Map of Ireland showing where the Shearer arms are recorded
The Shearer arms were recorded in Kilkenny, c. 1645.
Kilkenny was rich farming country in south-eastern Ireland, held by Norman families who settled early and stayed. Long holding of good land is exactly what puts a name into the heraldic records.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Ireland in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Ireland when the Shearer arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Ireland
The Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
Granting authority
The Ulster King of Arms acted as the official body that regulated and issued all coats of arms throughout Ireland.
How they got arms
Families obtained their arms through formal grants issued by the office after proving their eligibility and paying the required fees.
Where arms were recorded
All official grants were recorded in the registers held by the Ulster King of Arms starting from the year 1552.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Kilkenny.
Origin & History of the Shearer Family in Ireland
The surname Shearer is an occupational name that originated in medieval times to describe someone who worked as a cloth shearer. In the wool industry, these workers used large hand shears to trim the surface of woven fabric to create a smooth finish. By the mid-seventeenth century, members of the Shearer family were established in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Their presence in this region by 1645 suggests they were likely part of the skilled tradespeople who supported the local wool and textile markets that were vital to the Irish economy at that time. As the name spread, it remained tied to the essential craft of cloth production, marking the family as part of a long tradition of skilled laborers who helped shape the early manufacturing history of their communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
scieran
An Old English verb meaning to cut or divide.
This name
ShearerAn occupational surname for a person who sheared sheep or cut cloth.
also spelled
Sherman
Shearer
Shereman
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, 1946
MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland, 1985
National Archives of Ireland, Civil Survey of the County of Kilkenny, 1654–1656
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
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