Sherard

Sherard is primarily a surname of English origin and can also be encountered as a given name on rare occasions. In historical records, the name appears from the medieval period and continues in modern times as a family name.

Variants include Sherrard and Sherrard, among others. The precise etymology is uncertain; it is commonly treated as a toponymic or surname derived from an English place name, but there is no single definitive source.

Today, Sherard is relatively uncommon and is found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia, especially among descendants of English immigrants. Genealogical sources show the surname across multiple regions without a single dominant concentration.

In culture and reference works, "Sherard" may appear as a surname for fictional characters or in place names in literature and media, though such uses are not standardized. The name has given rise to related surnames such as Sherrard, which share common roots.

Notable bearers of the surname have appeared across fields such as literature, science, and public life, though none are universally known today.