NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheard

An English occupational surname referring to someone who shears sheep or cuts cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 2,703 people recorded with the Sheard surname, ranking it #1,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,643, ranked #2,527, down from #1,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Halifax and Kirkheaton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheard is 3,549 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

2,703

Ranked #1,647

Modern count

2,643

2016, ranked #2,527

Peak year

1911

3,549 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheard had 2,703 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,643 in 2016, ranked #2,527.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,549 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Sheard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheard 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 1,537 #1,862
1861 historical 1,773 #1,634
1881 historical 2,703 #1,647
1891 historical 2,868 #1,654
1901 historical 3,177 #1,768
1911 historical 3,549 #1,473
1997 modern 2,723 #2,348
1998 modern 2,804 #2,375
1999 modern 2,808 #2,389
2000 modern 2,784 #2,395
2001 modern 2,735 #2,382
2002 modern 2,815 #2,378
2003 modern 2,742 #2,381
2004 modern 2,749 #2,382
2005 modern 2,662 #2,417
2006 modern 2,622 #2,447
2007 modern 2,659 #2,440
2008 modern 2,653 #2,453
2009 modern 2,686 #2,473
2010 modern 2,731 #2,495
2011 modern 2,730 #2,471
2012 modern 2,694 #2,462
2013 modern 2,716 #2,480
2014 modern 2,691 #2,517
2015 modern 2,668 #2,521
2016 modern 2,643 #2,527

Geography

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Where Sheards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Halifax, Kirkheaton, Birstall and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees and Cheshire East. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 020 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 011 Kirklees
3 Cheshire East 022 Cheshire East
4 Kirklees 015 Kirklees
5 Kirklees 002 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sheard, 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 Sheard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sheard 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Sheard is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sheard is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sheard falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sheard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sheard

The surname SHEARD is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "sceard," which means a gap, crevice, or opening in a hedge or fence. It is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SHEARD can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it appears as "Sherde." This suggests that the name was already in use by the 14th century and may have been an occupational name for someone who lived near a gap or opening in a hedge or fence.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname SHEARD appeared in various records across Yorkshire, with variations in spelling such as "Sherde," "Shard," and "Shearde." One notable figure from this period was John Sheard (c. 1580-1650), a wool merchant and landowner from Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

In the 18th century, the SHEARD surname began to spread beyond Yorkshire, with records showing families bearing this name in other parts of England. One prominent individual from this era was Samuel Sheard (1737-1808), a Baptist minister and author from Northamptonshire.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many SHEARD families migrated from rural areas to urban centers in search of employment. Notable figures from this period include Joseph Sheard (1809-1887), a successful industrialist and businessman from Leeds, and Eliza Sheard (1829-1903), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights from Sheffield.

Throughout the 20th century, the SHEARD name continued to be found across England, as well as in countries with large British diaspora populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Some notable individuals from this era include Sir Henry Sheard (1883-1962), a British businessman and philanthropist, and Sir Oliver Sheard (1908-1992), a British politician and member of Parliament.

While the SHEARD surname has evolved over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it originated as a descriptive name related to the Old English word "sceard." Throughout its history, the name has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, ministers, industrialists, educators, and political figures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheard 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. Yorkshire leads with 2,189 Sheards recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.26x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,189 8.26x
Lancashire 222 0.70x
Berkshire 48 2.39x
Middlesex 42 0.16x
Isle of Man 39 7.85x
Cheshire 34 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 31 0.86x
Oxfordshire 19 1.15x
Surrey 18 0.14x
Kent 17 0.19x
Derbyshire 16 0.38x
Warwickshire 13 0.19x
Staffordshire 11 0.12x
Durham 7 0.09x
Bedfordshire 6 0.43x
Hampshire 6 0.11x
Somerset 6 0.14x
Gloucestershire 4 0.08x
Cardiganshire 3 0.46x
Sussex 3 0.07x
Denbighshire 2 0.20x
Devon 2 0.04x
Lincolnshire 2 0.05x
Shropshire 2 0.09x
Essex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mirfield in Yorkshire leads with 313 Sheards recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.00x.

Place Total Index
Mirfield 313 215.00x
Batley 213 84.53x
Liversedge 137 116.06x
Dewsbury 114 41.92x
Huddersfield 79 20.45x
Leeds 78 5.21x
Thornhill 69 89.18x
Hunslet 59 14.27x
Heckmondwike 49 57.46x
Gomersal 46 37.17x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 46 68.78x
Almondbury 40 31.20x
Ovenden 35 29.66x
Kirkheaton 34 79.07x
Warley 34 44.36x
Hartshead 32 269.36x
Southowram 32 39.54x
Soothill 31 32.37x
Dalton In Huddersfield 28 47.14x
Halifax 28 7.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 3.89x
Wakefield 25 12.28x
Morley 23 16.68x
Northowram 23 12.37x
Altofts 22 75.19x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 22 22.85x
Lockwood 21 22.01x
Manchester 21 1.47x
West Ardsley 20 62.68x
Bramley In Bramley 19 18.72x
West Clayton 19 144.38x
Crompton 18 19.91x
German Peel 18 62.92x
Hipperholme Cum 18 15.45x
Royton 18 18.53x
South Crosland 18 64.47x
Holbeck 17 9.68x
Barnsley 16 5.85x
Farnley In Bramley 16 48.34x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 16 16.89x
Beeston 15 55.93x
East Ardsley 15 65.33x
Pudsey 15 10.58x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 15 12.18x
Abingdon St Helen 14 23.84x
Dronfield 14 26.08x
Elland Cum Greetland 14 11.72x
Manningham 12 3.67x
Nottingham St Mary 12 1.29x
Oxford All Sts 12 338.98x
Rastrick 12 16.29x
Armley 11 9.41x
Dukinfield 11 4.03x
Harborne 11 3.80x
Honley 11 23.70x
Longwood 11 25.74x
North Meols 11 3.54x
Toxteth Park 11 1.02x
Drighlington 10 25.89x
Holy Trinity 10 1.57x
Macclesfield 10 3.81x
Oldham 10 0.98x
Onchan 10 6.99x
Birmingham 9 0.40x
Chelsea London 9 1.12x
Greenwich 9 2.11x
Lambeth 9 0.39x
Layton With Warbreck 9 7.72x
Levenshulme 9 27.54x
Potter Newton 9 19.24x
Slaithwaite 9 32.60x
Churwell 8 44.25x
German 8 29.52x
Idle 8 6.51x
Lenton 8 9.42x
Wadsworth 8 18.54x
Bowling 7 2.67x
Broughton In Salford 7 2.41x
East Hendred 7 93.83x
Handsworth 7 9.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 191
Sarah 147
Elizabeth 90
Emma 62
Ann 55
Hannah 51
Jane 48
Martha 40
Annie 36
Ellen 34
Emily 34
Alice 32
Clara 28
Eliza 27
Margaret 25
Harriet 22
Ada 19
Louisa 16
Maria 16
Edith 15
Fanny 14
Charlotte 13
Florence 12
Amy 11
Caroline 11
Grace 11
Lucy 10
Nancy 10
Isabella 9
Ruth 9
Susan 9
Frances 8
Susannah 8
Elizth. 7
Selina 7
Betty 6
Catherine 6
Priscilla 6
Agnes 5
Anne 5
Lydia 5
Marian 5
Rachel 5
Rebecca 5
Ethel 4
Henrietta 4
Laura 4
Lily 4
Margret 4
Matilda 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 158
William 97
Joseph 79
George 75
James 65
Charles 58
Thomas 43
Henry 42
Arthur 41
Samuel 31
Fred 29
Albert 28
Harry 28
Alfred 26
Edwin 23
Walter 23
Benjamin 20
Herbert 20
Joe 19
Richard 17
David 15
Ernest 13
Frederick 13
Robert 13
Sam 13
Abraham 12
Edward 12
Frank 12
Tom 10
Willie 8
Daniel 7
Geo. 6
Mark 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Allan 5
Levi 5
Michael 5
Oliver 5
Sidney 5
Allen 4
Dan 4
Earnest 4
Edmund 4
Eli 4
Ellis 4
Joshua 4
Squire 4
Jacob 3
Reginald 3

FAQ

Sheard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,703 people were recorded with the Sheard surname. That placed it at #1,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,643 in 2016. That gives Sheard a modern rank of #2,527.

What does the Sheard surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who shears sheep or cuts cloth.

What does the Sheard map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sheard 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.