SHARROCK
Sharrock is a surname of English origin that can be traced back to the Old English compound scirroc, meaning “bright” or “clear” rock. The name is typically understood as a locational or topographical surname, denoting a person who dwelt near a prominent stone or rocky outcrop.
Historical records first identify the spelling Richard de Shorrok in 1332 within the county pipe rolls of Lancashire in the reign of King Edward III, indicating that the name was in use in the west of England during the early fourteenth century.
From the late sixteenth century onwards the surname appears in a variety of forms – Shorrock, Sherrock, Sharach, Sherik, Sharrocks – and these variants are documented in parish registers across London, including the baptisms of Em Sharrocke (1600), Lawrence Sharrucke (1606) and Anne Sherrock (1640).
One tradition links the name to the village of Shorrock Green in Lancashire. According to this view the place name itself is believed to derive from a mixture of the Old Norse word sker (meaning “rock”) and the Norman‑French roche, though this derivation is not universally accepted by place‑name scholars.
Another source claims the surname stems from the Old English phrase scear‑roc, literally “share stone” or “ploughshare.” In this interpretation a share stone was a boundary marker or a significant stone placed in an agricultural field, and the name may have originally been a nickname for a farmer or a person living by such a stone.
Records from the early seventeenth century show the name spreading beyond Lancashire. An example is Joseph Sharrick, noted in Virginia in 1635, demonstrating that bearers of the surname began to settle in the New World during the first generation of English colonisation.
Information from genealogical databases indicates that, in more recent times, the surname remains most concentrated in the north of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire, with a substantial presence also in parts of southern England such as Sussex.
Outside the United Kingdom the surname has attained a measurable frequency in the United States, where it is most commonly found in the southern states, especially Texas. Canadian records show a notable concentration in Ontario and Alberta, while in Australia the name is predominantly located in New South Wales.
Variations of the surname that appear in records include Sharracks, Sherrock, Shearrock, Sherricks among others. Occasionally the name is part of double‑barrelled surnames, such as Sharrock‑Christopher or Sharrock‑James, indicating a potential merging of families.
While some modern accounts have associated the name with a French origin – citing a possible derivation from Charrier meaning “wagoner” – this claim is not corroborated by the primary historical documents that trace Sharrock back to Old English or Old Norse roots.
Overall, the surname Sharrock has remained a recognisable English name for several centuries, and its continued presence across the British Isles and in former British colonies reflects a long history of migration and settlement.
Typical given names associated with the Sharrock surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Bethan
- Carmel
- Catherine
- Claire
- Diane
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Lesley
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Shorrock
- Sherrock
- Schrock
- Charrock
- Charagu
- Charig
- Charik
- Chark
- Charkaui
- Charke
- Charki
- Charuk
- Cheraghi
- Cherek
- Chergui
- Cherk
- Cherkaoui
- Cherki
- Cherquaoui
- Cherrak
- Cherrick
- Cherrouk
- Cheruku
- Chierico
- Chirac
- Chirag
- Chiraga
- Chiragh
- Chirca
- Chircu
- Chireka
- Chiriac
- Chiriaco
- Chirica
- Chirico
- Chirk
- Chouraqui
- Chriqui
- Churruca
- Ciarke
- Sarrock
- Shahraki
- Shahrokh
- Shahrokhi
- Shamrock
- Sharek
- Sharick
- Shark
- Sharka
- Sharke
- Sharkie
- Sharko
- Sharlock
- Sharnock
- Sharock
- Sharocks
- Sharrack
- Sharracks
- Sharroch
- Sharrocks
- Sharrod
- Sharrot
- Shergo
- Sherick
- Sherk
- Sherko
- Sherrick
- Sherrocks
- Shiraki
- Shirk
- Shirke
- Shirkie
- Shirrock
- Shorock
- Shorrick
- Shorrocks
- Shraga
- Shragg
- Shrago
- Shrague
- Shrake
- Shreck
- Shrock
- Shurrock
- Schurok
- Shahroz
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Sharrock in...
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There are approximately 1,818 people named Sharrock in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,560th most common surname in Britain. Around 28 in a million people in Britain are named Sharrock.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Sharrock
- Chris Sharrock - Drummer
- Alison Ruth Sharrock - Classics scholar
- Ivan Sharrock - Sound engineer
- Jim Sharrock - Rugby league player (1882 to 1945)
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.