The Sheriff surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,657 people carried this name — #7,180 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 63,300 people counted. That is up 18% from 3,944 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sheriff surname

An English surname originating as an occupation.

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

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a name of office: ‘the Sheriff’.

An early record he cites: Robert le Shirreve, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Sheriff and Sherriff.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 684 · public domain.

In Belgium’s population register

At least 46 people named Sheriff live in Belgium.

Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Antwerp.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Antwerp 30
Limburg 9
West Flanders 7

Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In the Nordic population registers

38 people named Sheriff is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 38

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Sheriff in American newspapers,
1820–1905.

Newspaper page from New York Dispatch carrying the name Sheriff
New York Dispatch 1887-10-09
Newspaper page from Daily National Intelligencer carrying the name Sheriff
Daily National Intelligencer 1820-06-17
Newspaper page from New-york Tribune carrying the name Sheriff
New-york Tribune 1905-02-12

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,819 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sheriff in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

14,938 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sheriff. The most, 1,772, date from the 1890s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,709
South Australia 3,582
Queensland 2,460
Victoria 2,351
Tasmania 1,323
Western Australia 468
ACT (Canberra) 18
Northern Territory 4

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

Who carried it

People named Sheriff,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Lawrence Sheriff
    Lawrence Sheriff 1515–1567
  • Alexander Clunes Sheriff 1816–1878 · businessperson
  • Paul Sheriff 1903–1960 · scenographer
  • Paul Sheriff 1903–1960 · scenographer
  • Paul Sheriff 1903–1960 · scenographer
  • Dermot Sheriff 1920–1993 · basketball player

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 Sheriff,
in the records of 6 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 States342 records

342 records of the Sheriff name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 129
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 68
  • Other U.S. records 145
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles E. Sheriff

    Born 1922 in South Carolina. Enlisted 1943 at Camp Croft; farm hand from Pickens County. U.S. Army veteran; died 2001, buried at Rock Springs Bapt Church Cemetery, Easley, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Charles Sheriff

    Born 1936; from Columbus, Georgia. U.S. Army, fixed wing aviation unit commander; killed in action 1965 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Sheriff

    Arrived at New York in 1868 aboard the Columbia from Glasgow, aged 24; matron. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 342 records for Sheriff in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia326 records

326 records of the Sheriff name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 118
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 106
  • Other Australian records 102
  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 Mary Sheriff

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Atwick, sailing from London in 1837. Native of Edinburgh, Midlothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Sheriff

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Contest, aged 27; Scottish.

    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 James Sheriff

    Farmer of Gymbowen, Victoria; died 1924.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 326 records for Sheriff in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). 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).

Netherlands63 records

63 records of the Sheriff name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 39
  • Dutch population registers 24
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Nicolaas Johannes Sheriff

    Married in 1913 in 's-Gravenhage; bicycle repairer. Died 1954 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 62.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Christiaan Sheriff

    Born 1893 in 's-Gravenhage. Married in 1916 in 's-Gravenhage; "gasfitter". Died 1943 in 's-Gravenhage; smith.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christina Philippina Sheriff

    Married in 1886 in 's-Gravenhage. Died 1930 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 65.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 63 records for Sheriff in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada37 records

37 records of the Sheriff name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 28
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Other Canadian records 6
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Sheriff

    Died 1928; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John G. Sheriff

    Died 1919 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Alexander Sheriff

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 37 records for Sheriff in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. 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); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom14 records

14 records of the Sheriff name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 6
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabella Sheriff

    Died 1945, aged 65; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Sheriff

    Buried in 1836 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 51.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John George Sheriff

    Died 1915. Named in the Merchiston Castle School roll of honour 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

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

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the Sheriff name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record David Sheriff

    Died 1898, aged 30; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Sheriff

    New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    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 Thelma Sheriff

    Died 1993, aged 70; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Sheriff in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sheriff.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sheriff 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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