SHERRARD
Sherrard is an English surname with its roots forming in the medieval period of the British Isles. The name is recorded in the Early English period and is classified, in genealogical reference, as an occupational or nickname surname rather than a territorial designation. Most variant spellings are derived from the same root and are geographically widespread across the United Kingdom and abroad.
The origin of the surname is best traced to Old English elements. The prefix Scir means “bright” or “shining”, while the suffix heard originally meant “hard” or “brave”. Scholars who examine medieval anthroponymy therefore interpret Sherrard as “bright and brave” or “shining and strong”. This combination of descriptors might have been applied to a person whose appearance or character reflected such qualities, or to someone associated with a place described in similar terms.
In the earliest surviving records the name appears under a range of spellings that include Shirard, Schirard and later, within the 14th and 15th centuries, variants such as Sherard and Sherratt. One of the first documented instances is identified as William Shirard in Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire, dated 1298, while the year 1323 records Richard Schirard of the same county. Subsequent entries include William Sherard (1337) and Jane Sharratt (1578) in London. By the early 17th century, the marriage of Hugh Sharratt and Mary Beamyshe was recorded at St. Andrew’s by the Wardrobe, London, on 18 October 1608. These citations confirm the long standing use of the name in its English regional context.
Spelling variations that have persisted into the modern era are numerous and include Sherratt, Sherrett, Sherrott, Sharratt, Sharrard, Sherrac and Sherred. Over centuries, spelling was not standardised. As a result, different records, even within the same family line, may contain divergent orthographic forms. In contemporary genealogical databases, the spelling most commonly encountered is Sherrard, but individuals and families must recognise that historical documents may reflect any of the above variants.
The heraldic device most commonly associated with the Sherrard surname features a blue field with two gold boars passant, a canton of ermine, and a fess argent. While the motive and tincture vary among heraldic registries, the portrayal of boars – symbols of strength and determination – aligns with the “brave” element of the surname’s meaning. The ermine canton may reflect a historically noble or land‑holding connection, but its precise provenance is debated among heraldic scholars.
In addition to the descriptive (nickname) derivation, some researchers note a locational origin: the place name Sherard in Leicestershire, described as “bright open land”, could have been the source for a family who moved away from that terrain and took the place name as an identifier. An alternate proposal cites a patronymic link to the Germanic personal name Gerhard, meaning “spear‑brave”. Both hypotheses recognise that many medieval families adopted names that commemorated either personal characteristic or geographic association.
Today, bearers of the Sherrard surname can be found across the English‑speaking world. In the United Kingdom, the surname is most frequently recorded within the county of Lancashire, while in the United States it appears largely in the states of Missouri, Texas and Oregon. In Canada, the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta contain the greatest numbers of individuals with the name. The demographic distribution reflects patterns of migration from the original English homeland during the modern era. Despite its current global spread, the surname remains firmly rooted in its English heritage and its early medieval documentary presence.
Typical given names associated with the Sherrard surname
Male
- David
- Eustace
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Ray
- Richard
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Adrienne
- Christine
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Jennifer
- Josephine
- Julie
- Lisa
- Lucy
- Margaret
- Mary
- Rachel
- Sharon
- Susan
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 Sherrard in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 479 people named Sherrard in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around seven in a million people in Britain are named Sherrard.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Sherrard
- Philip Sherrard - Writer (1922 to 1995)
- Patrick Sherrard - Cricketer (1919 to 1997)
- Charles Sherrard - Rugby union player (1849 to 1938)
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.