NameCensus.

UK surname

Sherrard

A locational surname derived from places in England and Scotland, likely referring to a person who cut or trimmed cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Sherrard surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 423, ranked #11,344, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whaplode, Lyndhurst and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Leeds and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherrard is 447 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 129.9%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

423

2016, ranked #11,344

Peak year

2014

447 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sherrard had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 423 in 2016, ranked #11,344.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 292 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Sherrard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sherrard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sherrard 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 250 #12,762
1901 historical 268 #12,553
1911 historical 292 #11,674
1997 modern 387 #11,275
1998 modern 377 #11,894
1999 modern 388 #11,696
2000 modern 387 #11,692
2001 modern 372 #11,855
2002 modern 385 #11,771
2003 modern 384 #11,589
2004 modern 391 #11,468
2005 modern 385 #11,512
2006 modern 394 #11,383
2007 modern 387 #11,652
2008 modern 406 #11,328
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 425 #11,423
2011 modern 428 #11,219
2012 modern 417 #11,346
2013 modern 429 #11,280
2014 modern 447 #10,969
2015 modern 439 #11,035
2016 modern 423 #11,344

Geography

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Where Sherrards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whaplode, Lyndhurst, London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Leeds, Ashfield, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Barnet. 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 Whaplode Lincolnshire
2 Lyndhurst Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 006 County Durham
2 Leeds 101 Leeds
3 Ashfield 012 Ashfield
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 008 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Barnet 007 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sherrard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sherrard

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Sherrard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Sherrard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Sherrard 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

Sherrard is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sherrard falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Sherrard 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 Sherrard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sherrard

The surname Sherrard originates from England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, specifically in the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "scir," meaning "bright" or "shining," and "geard," which refers to a yard or enclosure.

Historically, the name Sherrard was associated with individuals who lived near or owned a bright or shining enclosed area, possibly a farm or estate. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, a census-like document compiled in 1273, which mentions a Robert Shyreyerd.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as Shyreyerd, Shyreyerd, and Shireyard, reflecting the variations in spelling during that time period. One notable example is William Shereyard, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1327.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Sherrard. However, it is possible that the name's origins can be traced back to individuals or places mentioned in that historical document.

Some individuals of note who bore the surname Sherrard throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Sherrard (c. 1580-1630), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Derby in the early 17th century. 2. William Sherrard (1659-1728), an English botanist and diplomat who served as the British Consul in Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). 3. James Sherrard (1759-1831), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 4. William Sherrard (1833-1904), an English-born Australian politician and landowner, who served as a member of the South Australian Parliament. 5. Philip Henry Sherrard (1922-1995), a renowned British writer, translator, and scholar of Greek culture and Orthodox Christianity.

The surname Sherrard has also been associated with various place names, such as Sherrard in Nottinghamshire, England, and Sherrard Township in Pennsylvania, United States, which were likely named after individuals bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sherrard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherrard 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 50 Sherrards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 50 2.76x
Leicestershire 27 13.42x
Kent 24 3.88x
Surrey 19 2.15x
Lincolnshire 12 4.14x
Hampshire 10 2.69x
Gloucestershire 7 1.97x
Sussex 7 2.29x
Angus 5 2.98x
Staffordshire 5 0.82x
Suffolk 5 2.26x
Derbyshire 3 1.06x
Yorkshire 3 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.74x
Devon 1 0.26x
Dorset 1 0.84x
Durham 1 0.19x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.76x
Royal Navy 1 4.63x
Warwickshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 17 Sherrards recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.32x.

Place Total Index
Ramsgate 17 168.32x
Islington London 11 6.26x
Cowbit 9 2250.00x
Kibworth Harcourt 9 3214.29x
Bethnal Green London 8 10.15x
Croydon 7 14.27x
Leicester St Martin 7 518.52x
Kingston On Thames 6 28.26x
Stoney Stanton 6 967.74x
Bitton 5 161.29x
Darlaston 5 59.10x
Exning 5 446.43x
Lochee 5 333.33x
Lyndhurst 5 490.20x
Paddington London 5 7.50x
Bromley London 4 10.02x
Heene 4 754.72x
Hornsey 4 17.44x
Poplar London 4 11.68x
Portsea 4 5.49x
St George Martyr 4 130.72x
Hove 3 22.35x
Hunslet 3 10.70x
Kensington London 3 2.97x
St Pancras London 3 2.05x
Staveley 3 59.52x
Battersea 2 3.00x
Bekesbourne 2 952.38x
Bow London 2 8.66x
Camberwell 2 1.73x
Clifton 2 11.12x
Enderby 2 192.31x
Margate St John Baptist 2 17.65x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 21.46x
Brockenhurst 1 156.25x
Buckland Monachorum 1 123.46x
Chelsea London 1 1.83x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.34x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 7.32x
Crowland 1 54.95x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.09x
Gorton 1 4.94x
Hallaton 1 222.22x
Lambeth 1 0.63x
Maidstone 1 5.42x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 9.49x
Moulton 1 71.43x
Royal Navy 1 5.41x
Seals 1 140.85x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 1 163.93x
Southwark St Saviour 1 10.73x
St Andrewthe Great 1 67.11x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 153.85x
St Woollos 1 6.83x
Walmer 1 37.17x
Weston 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 12
Francis 6
Henry 5
Richard 5
George 4
Edward 3
James 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 2
Frances 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Claude 1
Ernest 1
Eustace 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Iris 1
Job 1
Laurence 1
Moses 1
Noah 1
Noble 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Sherrard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sherrard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Sherrard surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sherrard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 423 in 2016. That gives Sherrard a modern rank of #11,344.

What does the Sherrard surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in England and Scotland, likely referring to a person who cut or trimmed cloth.

What does the Sherrard map show?

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