Sherrin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Sherrin surname was originally an occupational name 'the shearer' a cutter of cloth or denoting the occupation of shearing sheep. The name was derived from the Old English word 'sherer' which was in turn derived from the "Anglo-Saxon *Scíringas = (the Estate of the) Scír- Family [Old English scír, bright, white, brilliant + -ingas (dat. pl. -ingum)." 1

Early Origins of the Sherrin family

The surname Sherrin was first found in Essex at Sheering, a parish, in the union of Epping, hundred of Harlow where "the church is a small ancient edifice." 2

The place name dates back to about the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first recorded as Sceringa 3 and literally meant "settlement of the family or followers of a man called *Scear(a) from the Old English personal name + "-ingas." 4

Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the village and lands of Sheering, held by Peter de Vallognes, from Valognes, Manche in Normandy, a Norman noble who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. His father also held an old feoffment in Kent from the Avranches family.

Early rolls give us a glimpse of the many spelling in use over the years. Matilda le Scherheringe was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as holding lands in Lincolnshire. Richard le Schearere, was listed in County Yorkshire in 1300 and Johannes Wykir Shearinge and Oliver Searing were listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

The name was taken to Scotland at an early date and John Cissor was burgess of Dunfermline in 1316. William Scharing was the bailie of Berwick in 1324, and Johannes Scherar was baillie and burgess of Aberdeen in the year 1399. William Schering was proprietor of a tenemant in Dundee in 1427, and another William Sherar was burgess of Aberdeen in 1451. Ando Scherare was parishioner of Kinkell in 1473, and Johannes Scherare was archdeacon of Ross in 1503. A family of the name appeared in Strathblane early in the 17th century, and John Scharrar was 'watchman in ye castell' of Stirling in 1587. 6

Early History of the Sherrin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sherrin research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1327 is included under the topic Early Sherrin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sherrin Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Sheering, Shearing, Sherring, Sherrin, Sherryn and many more.

Early Notables of the Sherrin family

Notables of the family at this time include

the Sherrin family of Essex

Migration of the Sherrin family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Sherrin or a variant listed above were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Contemporary Notables of the name Sherrin (post 1700) +

Lindsey Sherrin, American actress, known for The Pigs (2005), The People v. Leo Frank (2009) and Blood Done Sign My Name (2010)
Martyn Sherrin, American actor and writer, known for Crazy Campers (2014), Silence Is Golden (2016) and Risque
William Robert Sherrin (1871-1955), English scientific collector, taxidermist, and amateur botanist who worked for the British Museum of Natural History from 1895 to 1947
Scott Sherrin (1972-1996), English multi-talented child star, originally from London, known for From the Top (1985), An Actor's Life for Me (1991) and No 73 (1982); he died in London at the age of 23
Edward George "Ned" Sherrin CBE (1931-2007), English broadcaster, author and stage director from Gawlers Farm, Low Ham, Somerset
Craig Arden Sherrin (b. 1952), former Australian politician, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mansfield (1986-1989)

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)