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

Sheridan, 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 Sheridan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheridan in America

Sheridan is the 1623rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheridan surname appeared 22,177 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Sheridan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheridan 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 Sheridan

The surname SHERIDAN is of Irish origin, originating in County Cavan in the Ulster province of Ireland. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Sirideáin," which means "descendants of Sirideán." Sirideán itself is a diminutive form of the name Sraid, meaning "holm," or a small island or piece of land beside a river.

The name SHERIDAN first appeared in records during the 12th century, when it was spelled as "Shyridane" or "O'Shyridane." It is thought to have been associated with the MacCabe family, who were prominent landowners in County Cavan at the time. In the Annals of Ulster, a manuscript dating back to the 15th century, there are references to individuals with the surname SHERIDAN.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name SHERIDAN was James Sheridan, who was born in 1551 in County Cavan. He was a renowned scholar and author, and is considered one of the first to publish works in the Irish language. Another notable figure was Thomas Sheridan, born in 1646, who was a renowned linguist and scholar of the Irish language.

In the 17th century, the SHERIDAN family played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, with several members participating in the uprising against English rule. Patrick Sheridan, born in 1609, was a prominent leader in the rebellion and was later executed for his role in the conflict.

The name SHERIDAN also has a strong connection to the literary world. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, born in 1751, was a renowned playwright and poet, best known for his comedies "The Rivals" and "The School for Scandal." His son, Thomas Sheridan, born in 1775, was also a playwright and actor.

Another famous figure with the SHERIDAN surname was Philip Henry Sheridan, born in 1831, who was a celebrated Union Army general during the American Civil War. He was known for his aggressive tactics and played a crucial role in several important battles, including the Battle of Cedar Creek.

Throughout history, the SHERIDAN name has been associated with various professions, including scholars, writers, rebels, and military leaders, reflecting the diverse and rich heritage of this Irish surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheridan

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!