Shearn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Shearn is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Shearn comes from the Norman name Essira which is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 2 Additionally, the name is derived from the Old English "scir", meaning "fair, bright." 3 4

Early Origins of the Shearn family

The surname Shearn was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from ancient times being Lords of the Manor of Shere recorded in the Domesday Book Survey taken in 1086 A.D. as being 'King's Land' and consisting of a church and mills. 5

The original name of the village of Shere was 'Essira' and it may be taken that this was also the original spelling of the surname, taken from an unknown Norman noble who entered into England with William the Conqueror in 1066.

However, we must look to Berkshire to find the first entry of the family, that of Walter Leschir who was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1193. Later, Reginald le Scher was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327. 6

Early History of the Shearn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shearn research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1666, 1668, 1685, 1710, 1716, 1766 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Shearn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shearn Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Shere, Sheres, Shear, Shears, Sheares, Sheare, Sheares, Sheer, Sheers, Sheere, Sheeres, Shire, Shires, Shiers, Shier, Shiere, Sheir, Sheirs, Sheire and many more.

Early Notables of the Shearn family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Henry Sheeres (died 1710), English military engineer and author, was son of Henry Sheeres of Deptford, a captain in the Navy. "In 1666 he accompanied Edward Montagu, first Earl of Sandwich, the English ambassador, to Spain...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shearn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shearn family to Ireland

Some of the Shearn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shearn migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Shearn or a variant listed above:

Shearn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Shearn, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1862 7

Shearn migration to Australia +

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

Shearn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Shearn, a printer, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832

Contemporary Notables of the name Shearn (post 1700) +

Amy Shearn (b. 1979), American author of fiction, essays, poetry, and humor
Thomas Aaron Shearn (b. 1977), American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 2007
Clarence John Shearn (1869-1953), American lawyer and jurist, a judge in the New York Court of Appeals, and a president of the New York City Bar Association
Nicola Shearn (b. 1966), British synchronized swimmer at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Citations +

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)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)