shepard
Shepard is an English-language surname of occupational origin, derived from the word shepherd, a person who tended sheep. It is a variant spelling of the more common Shepherd and has several related forms, including Sheppard and Shepherd.
In modern usage, the name is found mainly in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States, the
Notable people and uses include Sam Shepard (1943–2017), an American playwright and actor, whose surname is spelled
Variants and cognates include Shepherd and Sheppard; the name has many spellings due to regional orthography.