Kershaw
Kershaw is an English-language surname deriving from a topographical identifier in the northern dialect of Middle English: kirk meaning 'church' and shaw meaning 'grove'. Places named Kirkshaw include Kirkshaw in the parish of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and two hamlets in West Yorkshire. The Kershaw family resided at Town House, Rochdale from the Middle Ages until the early modern period.
Meaning & Origin of Kershaw
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kershaw is an English-language surname deriving from a topographical identifier in the northern dialect of Middle English: kirk meaning 'church' and shaw meaning 'grove'. Places named Kirkshaw include Kirkshaw in the parish of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and two hamlets in West Yorkshire. The Kershaw family resided at Town House, Rochdale from the Middle Ages until the early modern period.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kershaw
Kershaw first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2014, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 9 Kershaws were born — ranking #8,038 that year. As of 2026, Kershaw ranks #12,230 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 47 Kershaws have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kershaw
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kershaw is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Kirsch
- Kirsh
- Krah
- Kirsche
- Kurchee
- Cushaw
- Craw
- Crao
- Crough
- Crawshaw
- Cashaw
- Korea
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kershaw
What does the name Kershaw mean?
How popular is Kershaw in 2026?
When was Kershaw most popular?
Is Kershaw a unisex name?
What names go well with Kershaw?
About the name Kershaw
Kershaw is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2014 and has accumulated 47 births in the dataset. Kershaw's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #8,038. Use the chart and map above to compare Kershaw's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.