The Sharkey surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,514 people carried this name — #4,163 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 34,600 people counted. That is up 5% from 8,106 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sharkey surname

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Searcaigh (“descendant of Searcach”), from searcach (“beloved”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Sharkey» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 58 births for the Sharkey name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 2,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 26
Connacht 17
Leinster 12
Munster 3

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Sharkey was recorded 29 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 845th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 56. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Sharkey in American newspapers,
1899–1927.

Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name Sharkey
The Milwaukee Leader 1927-07-22
Newspaper page from Mineral Point Tribune carrying the name Sharkey
Mineral Point Tribune 1899-11-09
Newspaper page from Northern Wisconsin Advertiser carrying the name Sharkey
Northern Wisconsin Advertiser 1899-11-09

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 91,000 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sharkey in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

13,054 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sharkey. The most, 3,792, date from the 1940s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,144
Victoria 2,735
Queensland 2,220
Western Australia 1,034
Tasmania 368
South Australia 311
ACT (Canberra) 203
Northern Territory 24

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sharkey.

Who carried it

People named Sharkey,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William J. Sharkey
    William J. Sharkey 1847–
  • Tom Sharkey
    Tom Sharkey 1873–1953 · boxer
  • Mary Sharkey d. 1910
  • William L. Sharkey 1798–1873 · judge
  • Ann Amelia Nailer Sharkey 1813–1878 · missionary
  • Martin Sharkey 1833–1903

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sharkey,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,438 records

2,438 records of the Sharkey name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 931
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 586
  • Other U.S. records 921
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward T. Sharkey

    Born 1913 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; driver from Kings County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1972, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Sharkey

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; servant. From Dublin, Ireland; bound for Chicago.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Vincent William Sharkey

    U.S. Army veteran of World War I. Born 1888, died 1966; buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 2,438 records for Sharkey in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia371 records

371 records of the Sharkey name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 173
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 82
  • Other Australian records 116
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Frances Sharkey

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Archduke Charles, arriving 1813; ticket of leave 1814. Native of Dublin.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Sharkey

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Brooksby, aged 19; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Patrick Sharkey

    Retired of Essendon, Victoria; died 1991.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 371 records for Sharkey in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada18 records

18 records of the Sharkey name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 5
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Josephine Sharkey

    Buried in 1986 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Sharkey

    Buried in 1990 at Lundys Lane Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record George William Sharkey

    Died 1937 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 18 records for Sharkey in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom14 records

14 records of the Sharkey name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Stirling Council burial records 4
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Sharkey

    Died 1982, aged 56; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Sharkey

    Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Sharkey

    Died 1979, aged 77; buried at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 14 records for Sharkey in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Ireland14 records

14 records of the Sharkey name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Sharkey

    Died 1938, aged 65; buried at Moylough, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lewis L.h Sharkey

    Died 1881, aged 36; buried at Clontuskert - St Matthews (CoI), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elenor Sharkey

    Died 1829, aged 21; buried at Killererin (Old), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Sharkey in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand3 records

3 records of the Sharkey name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Sharkey

    Died 1989, aged 67; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Peter Sharkey

    Died 1887, aged 19; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Sharkey

    Died 1934, aged 90; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Sharkey name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Patrick Francis Felix Sharkey

    Born 1914 in Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques); died 1995 in Évecquemont (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Annie Sharkey

    Born 1943 in Paris; died 1998 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Sharkey name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Thomas Sharkey

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sharkey.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sharkey is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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