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Origins of the Shepherd surname

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What does the name Shepherd mean?

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.

Alternative variations of the name Shepherd

Shepherd, Sheppard, Sheepherd, Shephard, Shephert

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Where do most Shepherds live?

In 1921, most Shepherds lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Shepherds

How common is your surname?

164th most common surname in the UK

We have 211,000 records for the Shepherd surname. The oldest one dates back to 1264.

Who were Shepherds most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Shepherds.

What are the most common Shepherd first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Shepherd family members

Common jobs for Shepherds

Men 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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We found over 330,000 family trees with the Shepherd surname

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