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

Shearin, 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 Shearin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shearin in America

Shearin is the 9563rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shearin surname appeared 3,399 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Shearin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shearin 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 Shearin

The surname Shearin is of Scottish origin, specifically from the Lowlands region. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "schera," meaning a reaper or one who harvests crops. This suggests that the ancestors of those bearing the Shearin name were likely involved in agricultural work, particularly during the harvesting season.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Scherar, Scherar, Schereir, and Scheirers. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the swearing of allegiance to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The name "John le Scherer" is listed among those who pledged their loyalty.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Shearin surname was prevalent in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. Notable individuals from this period include Robert Shearer, a merchant in Glasgow who was granted a coat of arms in 1672, and John Shearer, a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation movement in the late 16th century.

In the 18th century, the Shearin name can be found in various parish records and historical documents. For instance, James Shearin, born in 1734 in Ayrshire, was a successful farmer and landowner. Another notable individual was William Shearin, born in 1756 in Lanarkshire, who served as a captain in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries passed, the Shearin name spread beyond Scotland, with many bearers of the name migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of John Shearin, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

In the 19th century, several individuals bearing the Shearin surname made significant contributions to various fields. Alexander Shearin, born in 1812 in Ayrshire, was a renowned poet and author, while Thomas Shearin, born in 1834 in Lanarkshire, was a respected educator and advocate for educational reform.

Throughout its history, the Shearin surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including farmers, merchants, soldiers, writers, and educators. While the name has evolved in its spelling over the centuries, its Scottish roots and connections to the agricultural heritage of the Lowlands region remain a defining aspect of its origins and meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shearin

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

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 Shearin 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 Shearin 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 Shearin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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