Scarberry
An English-language surname likely derived from a place-name or a descriptive surname built on old words for a rocky scar or ridge.
The #8,617 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 80,866 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Scarberry is best understood as an English surname formed from a place-name or topographic nickname rather than a personal name. The first element likely relates to Old Norse or Old English scar, meaning a cliff, rock face, or steep bare place, while the second element may reflect a later surname reshaping or spelling variation rather than a transparent modern word. In some cases, surnames of this shape can also arise through heavy alteration of older names such as Scarborough or other scar- place-names.
History
The surname is uncommon and appears especially in Anglophone records, where spellings were often fluid. Forms like Scarberry may have emerged through regional pronunciation, clerical spelling, or the adaptation of an older locational surname to a new written form. Because it is rare, its exact family histories may differ from branch to branch.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Rare surnames like Scarberry often preserve centuries of spelling drift, so one family line may look quite different in records from another.