Shearn last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Shearn

A variant of the English surname derived from the Old English words "scir" and "ærn", meaning a shearing shed or barn.

Shearn, 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 Shearn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shearn in America

Shearn is the 34916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shearn surname appeared 646 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shearn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shearn 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 34916 31426 10.52%
Count 646 697 -7.59%
Proportion per 100k 0.22 0.26 -16.67%

The history of the last name Shearn

The surname Shearn is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Somerset, where it was derived from a locational name referring to a person who resided near a copse or small wood. The name is thought to be a variation of the Old English word "scyrne," which means a small wood or grove.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Shearn can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from the year 1327, where it appears as "Sherne." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the region during that time.

In the early 15th century, the name appears in the Feudal Aids records of 1428, where a John Sherne is mentioned as a landowner in Somerset. This record provides further evidence of the surname's longstanding presence in the area.

Another notable reference to the Shearn surname can be found in the Parish Registers of Timberscombe, Somerset, where a William Shearne is recorded as having been buried in 1608. This entry is significant as it showcases the evolution of the spelling from its earlier form.

Among the notable individuals who bore the Shearn surname in history is Robert Shearne (1662-1705), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. He is best known for his work titled "A Discourse concerning Divine Providence," published in 1696.

Another prominent figure was John Shearn (1725-1788), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and played a role in the defense of Quebec during the conflict.

In the 19th century, John Shearn (1792-1870) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Somerset and the surrounding areas. Some of his notable works include St. Michael's Church in Shepton Mallet and the Taunton County Court.

Moving into the 20th century, Sir Walter Shearn (1904-1981) was a distinguished British civil servant who served as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1958 to 1964.

Lastly, Phillip Shearn (1931-2012) was an Australian artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings. He had a successful career spanning several decades and his works are held in various collections throughout Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shearn

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

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 Shearn was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 78.02% 504
Non-Hispanic Black Only 16.41% 106
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.24% 8
Hispanic Origin 3.72% 24

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 Shearn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 78.02% 80.20% -2.76%
Black 16.41% 17.07% -3.94%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.24% 1.29% -3.95%
Hispanic 3.72% 1.29% 97.01%

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

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

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