Sherard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient history of the Sherard name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Cheshire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages. "Our antiquaries agree that Schirrard, who was resident in England, and held great possessions in the counties of Cheshire and Lancashire, temp. William Conqueror, is lineal ancestor to the present Earl of Harborough." 1 2 Lord Sherard, Baron of Leitrim, was created in 1627 for Sir William Sherard, of Stapleford, Leicestershire. He was known as the Earl of Harborough in 1719.

The name could have been Norman in origin as two sources note the French influence. The first source notes that Godefridus Sirart was listed in Normandy (1180-1195) and that Adam Scirart was later found in Dorset in the 13th century. Hugh Scherhare was found in Rutland in 1267. 3

The second source claims the name that name was derived from the Old English word "scir" meaning "bright" and the French suffix "(h)ard." 4

Early Origins of the Sherard family

The surname Sherard was first found in Cheshire at Thornton, where the family was first listed in the 13th century. William Sherard who died in 1304 appears to be the first listing of the surname. 5

Another source claims that William Shirard listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1298 as the oldest listing of the family. This latter source goes on to note that Richard Schirard was also found in Staffordshire in 1323. 4

Another branch of the family was found at Stapleford in Leicestershire. This was home to Sir William Sherard, Lord Sherard, Baron of Leitrim created in 1627. His son, Bennet Sherard (1675-1732) would become the 1st Earl of Harborough. The church at Stapleford "was erected in 1783, by Robert, fourth Earl of Harborough and contains some fine monuments to the Sherard family, among which is one by Rysbrach, in memory of Bennet, the first earl." 6

The Wills at Chester list: William Sherratt, of Moss Side, Manchester in 1588 and John Sherratt, of Church Lawton in 1604. 7

Early History of the Sherard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sherard research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1304, 1588, 1621, 1623, 1640, 1659, 1660, 1666, 1670, 1675, 1680, 1695, 1700, 1728, 1732, 1738, 1750 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sherard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sherard Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Sherard include Sherard, Sherrard, Sherrat, Shirrard and others.

Early Notables of the Sherard family

Notables of the family at this time include

William Sherard, 1st Baron Sherard of Stapleford, Leicestershire (1588-1640); Bennet Sherard, 2nd Baron Sherard (1621-1700); Bennet Sherard, 3rd Baron Sherard (1675-1732); Bennet Sherard, 1st Earl of...
James Sherard (1666-1738), was an English physician and botanist, son of George Sherard or Sherwood of Bushby in Leicestershire. William Sherard (1659-1728), the English botanist was the eldest son of...

Migration of the Sherard family to Ireland

Some of the Sherard family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sherard family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Sherard or a variant listed above: Alfred Sherrat, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1860; Francis Sherrard settled in Virginia in 1732; Bernard Sherrard arrived in New England in 1769; along with Nathaniel and Robert..

Contemporary Notables of the name Sherard (post 1700) +

Robert Castell Sherard (1858-1931), 12th Baron Sherard, English peer
Philip Halton Sherard (1851-1924), 11th Baron Sherard, English peer
Castell Sherard (1849-1902), 10th Baron Sherard, English peer
Philip Castell Sherard (1804-1886), 9th Baron Sherard, English peer
Robert Sherard (1797-1859), 6th Earl of Harborough, English peer
Philip Sherard (1767-1807), 5th Earl of Harborough, English peer
Robert Sherard (1719-1799), 4th Earl of Harborough, English peer
Bennet Sherard (1709-1770), 3rd Earl of Harborough, English peer
Robert Sherard (1861-1943), English journalist, who wrote mostly about working conditions and urban poverty
William Sherard (1659-1728), English botanist
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Sherard Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Hostis honori invidia
Motto Translation: Envy is an enemy to honour.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)