2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sherva
A surname derived from the French word "cerveau" meaning brain or mind.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Sherva. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sherva surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Sherva in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherva, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sherva
The surname SHERVA is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the region of present-day Pakistan. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Sharvari," which means "the night" or "darkness."
The earliest known record of this surname dates back to the 16th century, when it appeared in a manuscript detailing the genealogy of a prominent family in the city of Lahore. According to this document, the name SHERVA was bestowed upon a member of the family who was known for his bravery and military exploits during nighttime battles.
During the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century, the SHERVA surname gained prominence among the warrior class. Several individuals bearing this name were noted for their valor and skill in combat, and some were even granted land and titles by the Mughal emperors.
One notable figure with the surname SHERVA was Malik Sherva Khan (1550-1619), a renowned military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was instrumental in several campaigns against rebellious territories and was rewarded with the title of "Khan" for his loyalty and service.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Nawab Sherva Ali Khan (1725-1789), who served as the Governor of the Sindh region during the latter part of the Mughal Empire. He was known for his administrative skills and his efforts to promote education and cultural pursuits in the region.
In the 19th century, the SHERVA surname began to spread beyond the Indian subcontinent as members of the family migrated to other parts of the world, such as East Africa and the Middle East. One notable figure from this period was Ahmad Sherva (1820-1890), a merchant and entrepreneur who established trade routes between India and the Persian Gulf.
As the British Empire expanded its influence in the Indian subcontinent, some individuals with the SHERVA surname served in the British Indian Army and later migrated to other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations.
Overall, the surname SHERVA has a rich history rooted in the Indian subcontinent, with connections to military prowess, administrative roles, and entrepreneurial endeavors. While its origins can be traced back to ancient Sanskrit roots, the name has since spread across various regions and cultures, carrying with it a legacy of bravery, leadership, and achievement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sherva
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherva, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Sherva bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sherva surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.0% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sherva
Sherva appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+13 bearers (+12.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,768 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.4%) | Up 3,768 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,648 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sherva surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #142,788 | -1.2% |
| Count | 118 | 119 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sherva bearers went from 118 to 119 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,788.
FAQ
Sherva surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sherva?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Sherva. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Sherva?
Sherva ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Sherva. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sherva.
Has Sherva become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sherva went from 118 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Sherva?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherva, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sherva in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sherva appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%), Hispanic (2.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sherva (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sherva mean?
A surname derived from the French word "cerveau" meaning brain or mind. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sherva (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Sherva?
See how many people have the last name Sherva on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.