2000
#9,134
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,283
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.22
Rare Last name
Sharon
Originally derived from a placename meaning "a fertile plain" in Hebrew.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,736 Americans carry the last name Sharon. That puts it at #9,543 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,744 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sharon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sharon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 91,744
Census rank
#9,543
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,258 bearers of the surname Sharon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9543rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sharon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sharon
The surname Sharon has its origins in the Middle Ages, tracing back to the medieval English county of Shropshire. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "scir," meaning "bright" or "shining." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive moniker, possibly referring to an individual's bright or radiant appearance.
Sharon likely evolved from the place name "Sharon," a village located in the parish of Condover, Shropshire. The earliest recorded mention of this place name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Scharhuen." Over time, the spelling gradually transformed into its present form.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Sharon was William de Sharon, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1202. These rolls were financial records maintained by the Exchequer, documenting the collection of taxes and other revenues.
In the 14th century, the Sharon surname appeared in various spellings, including "Sharron," "Sharoun," and "Sharrone." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.
A notable figure bearing the Sharon surname was Sir John Sharon, a Member of Parliament for Shropshire in the late 15th century. He was born around 1440 and served as a knight of the shire (a representative of a county in the House of Commons) during the reigns of King Edward IV and King Richard III.
Another individual of historical significance was Robert Sharon, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 16th century. He was born around 1520 and played a prominent role in the affairs of the city, serving as Lord Mayor of London in 1586.
In the 17th century, the Sharon family had established itself in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable member from this period was Edward Sharon, a renowned clockmaker who lived in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in the latter half of the 17th century. His clocks were highly regarded for their craftsmanship and precision.
Another noteworthy individual was John Sharon, a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. He served as the pastor of the church in Fairfield, Connecticut, and played a significant role in the religious and community life of the colony.
In the 18th century, the Sharon surname continued to be found in various parts of England, as well as in the American colonies. One notable figure from this period was James Sharon, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1745 and participated in several naval battles against the American colonists.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sharon
Among Census respondents with the surname Sharon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Sharon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sharon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 2,777
- Black or African American5.4% · 175
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 121
- Two or more races3.3% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 54
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sharon
Sharon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,598
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,385
+102 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 464 places
2020
#9,543
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,258
-127 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Up 55 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,134 | 3,283 | 1.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,598 | 3,385 | 1.15 | +102 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 464 places |
| 2020 | #9,543 | 3,258 | 1.09 | -127 bearers (-3.8%) | Up 55 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sharon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,598 | #9,543 | 0.6% |
| Count | 3,385 | 3,258 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.09 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sharon bearers went from 3,385 to 3,258 (-3.8% change). The surname moved up 55 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,598 to #9,543.
FAQ
Sharon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sharon?
Name Census estimates that about 3,736 living Americans carry the surname Sharon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 91,744 residents.
How common is Sharon?
Sharon ranks #9,543 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,258 people with the surname Sharon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,736), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sharon.
Has Sharon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sharon went from 3,385 recorded bearers to 3,258. That is a decrease of 127 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,598 to #9,543.
What does the Census say about the background of Sharon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sharon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Hispanic (3.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sharon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (2,777 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sharon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), Black (5.4%), Hispanic (3.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sharon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sharon mean?
Originally derived from a placename meaning "a fertile plain" in Hebrew. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sharon (1.09 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Sharon?
You can see how many people have the surname Sharon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.