The origin of the Shepherd surname is English. It is a relatively humble name with roots in the occupation of the same name. It would have been given to those who watched and looked after sheep and their descendants. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is more prevalent in parts of the country that relied more heavily on the wool industry such as Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Shepherd, Sheppard, Sheepherd, Shephard, Shephert
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Sign up to get startedMen and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.
Common female occupations for Shepherds in 1921
Dressmaker
987
Cotton Weaver
540
Laundress
535
Domestic Servant
476
General Servant Domestic
476
Common male occupations for Shepherds in 1921
Agricultural Labourer
841
Farmer
730
General Labourer
721
Coal Miner
717
Farm Labourer
487
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