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Sharples Family History

Sharples Name Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from Sharples (Lancashire). The etymology of the placename is uncertain; it may derive from Old English scearp ‘sharp pointed steep’ + lǣs ‘meadow’ or lēas plural of lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’ or from scearpol ‘place characterized by a pointed feature pointed hill’.

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


Similar surnames: Sharpley, Charles, Charnley, Shackley, Shipley, Harley, Staple

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Sharples family from?

You can see how Sharples families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sharples family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sharples families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 5,078 Sharples families living in Lancashire. This was about 91% of all the recorded Sharples's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Sharples families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sharples 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 Sharples 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 Sharples. 9% of Sharples men worked as a General Labourer and 63% of Sharples women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sharples were Railway Clerk and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Sharples | 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
    9%
  • Cotton Weaver
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Cotton Weaver
    8%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sharples family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Sharples. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sharples census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sharples

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Sharples. 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 Sharples immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Sharples. For the veterans among your Sharples ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Sharples lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Sharples life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Sharples in 1952 was 69, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sharples

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