Surname McSherar - Meaning and Origin
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McSherar: What does the surname McSherar mean?
The last name McSherar is an Irish surname believed to originate from the Gaelic name Mac Searraigh. The name, which literally translates to “son of Searraigh”, can be found throughout Ireland in both its original and anglicised form.
The family believed to have borne this surname has its origination in County Clare in the western part of Ireland. The name is believed to have been established in the region as far back as the 13th century, when it was first recorded in the area.
Most McSherars are believed to have been farmers or other agricultural workers, this being a common profession in the medieval period. It is thought that this was the primary source of the family’s income for several centuries, though by the 19th century, members of the Mac Sherraigh family had become increasingly successful in industry, many having risen to the ranks of merchants and professionals.
The McSherar opening line is still in use today, and has spread to many different countries, both among the Irish diaspora and in other areas where people of Irish descent now live. It is thought that many of the people who carry the McSherar name today continue to feel a strong connection to their Irish roots, and some still live in the parts of Ireland where the clan originally lived.
Order DNA origin analysisMcSherar: Where does the name McSherar come from?
The surname McSherar is of Scottish descent, and is most common in Scotland and in areas where Scottish people have settled in large numbers.
In Scotland, the surname McSherar is most common in the counties of Perthshire, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Aberdeenshire and Stirlingshire. This is no surprise since these areas were main areas of settlement for those Scottish families with the McSherar surname.
In England, the surname McSherar is most common in the counties of Cumberland and Lancashire. These counties were heavily settled by Scots during the 17th and 18th centuries, when many Scottish families moved to the area to take advantage of the booming textile industry.
In addition to these areas of the United Kingdom, since the 1700s many Scottish families have migrated to Canada, America, Australia, New Zealand and other areas of the Commonwealth. Thus, it is possible to find Scottish surnames such as McSherar in many parts of the world today.
Variations of the surname McSherar
McSherar has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. MacSharry, MacSherie, and MacSherry, to name a few, are alternate spellings for McSherar. All of these spellings can also refer to the surname McShare. Though the exact origin of this surname is uncertain, it is most likely of Irish origin.
Sherar, Sherrie, and Sherry are common variants of the McSherar surname stemming from the Irish surname McShare. Similar spellings used for McSherar include Sharrar, Sharry, and Sheraar. These variant spellings of McSherar are less common as they are not traced back to the Irish surname McShare.
The masculine versions of the above variants include Sharrer, Sharrie, and Sharry. These are rarely used in place of McSherar/McShare.
The Irish surname M’Sherie is a derivative of McShare and has a variety of alternate spellings, including MacSherie, MacSheeree, and MacSheery.
In Scotland, the surname McSherie is variant of McShare and MacSherie and MacSherry are shared surname spellings.
McShare is also a variant of the Welsh surname Ap Sherry and Sherry is a variant of the English surname Sherwood.
To conclude, McSherar has numerous variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common of these variants and spellings are MacSharry, MacSherie, and MacSherry; however, there are a plethora of others that stem from the Irish surname McShare.
Famous people with the name McSherar
- Ashley McSherar: Professional golfer
- Emily McSherar: British field hockey player
- Gabrielle McSherar: Actress and inspirational speaker
- Jack McSherar: Singer and songwriter
- Jamie McSherar: Voice actress
- Lance McSherar: Paralympian athlete
- Mark McSherar: Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
- Matt McSherar: Professional American football quarterback
- Morgan McSherar: Actor and casting director
- Pierce McSherar: Professional skateboarder
- Taylor McSherar: Professional softball player
- Will McSherar: Professional Alienware gamer