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Shearing History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Shearing History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The Shearing 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 Shearing family

The surname Shearing 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 Shearing family

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

Shearing Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Shearing were recorded, including Sheering, Shearing, Sherring, Sherrin, Sherryn and many more.

Early Notables of the Shearing family

More information is included under the topic Early Shearing Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shearing migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Shearing arrived in North America very early:

Shearing Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Shearing, aged 13, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1829 7
John Shearing, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 7

Shearing migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shearing Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Samuel, Richard and Stephen Shearing who settled at Bona Vista, Newfoundland in 1792 8

Shearing migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Shearing Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Shearing, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. Frederick Shearing, English convict who was convicted in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
George Shearing, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 11
Eliza Shearing, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 11
Charlotte Shearing, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Shearing (post 1700) +

Miriam Mattinen Shearing (b. 1935), American lawyer and retired jurist, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada (1993-2005)
Peter Fraser Shearing (b. 1938), English former professional footballer who made 245 appearances in the Football League from 1960 to 1973
Sir George Shearing OBE (1919-2011), English jazz musician and composer of over 300 titles from Battersea, London, recipient of numerous awards including two Grammys, Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1993, "Lifetime Achievement Award" from BBC Jazz Awards in 2003 and many more
Dinah Hilary Shearing AM (1926-2021), Australian actress who appeared on stage, radio, television and films, known for Farscape (1999), All the Rivers Run (1983) and The Lost World (1999)
Rebecca Shearing, Scottish contemporary pop singer
Mr. Shearing, British sailor who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales and survived the sinking

Historic Events for the Shearing family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Shearing, British sailor, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 12

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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Buckinghamshire.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html