 4.16x
Worsley 5 7.50x
Elton 4 10.71x
Heaton 4 87.72x
Kirkdale 4 2.20x
Kirkham 4 27.99x
Netherton 4 330.58x
Radcliffe 4 7.68x
Scaldwell 4 373.83x
Birkdale 3 10.97x
Farnworth 3 4.63x
Great Crosby 3 10.18x
Melling 3 120.00x
Northam 3 21.71x
Salford 3 0.94x
Tottington Lower End 3 5.84x
Walton On Hill 3 5.12x
Wardleworth 3 4.86x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 2.46x
Bestwood Park 2 92.17x
Hammersmith London 2 0.89x
Holdenhurst 2 4.08x
Horncastle 2 13.30x
Litchurch 2 3.48x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 2.85x
Ormesby 2 8.24x
Shevington 2 40.49x
Windle 2 3.29x
Wrightington 2 42.37x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sharrock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 73
Elizabeth 67
Ann 40
Margaret 38
Ellen 35
Alice 33
Jane 29
Sarah 24
Hannah 9
Martha 9
Catherine 8
Annie 7
Emma 5
Frances 4
Isabella 4
Amelia 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Maria 3
Nancy 3
Polly 3
Rachel 3
Susannah 3
Anne 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Eliza 2
Ethel 2
Georgina 2
Maggie 2
Margt. 2
Matilda 2
Betsy 1
Christiana 1
Constance 1
Dinah 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellener 1
Ellenor 1
Ellon 1
Emilie 1
Emily 1
Leah 1
Lettiaca 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Sharrock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 71
John 62
Thomas 55
James 52
Henry 32
Richard 26
Joseph 20
Robert 12
Edward 8
George 8
Samuel 7
David 6
Hugh 6
Charles 5
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Francis 3
Mathew 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jno. 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Reuben 2
Rowland 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Charlie 1
Edwd.F. 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Herbt. 1
Horatio 1
Lambert 1
Maria 1
Michael 1
Ned 1

FAQ

Sharrock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sharrock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 938 people were recorded with the Sharrock surname. That placed it at #4,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sharrock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016. That gives Sharrock a modern rank of #4,367.

What does the Sharrock surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a small wood or thicket.

What does the Sharrock map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sharrock bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.