Shepherd
An occupational surname for a sheep herder, originally given to someone who tended flocks.
The #557 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,105 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Shepherd comes from Old English words for "sheep" and "herd" or "guardian," referring to a person who looked after sheep. The surname is a straightforward occupational name, just like Smith or Baker. Historical spellings and related forms include Shephard, Shepheard, Sheppard, and Shepperd.
History
This was a common English occupational surname and was often spelled in several different ways in older records. It appears widely across Britain and later in English-speaking countries, especially the United States and Canada. Some historical dictionaries also note Latinized forms such as Pastor.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older genealogical sources note that a foundling discovered at Shepherds Bush in Middlesex was recorded under the surname Shepherds Bush, showing how place names could sometimes become surnames too.
From the historical record
“ter. SHEPHERD. The occupation. As a surname it is often variously mis-spelt, as Shepard, Shephard, Shepheard, Sheppard, Shepperd. The H.R. forms of this name are Pastor and Le Pastur. SHEPHERDSBUSH. The name of a foundling discovered at the place so called in Middlesex. See Eng. Surn. ii. 19. SHEPHOUSE. "…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom