SHARMA
The surname Sharma is of Indian provenance and is chiefly associated with the Sanskrit lexeme *sharma*, which connotes joy, happiness or prosperity. Sharma is thus understood to signify the role of the bearer as a purveyor of joy and well-being through knowledge and wisdom.
In the sub‑continent, the name is predominantly carried by members of the Brahmin caste. Historically, bearers of the surname were commonly engaged as priests, scholars or teachers, occupations that placed them at the centre of community life as custodians of religious doctrine, philosophy and education.
Anthropologically, the name finds its roots in the Indo‑Aryan linguistic tradition and is used throughout India, particularly among speakers of the Hindi language. The dominant religious affiliation among those who bear the surname is Hinduism.
Although the spelling suggests possible Arabic or Muslim connections, the evidence for a non‑Indian derivation is inconclusive. The suggestion that Sharma may stem from the Arabic word *shams* (sun) or that it might denote the ‘flame of a candle’ remains speculative, as no early Arabic records of the name have been identified. Misinterpretations often arise because of homonymous surnames that appear in European contexts with similar orthography.
In the British Isles the surname appears in archaic documents under variants such as Shermore, a locational name recorded in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. For example, a record of Xpian Sheremore at St Olave's church in London dates to 15 October 1586, and a later entry cites a Martha Sharmah, daughter of Ephraim Sharmah, christened at St Dunstans in Stepney on 31 March 1726. These instances illustrate the orthographic fluidity of surnames in early modern England but do not establish a direct genealogical link with the Indian Sharma.
In recent decades the generalised adoption of hereditary surnames in non‑Western societies, particularly for practical purposes such as telephone directories, has increased the visibility of names like Sharma beyond their native borders. Consequently, contemporary bearers of the surname may be found in diverse cultural settings, though the majority still trace their lineage back to India.
Typical given names associated with the Sharma surname
Male
- Ajay
- Amit
- Anil
- Deepak
- Rahul
- Raj
- Rajesh
- Sanjay
- Sunil
- Vijay
Female
- Anita
- Geeta
- Kiran
- Neelam
- Nisha
- Pooja
- Poonam
- Seema
- Sonia
- Sunita
- Usha
Similar and related surnames
- Charm
- Charman
- Charma
- Charmar
- Charmak
- Shamra
- Sahrma
- Sharm
- Sarma
- Schirm
- Shahram
- Sharam
- Shareman
- Sharman
- Sharmar
- Sharme
- Sharmer
- Sharrem
- Shaum
- Shawman
- Shearm
- Shearman
- Shearme
- Sherm
- Sherma
- Sherman
- Shirm
- Shirman
- Shorman
- Shurman
- Shurmar
- Chairman
- Charmain
- Charmans
- Charmatz
- Charuma
- Chearman
- Saarma
- Scharmann
- Schurman
- Shama
- Sharham
- Sharim
- Sharmi
- Shearmer
- Shearmur
- Sheerman
- Sheirman
- Shermann
- Shirima
- Shoreman
- Shram
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Sharma in...
Braille
⠎⠓⠁⠗⠍⠁
Morse
........-.-.--.-
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Sharma are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate chip cookie.
There are approximately 20,722 people named Sharma in the UK. That makes it the 418th most common surname in Britain. Around 318 in a million people in Britain are named Sharma.
Region of origin: Asia
Country of origin: India
Religion of origin: Hindu
Language of origin: Hindi
Famous people named Sharma
- Anushka Sharma - Indian actress
- Alok Sharma - Politician
- Rohit Sharma - Indian cricketer
- Madhav Sharma - Actor
- Kapil Sharma - Indian standup comedian
- Karishma Sharma - Indian television actress.
- Adah Sharma - Indian actress
- Varun Sharma - Indian actor
- Virendra Sharma - Politician
- Neha Sharma - Indian actress
- Babita Sharma - Journalist
- Kamalesh Sharma - Indian diplomat
- Atul Sharma -
- Vishwa Nath Sharma - Indian general
- Suneal Sharma - Cricketer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.