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Sheard Family History

Sheard Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): from Middle English shard sherd shord ‘cleft gap notch’ (Old English sceard).

The surname may be topographic for someone who lived by a gap (perhaps in a hedge or fence or in a range of hills) or habitational from a place so named such as Shard End in Castle Bromwich (Warwickshire).

It is also linked to other locations like the lost Shert Hall in Disley Stanley (Cheshire).

Additionally, it may refer to Shard near Hambleton (Lancashire).

This etymology reflects the geographical features that influenced the naming conventions in the Yorkshire region.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Sheard family from?

You can see how Sheard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sheard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sheard families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 2,154 Sheard families living in Yorkshire. This was about 78% of all the recorded Sheard's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Sheard families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sheard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Sheard ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sheard. 10% of Sheard men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Sheard women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sheard were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duti.

View Census Data for Sheard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Painter decorator
    5%
  • Woollen Weaver
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%

What Sheard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Sheard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sheard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sheard

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Sheard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sheard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Sheard. For the veterans among your Sheard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sheard military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sheard family history

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What is the average Sheard lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Sheard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Sheard in 1945 was 35, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sheard

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sheard ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sheard family tree

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