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

Sherrill, 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 Sherrill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sherrill in America

Sherrill is the 2640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sherrill surname appeared 13,631 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Sherrill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sherrill 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 Sherrill

The surname Sherrill is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scir," meaning bright or shining, combined with the word "hyll," meaning hill. This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived on a bright or shining hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Sherrill can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Shirrevel." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire from 1285, where it is spelled "Shyrevill."

One of the earliest known bearers of the Sherrill name was John Shyrevill, a landowner in Oxfordshire who lived in the late 13th century. Records indicate that he owned property in the village of Shyrevill, now known as Shirvall, which likely contributed to the family's surname.

In the 14th century, the name Sherrill appeared in various forms, including "Shirrevel," "Shyrevill," and "Shyrrevyle." These spellings can be found in various historical documents, such as the Court Rolls of Wiltshire and the Feet of Fines for Essex.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Sherrill was well-established in parts of southern England, particularly in counties like Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. Notable individuals from this period include:

1. William Sherrill (1560-1635), a prominent merchant and landowner in Oxfordshire.
2. John Sherrill (1620-1692), a Puritan clergyman and author who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony.

As the name spread across England, variations in spelling continued to emerge, including "Sherrell," "Sherrell," and "Sherill." These spellings can be found in parish records and census listings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Individuals of note from this era include:

1. Thomas Sherrill (1725-1798), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
2. Mary Sherrill (1770-1849), an English novelist and poet known for her works on social and moral issues.
3. James Sherrill (1810-1885), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.

Throughout its history, the surname Sherrill has been associated with various occupations and professions, including merchants, clergymen, military officers, authors, and politicians. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sherrill

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

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

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

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