Sherwood
From a place name meaning "bright wood" or "clearing in a forest" in Old English.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 24,850 Americans carry the last name Sherwood. That puts it at #1,685 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 13,793 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sherwood surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
25K
1 in 13,793
Census rank
#1,685
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
21K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 21,384 bearers of the surname Sherwood in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1685th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherwood, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sherwood
The surname Sherwood is an English toponymic name derived from the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. It originally referred to someone who lived near or in the Sherwood Forest area. The name is derived from the Old English words "sceor" meaning bright or sheering, and "wudu" meaning wood or forest, collectively meaning "bright or sheer wood".
The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Siruuede". Other early spellings include Shirewode, Shyrewode, and Shyrwode in the 13th and 14th centuries. The name was also associated with the legendary figure of Robin Hood, who was said to have resided in Sherwood Forest.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William de Shyrwode, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195. Another early bearer was Robertus de Shirewode, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.
In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname was Sir Thomas de Shyrwode, a knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was born around 1320 and died in 1372.
During the 16th century, John Sherwood (1508-1554) was a prominent English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the Marian Persecutions.
In the 17th century, Benjamin Sherwood (1638-1688) was an English nonconformist minister and author who wrote several works on religious topics.
Another notable bearer of the name was Mary Martha Sherwood (1775-1851), an English writer and educator best known for her children's literature, including the popular book "The Fairchild Family".
In the 19th century, William Henry Sherwood (1826-1888) was an American pianist and composer who made significant contributions to the development of American classical music.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Sherwood throughout history, highlighting its English origins and connection to the Sherwood Forest area, as well as its use by notable figures across various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sherwood
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherwood, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sherwood bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Sherwood surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7%
- Hispanic or Latino3.1%
- Black or African American2.9%
- Two or more races1.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sherwood surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,567 | #1,685 | -7.5% |
| Count | 20,998 | 21,384 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 7.78 | 7.25 | -6.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Sherwood bearers went from 20,998 to 21,384 (+1.8% change). The surname moved down 118 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,567 to #1,685.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sherwood
FAQ
Sherwood surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sherwood?
The surname Sherwood holds position #1,685 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 24,850 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 7.25 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sherwood surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sherwood, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.