Show ContentsSharratt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Sharratt is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived 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 Sharratt family

The surname Sharratt 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 Sharratt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sharratt 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 Sharratt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sharratt Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Sharratt family name include Sherard, Sherrard, Sherrat, Shirrard and others.

Early Notables of the Sharratt 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 Harborough (1675-1732); Philip Sherard, 2nd Earl of Harborough (1680-1750); and Philip Sherard (1623-1695), an English soldier, landowner and...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sharratt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sharratt family to Ireland

Some of the Sharratt 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.


Sharratt migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Sharratt surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Sharratt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Sharratt, who landed in New York in 1827 8

Sharratt migration to Australia +

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

Sharratt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Abraham Sharratt who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "David Malcolm" on 13th May 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and Norfolk Island 9
  • Elizabeth Sharratt, aged 17, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Sharratt (post 1700) +

  • Bryan Edwards Sharratt (1947-2007), United States Navy and Air Force officer, lawyer, accountant, real estate broker, and politician from Wyoming
  • Henry Sharratt (1936-2018), English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s
  • Paul William Sharratt (1933-2009), English-born Australian entertainer
  • Nicholas Sharratt, English operatic tenor from Nottingham
  • John Sharratt (1850-1892), English cricketer in the 1880s
  • Harold "Harry" Sharratt (1929-2002), English footballer who represented Great Britain at the 1956 Summer Olympics
  • Ian Sharratt (1948-1996), British co-founder of Pringle Richardson Sharratt, an architectural firm in 1996
  • Nick Sharratt (b. 1962), British illustrator and author of children's books, Official Illustrator for World Book Day 2006


The Sharratt 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.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  3. 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)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  6. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  8. 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)
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-malcolm
  10. South Australian Register Monday 26th December 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Epaminondas 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1853.shtml


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