NameCensus.

UK surname

Sherman

Derived from a place name meaning "bright stream" or an occupational name for a shearer of woolen garments.

In the 1881 census there were 1,701 people recorded with the Sherman surname, ranking it #2,530 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,470, ranked #2,668, down from #2,530 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Bolsover and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherman is 2,557 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.2%.

1881 census count

1,701

Ranked #2,530

Modern count

2,470

2016, ranked #2,668

Peak year

2014

2,557 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sherman had 1,701 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,530 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,470 in 2016, ranked #2,668.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,273 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sherman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sherman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sherman 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 939 #2,955
1861 historical 1,044 #2,687
1881 historical 1,701 #2,530
1891 historical 1,883 #2,443
1901 historical 2,179 #2,474
1911 historical 2,273 #2,226
1997 modern 2,399 #2,611
1998 modern 2,488 #2,625
1999 modern 2,481 #2,650
2000 modern 2,485 #2,631
2001 modern 2,423 #2,633
2002 modern 2,460 #2,662
2003 modern 2,428 #2,630
2004 modern 2,436 #2,627
2005 modern 2,386 #2,643
2006 modern 2,388 #2,641
2007 modern 2,418 #2,639
2008 modern 2,438 #2,636
2009 modern 2,504 #2,639
2010 modern 2,525 #2,674
2011 modern 2,486 #2,683
2012 modern 2,452 #2,669
2013 modern 2,531 #2,638
2014 modern 2,557 #2,631
2015 modern 2,508 #2,646
2016 modern 2,470 #2,668

Geography

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Where Shermans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Illogan and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Bolsover, Ipswich 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 012 Stroud
2 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
3 Ipswich 001 Ipswich
4 Wigan 032 Wigan
5 Wigan 036 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sherman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sherman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sherman, 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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sherman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sherman is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sherman falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sherman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sherman

The surname Sherman has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 11th century as an occupational name for a shearer of woollen cloth. It is derived from the Old English word "schere", meaning to cut or shear, combined with the agent suffix "mann", which denoted a person who did that occupation.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is believed to be Sceremongere, found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror. This entry is thought to refer to a person who dealt in sheared wool or cloth.

In the 12th century, the name took on various spellings such as Scherman, Shyreman, and Shurman, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. By the 13th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with records showing instances of Sherman and Shearman.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Shyreman, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202. Another early reference is to a William Shermanne, mentioned in the Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire in 1293.

The Sherman name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. These include:

1. Roger Sherman (1721-1793), an American statesman and one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

2. William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), an American soldier who played a crucial role in the Union's victory in the American Civil War and is known for his "March to the Sea" campaign.

3. James Schoolcraft Sherman (1855-1924), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 27th Vice President of the United States under President William Howard Taft.

4. Stuart Sherman (1881-1926), an American literary critic and professor at the University of Illinois, known for his work on the study of American literature.

5. Lowell Sherman (1888-1934), an American actor, director, and playwright who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and early Hollywood films.

The name has also been associated with various place names, such as Sherman, Connecticut, and Sherman County in several U.S. states, which were likely named after prominent individuals bearing the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sherman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherman 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. Middlesex leads with 412 Shermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 412 2.50x
Surrey 132 1.64x
Lancashire 117 0.60x
Gloucestershire 99 3.06x
Hampshire 99 2.93x
Berkshire 71 5.73x
Suffolk 71 3.53x
Essex 70 2.15x
Cornwall 58 3.10x
Yorkshire 48 0.29x
Kent 42 0.75x
Lanarkshire 41 0.77x
Devon 34 0.99x
Wiltshire 30 2.06x
Norfolk 29 1.14x
Huntingdonshire 28 8.54x
Hertfordshire 26 2.29x
Buckinghamshire 22 2.20x
Sussex 22 0.79x
Somerset 21 0.79x
Staffordshire 18 0.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 17 7.12x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.76x
Cumberland 16 1.13x
Derbyshire 16 0.62x
Lincolnshire 13 0.49x
Cheshire 12 0.33x
Northamptonshire 11 0.71x
Dunbartonshire 10 2.25x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.86x
Glamorgan 9 0.31x
Bedfordshire 8 0.94x
Wigtownshire 8 3.65x
Oxfordshire 7 0.69x
Ayrshire 6 0.49x
Durham 6 0.12x
Warwickshire 6 0.14x
Midlothian 5 0.23x
Angus 4 0.26x
Monmouthshire 4 0.34x
Perthshire 3 0.41x
Royal Navy 3 1.53x
Worcestershire 3 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.55x
Northumberland 2 0.08x
Renfrewshire 2 0.16x
Argyllshire 1 0.22x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.26x
Roxburghshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 44 Shermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.31x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 44 3.31x
Mile End Old Town 41 15.74x
Hackney London 38 4.11x
Islington London 34 2.13x
St Mary Extra 31 113.85x
Camberwell 29 2.75x
Illogan 26 52.55x
Bethnal Green London 23 3.21x
Great Gransden 23 640.67x
St Marylebone London 21 2.38x
Battersea 20 3.29x
Lambeth 19 1.32x
Aldbourn 18 211.76x
Clerkenwell London 18 4.62x
Govan 18 1.36x
St George Bloomsbury 17 17.95x
Steeple Bumpstead 17 284.76x
Bedminster 16 6.41x
Hertford St Andrew 15 106.76x
Aughton 14 72.16x
Shoreditch London 14 1.96x
Chelsea London 13 2.61x
Hammersmith London 13 3.20x
Newington 13 2.13x
Bow London 12 5.71x
Everton 11 1.76x
Norwich St Julian 11 102.90x
Worksop 11 16.67x
Abingdon St Helen 10 27.61x
Chelmondiston 10 204.92x
Colchester St Giles 10 31.07x
Enfield 10 9.23x
Habergham Eaves 10 5.59x
Hanwell 10 34.18x
New Kilpatrick 10 23.70x
Vernham Dean 10 295.86x
Bridford 9 365.85x
Kensington London 9 0.98x
Kintbury 9 94.04x
Marcham 9 202.25x
Northchurch 9 74.07x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 3.40x
Pucklechurch 9 123.29x
Rothwell 9 27.25x
Speen 9 44.40x
Walthamstow 9 7.67x
Woolwich 9 4.33x
Almondsbury 8 64.72x
Ashbury 8 207.25x
Clifton 8 4.89x
Croydon 8 1.79x
Falmouth 8 12.10x
Maryhill 8 7.66x
Paddington London 8 1.32x
Penninghame 8 35.79x
Rushmere 8 182.65x
St Mary Bourne 8 130.29x
Walsall Borough 8 18.50x
Westminster St 8 13.15x
Aspall 7 760.87x
Aylesbury 7 15.83x
Brighton 7 1.25x
Crigglestone 7 44.44x
Great Coggeshall 7 41.32x
Great Hautbois 7 573.77x
Great Missenden 7 56.96x
Hampstead London 7 2.72x
Henbury 7 44.30x
Ipswich St Peter 7 25.87x
Mitcham 7 13.77x
Old Monkland 7 3.30x
Otley 7 194.99x
Rerrick 7 68.29x
St Luke London 7 2.64x
Tytherington 7 278.88x
Liverpool 6 0.50x
Melbourne 6 33.98x
Redruth 6 11.35x
Send Ripley 6 57.25x
Troqueer 6 19.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 93
John 82
James 53
George 50
Thomas 43
Henry 38
Charles 37
Walter 21
Alfred 19
Joseph 19
Robert 19
Edward 18
Richard 16
Albert 15
Arthur 15
Frederick 14
Samuel 14
Wm. 12
Harry 10
Ernest 8
Thos. 7
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Fredrick 6
Herbert 6
Alexander 5
Tom 5
Frank 4
Jacob 4
Percy 4
Stephen 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Fred 3
Horace 3
Leonard 3
Michael 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Morris 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Sidney 2
Wallace 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Sherman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sherman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,701 people were recorded with the Sherman surname. That placed it at #2,530 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sherman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,470 in 2016. That gives Sherman a modern rank of #2,668.

What does the Sherman surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "bright stream" or an occupational name for a shearer of woolen garments.

What does the Sherman map show?

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