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

Sher, 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 Sher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sher in America

Sher is the 11669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sher surname appeared 2,687 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 Sher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sher 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 Sher

The surname SHER is believed to have originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) during the medieval period. It is derived from the Persian word "shir," which means "lion." This association with strength and courage suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon a person of great bravery or a warrior.

In the 13th century, records show the name SHER appearing in Persian manuscripts and chronicles, often referring to individuals of high social status or military leaders. One notable example is Amir Khusrau Sher, a renowned Persian poet and scholar who lived from 1253 to 1325.

As the Persian Empire expanded, the name SHER spread to other regions, including Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In India, the name gained prominence during the Mughal era, particularly among the ruling class and nobility. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan ruler who established the Sur Empire and reigned from 1540 to 1545.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the SHER surname appeared in various historical documents and records across the Middle East and South Asia. In Turkey, for instance, the name Sher Ali was recorded in Ottoman archives from the late 16th century.

The SHER surname also found its way to Europe through trade and cultural exchange. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the name SHER in England, possibly immigrants or descendants of Persian or Indian merchants.

Some notable individuals with the surname SHER throughout history include:

1. Amir Khusrau Sher (1253-1325), Persian poet and scholar.
2. Sher Shah Suri (1486-1545), Afghan ruler and founder of the Sur Empire.
3. Sher Ali Khan (1825-1879), Emir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1879.
4. Sher Bahadur Deuba (born 1946), Nepali politician and former Prime Minister.
5. Sher Singh Rana (1889-1967), Indian civil servant and diplomat.

The surname SHER has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Shir, Shyr, and Shyr, reflecting regional linguistic differences and influences. Additionally, the name has been associated with certain place names, such as Sher Khan Bandar, a town in Pakistan named after the 16th-century Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sher

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

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

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

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