20,181 SHEARER members around the world

SHEARER Family History

Recorded as Shearer, Sherer, Sharer, Shirer, Shera (English and Scottish), Scherer, Scheerer, Scherrer (German), Sherer, Szerer (Polish and Ashkenasic), and possibly others, this is an occupational surname. It derives from the pre 7th century Old English word "sceran" and describes either a sheep shearer, or more likely given that sheep shearing happens only once a year for a limited period, to a skilled textile worker who used shears or scissors to trim the finished cloth, and to remove any excess knots or nap.