Sheerghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Sheerghan comes from one of the family having worked as a person who worked as a sheep-shearer deriving from the middle English word "sheareman," which meant "shearer." Alternately, and especially in Norfolk, the name was derived from "shireman," that is, a person born outside the county. 1

Early Origins of the Sheerghan family

The surname Sheerghan was first found in various counties and shires throughout ancient Britain. In fact, "in [the] Domesday Book the Judge of the County-court was called a Seirman, i.e., Shireman. The Anglo Saxon scirmann is defined by Bosworth as 'a man who superintends, shireman, provincial, an overseer, governor, provost, bailiff of a hundred.' " 1

The earliest record of the name that we could find was Roger Sereman who was listed in 1207 in Leicestershire. A few years later William le Shereman was listed in 1281 and the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk list John Sherman in 1327. In the same year, the Subsidy Rolls of Essex listed Philip Shareman (Sharman.) 2

Early History of the Sheerghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheerghan research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1611, 1662, 1670, 1671 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Sheerghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheerghan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Sheerghan have been found, including: Sherman, Shearman, Sharman, Shaerman, Shirman and others.

Early Notables of the Sheerghan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Philip Sherman (1611-1687), an English founding settler of Portsmouth in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, signer of the American Declaration of Independence. John Sherman (died 1671), was an English historian of Jesus College, Cambridge, a native of Dedham...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheerghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheerghan family to Ireland

Some of the Sheerghan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheerghan family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Sheerghan, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were : John Sherman, who settled in Boston in 1634; Phillip, Edmund, Thomas; and William Sherman all settled in Virginia in 1652; Thomas Sherman settled in Barbados in 1634.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)