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

Sherwin, 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 Sherwin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sherwin in America

Sherwin is the 9821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sherwin surname appeared 3,296 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 Sherwin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sherwin 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 Sherwin

The surname Sherwin is of English origin, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "scir," meaning "bright" or "shining," and "wine," meaning "friend." The combination of these two words suggests that the name originally referred to a person with a sunny or radiant personality.

The name is believed to have originated in the southern counties of England, particularly in regions like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. It is also possible that the name has roots in the village of Sherwin, located in the county of Nottinghamshire.

In the Domesday Book, a record of landowners in England compiled in 1086, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Sherwin or similar spellings, such as Sherwine and Scherwyne. These early records indicate that the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Sherwin was Robert Sherwin, a landowner from Oxfordshire who lived in the early 13th century. Another notable figure was William Sherwin, a Catholic priest and martyr who was executed in London in 1584 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his involvement in the Throckmorton Plot.

In the 17th century, a prominent member of the Sherwin family was William Sherwin (1607-1691), an English mathematician and clergyman who served as a fellow of the Royal Society. He made significant contributions to the study of algebra and authored several mathematical works.

During the 18th century, John Sherwin (1708-1765) was a renowned portrait painter and engraver who worked in London. His portraits and engravings of notable figures of the time, including members of the aristocracy and clergy, are highly regarded and can be found in various art collections.

Another important figure associated with the surname Sherwin was John Keyes Sherwin (1751-1790), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several voyages to the Pacific Ocean. He served under the command of Captain James Cook and played a role in the exploration and mapping of various islands in the region.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Sherwin who have left their mark on history. The name has a rich heritage and has been carried by people from various walks of life, reflecting its enduring presence in England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sherwin

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

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

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

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