SHARPS
Sharps is a surname of firmly rooted English origin, predominantly found within the British Isles and in particular within England.
The family name derives from the Old English word scearp, meaning sharp. It is most commonly understood as an occupational surname. In the medieval period it was typically bestowed upon a person engaged in the manufacture or sale of sharp implements, most notably a cutler, or anyone who produced or traded knives and other cutting tools. The designation reflected both the literal nature of the work and the keen, pointed character often associated with such crafts.
In addition to the occupational interpretation, the surname may have functioned as a descriptive nickname given to an individual with a sharp or clever personality. Such nicknames were a frequent source of surnames in English society, where a person’s traits were immortalised in the family name.
The name carries the cultural background of Christian religious tradition, as the early bearers of the surname were documented within a predominantly Christian England. The surname, being of English origin, retains the customary English orthography and linguistic heritage that characterises surnames in the region.
Typical given names associated with the Sharps surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Cameron
- Daniel
- David
- Joseph
- Leonard
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Betty
- Deborah
- Heather
- Helen
- Joan
- Louise
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Rowena
- Susan
- Tina
- Wendy
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Sharps in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 376 people named Sharps in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Sharps.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Sharps
- Ian Sharps - Football player
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.