Origins of the Sharp surname

What does the name Sharp mean?

Sharp is a surname that originates in England. It is a descriptive nickname, given to someone who may have been particularly quick witted, keen or cutting, and then passed to their descendants. It derives from the Middle English 'scharpe' (Sharp) and arose during this period.

Alternative variations of the name Sharp

Sharp, Sharpe, Shairp, Sherp, Shairpe

Start free trial
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Sharps.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Sharp family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 991North West 391Isle of Man 25Yorkshire 4426East Midlands 995West Midlands 576East 1297London 3826South East 1902South West 250South Wales 85Mid Wales 22West Wales 8North Wales 29Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Sharps lived in yorkshire

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

Interesting facts about Sharp

How common is your surname?

160th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Sharp surname. The oldest one dates back to .

Who were Sharps most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Sharps.

What are the most common Sharp first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Sharp family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Sharps

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Sharps in 1921

Dressmaker

1,008

Domestic Servant

631

Laundress

586

House Servant

479

General Servant Domestic

463

Commmon male occupations for Sharps in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,230

Coal Miner

1,175

General Labourer

814

Farmer

688

Farm Labourer

663

We found over 310,000 family trees with the Sharp surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Sharps.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Sharp family members

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search