UK surname
A variant of the Scottish or northern English surname Shearer, from an occupational name for a shearer of wool or crops.
In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Sherar surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38, ranked #35,537, down from #27,721 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Insch, Boharm and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherar is 118 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.5%.
1881 census count
42
Ranked #27,721
Modern count
38
2016, ranked #35,537
Peak year
1851
118 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sherar surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sherar surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 118 | #15,362 |
| 1861 | historical | 89 | #22,419 |
| 1881 | historical | 42 | #27,721 |
| 1891 | historical | 44 | #30,838 |
| 1901 | historical | 40 | #29,678 |
| 1911 | historical | 34 | #29,600 |
| 1997 | modern | 38 | #33,872 |
| 1998 | modern | 45 | #33,374 |
| 1999 | modern | 41 | #33,866 |
| 2000 | modern | 39 | #34,066 |
| 2001 | modern | 36 | #34,171 |
| 2002 | modern | 44 | #33,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 46 | #33,710 |
| 2004 | modern | 49 | #33,647 |
| 2005 | modern | 50 | #33,784 |
| 2006 | modern | 45 | #34,491 |
| 2007 | modern | 45 | #34,699 |
| 2008 | modern | 45 | #34,818 |
| 2009 | modern | 53 | #34,481 |
| 2010 | modern | 57 | #34,421 |
| 2011 | modern | 53 | #34,630 |
| 2012 | modern | 54 | #34,608 |
| 2013 | modern | 42 | #35,325 |
| 2014 | modern | 43 | #35,293 |
| 2015 | modern | 40 | #35,422 |
| 2016 | modern | 38 | #35,537 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Insch, Boharm, Edinburgh, Manchester and Aberdeen and Old Machar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insch | Aberdeen |
| 2 | Boharm | Banff |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Aberdeen and Old Machar | Aberdeen |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sherar surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sherar, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Sherar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sherar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Sherar is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sherar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sherar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Sherar has its origins traced back to the Scottish Borders region of Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'scir,' meaning 'bright' or 'shining.' This name was likely given to someone who had a bright or radiant appearance or personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sherar surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls documenting those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his conquest of Scotland. The name appears in various spellings, such as 'Sherar,' 'Shirer,' and 'Scherar.'
The Sherar surname has strong ties to the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas around Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. The name is also associated with the village of Sherarton in Roxburghshire, which likely took its name from an early bearer of the Sherar surname.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Sherar surname was Sir Walter Sherar, a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. He was born in 1542 and lived in the town of Hawick in the Scottish Borders.
Another prominent individual with the Sherar surname was Sir John Sherar, who lived in the 17th century. He was a Scottish merchant and held the position of Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1685 to 1687.
In the 18th century, the Sherar family had a strong presence in the Scottish Borders region. One notable member was Robert Sherar, born in 1712, who was a successful farmer and landowner in the town of Jedburgh.
The 19th century saw the Sherar surname spread beyond Scotland, with many bearers immigrating to other parts of the United Kingdom and even to North America. One notable figure from this period was William Sherar, born in 1832, who was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist based in Montreal.
Throughout its history, the Sherar surname has been associated with various places in the Scottish Borders region, including Sherarton, Hawick, Jedburgh, and others. While the name has Scottish origins, it has since spread around the world, with bearers of the Sherar surname found in many countries today.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherar surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Banffshire leads with 12 Sherars recorded in 1881 and an index of 144.58x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Banffshire | 12 | 144.58x |
| Aberdeenshire | 7 | 18.90x |
| Angus | 6 | 16.19x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 2.32x |
| Midlothian | 3 | 5.60x |
| Perthshire | 3 | 16.71x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.42x |
| Sussex | 2 | 2.97x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 8.38x |
| Kincardineshire | 1 | 20.53x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.25x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fordyce in Banffshire leads with 10 Sherars recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Fordyce | 10 | 1666.67x |
| Liff Benvie | 5 | 88.97x |
| Aberdour | 3 | 1034.48x |
| Auchterarder | 3 | 600.00x |
| Brighton | 2 | 14.71x |
| East Kilbride | 2 | 363.64x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 2 | 9.28x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 1 | 14.43x |
| Aboyne | 1 | 500.00x |
| Barony | 1 | 3.06x |
| Barra | 1 | 333.33x |
| Dundee | 1 | 7.23x |
| Dunnottar | 1 | 294.12x |
| Edinburgh Buccleuch | 1 | 78.74x |
| Hulme | 1 | 10.09x |
| Huntly | 1 | 166.67x |
| Keith | 1 | 113.64x |
| Peterhead | 1 | 51.02x |
| St Fergus | 1 | 476.19x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 4.68x |
| Tonge | 1 | 100.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sherar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Sherar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Sherar households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine Fitter At Works | 1 |
| Nurse Domestic | 1 |
| Retired Broker | 1 |
| Waitress In Restaurant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Sherar surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 38 in 2016. That gives Sherar a modern rank of #35,537.
A variant of the Scottish or northern English surname Shearer, from an occupational name for a shearer of wool or crops.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sherar bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.