UK surname
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly relating to the town of Shearwood or Shireoak.
In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Sherrock surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 37, ranked #35,582, down from #30,464 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Wigan and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sherrock is 103 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.2%.
1881 census count
22
Ranked #30,464
Modern count
37
2016, ranked #35,582
Peak year
1861
103 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Sherrock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Sherrock surname density by area, 1861 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 | 54 | #23,577 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 22 | #30,464 |
| 1891 | historical | 93 | #24,965 |
| 1901 | historical | 56 | #27,952 |
| 1911 | historical | 29 | #30,190 |
| 1997 | modern | 23 | #35,484 |
| 1998 | modern | 27 | #35,148 |
| 1999 | modern | 29 | #35,031 |
| 2000 | modern | 28 | #35,080 |
| 2001 | modern | 27 | #35,041 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 27 | #35,279 |
| 2004 | modern | 25 | #35,610 |
| 2005 | modern | 27 | #35,588 |
| 2006 | modern | 30 | #35,526 |
| 2007 | modern | 32 | #35,530 |
| 2008 | modern | 31 | #35,670 |
| 2009 | modern | 35 | #35,545 |
| 2010 | modern | 38 | #35,514 |
| 2011 | modern | 34 | #35,705 |
| 2012 | modern | 32 | #35,820 |
| 2013 | modern | 35 | #35,697 |
| 2014 | modern | 37 | #35,616 |
| 2015 | modern | 37 | #35,593 |
| 2016 | modern | 37 | #35,582 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Wigan, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Missenden, Great and All Saints Poplar. 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 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 3 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 4 | Missenden, Great | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | All Saints Poplar | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Sherrock 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 Sherrock, 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 Sherrock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Sherrock 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, Sherrock 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 Sherrock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Sherrock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Sherrock is thought to have its origins in England, with documented use dating back to the medieval period. It likely emerged in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, regions historically significant due to their textile industries and varied topography.
The name Sherrock likely derives from the Old English elements "scear", meaning "a share" or "dividing line" (possibly referring to a boundary or portion of land), and "roc" or "hroc", which translates to "rook" or "crow", common birds in the English countryside. It might have been used to denote someone who lived near a boundary marked by such birds or had a connection to land portions.
Historical references to the surname Sherrock can be traced to early medieval manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name includes the appearance of "Sheradge" in the Domesday Book of 1086, an extensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror.
The earliest example of the surname Sherrock is found in the Lancashire area around the 13th century. Records indicate a John Sherrock born around 1245, who was a local landholder. His presence is listed in various land transaction documents, implying the Sherrock name may be linked to land ownership.
Prominent historical figures with the surname include Richard Sherrock, a 15th-century merchant from Yorkshire who was influential in the wool trade, and Thomas Sherrock, born in 1579, an English clergyman known for his theological writings during the late Elizabethan era.
Another notable individual with this surname is Elizabeth Sherrock, an early 18th-century patron of the arts, who was instrumental in the establishment of a local theater in Bristol. Her patronage was well-documented in various municipal records and cultural histories of the time.
By the 19th century, William Sherrock, born in 1823, became a renowned botanist, contributing extensively to the study of British flora. His published works were significant in the academic community and are still referenced in botanical texts today.
Another influential bearer of the surname was Alice Sherrock, a prominent suffragette born in 1865, who actively campaigned for women's voting rights in the early 20th century. Her activism is well-recorded in historical accounts of the suffrage movement in England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sherrock 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. Lancashire leads with 18 Sherrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.07x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 18 | 7.07x |
| Fife | 2 | 15.76x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.94x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hindley in Lancashire leads with 10 Sherrocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 925.93x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hindley | 10 | 925.93x |
| Witton | 3 | 937.50x |
| Cupar | 2 | 363.64x |
| Droylsden | 1 | 120.48x |
| Great Little Marsden | 1 | 85.47x |
| Haworth | 1 | 196.08x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 6.47x |
| North Meols | 1 | 40.16x |
| Tanshelf | 1 | 588.24x |
| Warrington | 1 | 33.11x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Sherrock 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 Sherrock 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 Sherrock households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Cotton Mill Reeler | 2 |
| Card Room Hand Cotton Mill | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Confec Labourer | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Frame Tenter Cotton Mill | 1 |
| Horse Groom | 1 |
| House Work | 1 |
| Private 3 W Y Militia | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Stone Quarry Man | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Sherrock surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 37 in 2016. That gives Sherrock a modern rank of #35,582.
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly relating to the town of Shearwood or Shireoak.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Sherrock 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.