Explore the Family Name Sharples

The meaning of Sharples

English (Lancashire): habitational name from Sharples (Lancashire). The etymology of the placename is uncertain; it may derive from Old English scearp ‘sharp, pointed, steep’ + lǣs ‘meadow’ or lēas, plural of lēah ‘wood, woodland, clearing’, or from scearpol ‘place characterized by a pointed feature, pointed hill’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Sharples in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Sharples has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 21,088 in terms of frequency within the United States, but by 2010 this rank had slipped to 22,281, marking a 5.66% drop. The number of individuals carrying this surname also dipped slightly from 1,161 in the year 2000 to 1,157 in 2010, showing a marginal decrease of 0.34%. The proportion of this surname per 100,000 people also saw a negative shift, dropping by 9.3%.

20002010Change
Rank#21,088#22,281-5.66%
Count1,1611,157-0.34%
Proportion per 100k0.430.39-9.3%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sharples

When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Sharples, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, constituting 93.20% in 2000 and 91.53% in 2010, indicating a mild decline of 1.79%. During this same period, the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic rose significantly by 113.04%, from 1.38% to 2.94%. Those identifying as Black also saw an increase, moving from 3.19% to 3.46%, an uptick of 8.46%. The number of those identifying with two or more races fell by 36.59%, while no Sharples identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native during either census year.

20002010Change
White93.2%91.53%-1.79%
Black3.19%3.46%8.46%
Hispanic1.38%2.94%113.04%
Two or More Races1.64%1.04%-36.59%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%