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Shearn Family History

Shearn Name Meaning

English (Somerset): apparently a nickname from a regional form of Middle English sharn ‘dung’ but it may be a post-medieval shortened form of Sherrin .

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


Similar surnames: Shears, Stearn, Hearn, Sheard, Shear, Athearn, Shean, Share, Sneary

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shearn family from?

You can see how Shearn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shearn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shearn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 274 Shearn families living in Somerset. This was about 60% of all the recorded Shearn's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Shearn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shearn 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 Shearn ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Shearn. 15% of Shearn men worked as a Builders Labourer and 81% of Shearn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shearn were Wood Machinist and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Shearn | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Coal Hewer
    11%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Wood Machinist
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shearn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Shearn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shearn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shearn

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 976 military records available for the last name Shearn. For the veterans among your Shearn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shearn military records

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What is the average Shearn lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Shearn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Shearn in 1944 was 32, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shearn

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