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Sheperd Family History

Sheperd Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): variant of Shepherd. Americanized form of French Chaput.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Sheperd family from?

You can see how Sheperd families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sheperd family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sheperd families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 52 Sheperd families living in Lancashire. This was about 18% of all the recorded Sheperd's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Sheperd families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sheperd 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 Sheperd 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 Sheperd. 29% of Sheperd men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Sheperd women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sheperd were Colliery Labourer and Charwoman.

View Census Data for Sheperd | 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
    29%
  • Incapacitated
    29%
  • At School
    15%
  • Colliery Labourer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Charwoman
    2%

What Sheperd family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Sheperd. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sheperd census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sheperd

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Sheperd. 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 Sheperd immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Sheperd. For the veterans among your Sheperd ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sheperd military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sheperd family history

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What is the average Sheperd lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Sheperd life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Sheperd in 1950 was 33, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sheperd

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sheperd 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.

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