Find out how popular the last name Sharp is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Sharp.

Sharp, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Sharp surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sharp in America

Sharp is the 405th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sharp surname appeared 78,990 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 27 people would have the surname Sharp.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sharp to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Sharp

The surname Sharp is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "scearp," which means sharp or keen-witted. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered sharp or quick-witted.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, the earliest known spelling of the name appears as "Scharpe." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Richard le Sharpe, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. The "le" prefix indicates that he was likely known as Richard the Sharp, reflecting the descriptive nature of the surname.

The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Sharpe's Hill in Derbyshire and Sharpe's Moor in Yorkshire, which may have influenced the adoption of the surname in those areas.

Among notable historical figures with the surname Sharp, one can mention:

1. Abraham Sharp (1653-1742), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of calculus.

2. Granville Sharp (1735-1813), an English abolitionist and one of the first campaigners for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

3. Becky Sharp, the cunning and ambitious protagonist of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel "Vanity Fair" (published in 1847-1848).

4. Dorothy Sharp (1886-1962), an English artist and sculptor known for her avant-garde works and association with the Vorticist movement.

5. Thomas Sharp (1770-1841), an English political reformer and philanthropist, known for his work in establishing the first Mechanics' Institute in Britain.

The surname Sharp has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its widespread usage and enduring presence throughout English history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sharp

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Sharp.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Sharp was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Sharp has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Sharp was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sharp, please contact us.

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