The surname Shepherd is one of the oldest occupational names found in Scotland. As the name suggests, it comes from looking after sheep.
As part of my series on Scottish surnames, here you will learn about the history, meaning, and cultural influence of the surname Shepherd.
Origins and Meaning of the Surname Shepherd
The surname Shepherd comes from the Old English sceaphyrde, meaning “sheep herder.” In Scotland, it was probably first used as a descriptive name for those who cared for sheep.
Geographic Distribution in Scotland
The surname Shepherd is linked to the Scottish Borders — particularly Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, and Peeblesshire.
Life as a shepherd could be harsh, especially during the time of the Border Reivers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when raids on sheep and cattle were common.
The growth of Scotland’s woollen industry brought new opportunities. Towns such as Galashiels, Hawick, and Selkirk became centres of textile production, with many families supplying raw wool or working in related trades.
By the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the surname had spread into Aberdeenshire and parts of the Highlands. This coincided with significant changes in land use, particularly the expansion of sheep farming, which intensified following the Highland Clearances.
Is there a Clan Shepherd?
As far as I can tell, there is no official Clan Shepherd. Please let me know if this is not the case.
However, the Scottish Register of Tartans does include several tartans associated with the surname. If you know of other connections, I would love to hear from you.
Variations of the Surname Shepherd
Variants include Sheppard, Shepheard, and Shippard. Many other variants appear in the records depending how they were phonetically spelled at the time.
Shepherds in Scottish Culture
The most famous shepherd in Scottish literature was James Hogg (1770–1835), remembered as The Ettrick Shepherd. Self-taught while tending flocks in the Ettrick Valley, Hogg became a celebrated poet and novelist, and a friend of Sir Walter Scott. A monument to Hogg, unveiled in 1860, stands between Loch of the Lowes and St Mary’s Loch near Moffat.
Kinross-shire also produced another literary figure linked with shepherding. His name was Michael Bruce (1746–1767) and he is known as The Gentle Poet of Loch Leven.
The son of a weaver, he could read by the age of four. In today’s terms he might be considered as a child prodigy. His schooling was often interrupted by summer duties tending sheep and cattle in the Lomond Hills above Kinnesswood. Bruce studied at the University of Edinburgh in the 1760s thanks to a small legacy and local support. He later worked as a teacher but tragically died at just twenty-one. Today, his birthplace is preserved as the Michael Bruce Cottage Museum in Kinnesswood.
Extract from ‘Elegy Written in Spring’ poem by Michael Bruce:
While the sun journeys down the western sky,
Along the green sward, mark’d with Roman mound,
Beneath the blithesome shepherd’s watchful eye,
The cheerful lambkins dance and frisk around.
People with the Surname Shepherd
- Thomas H. Shepherd (1793–1864) was an artist who enjoyed painting scenes of Edinburgh.
- Anna “Nan” Shepherd (1893–1981) was a Scottish novelist and poet, author of The Living Mountain. Her portrait appears on the Royal Bank of Scotland £5 note.
- Albert Edward Shepherd (1897–1966) was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery while serving with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Épehy, France, in 1918.
- Cybill Shepherd (b. 1950) is an American actress (and singer) famous for Moonlighting and Cybill, as well as films such as The Last Picture Show and Taxi Driver.
Scottish historical records also mention earlier bearers of the name (as noted in George F. Black’s The Surnames of Scotland):
- Henricus Scyphard held land in Elgin in 1363.
- Thomas Schiphird (or Scippart) witnessed an inventory for Sir John Erskine of Dun in 1513.
- In 1538, the wife of Wille Schiphira was fined for brewing.
- James and William Schiphird were tenants of Innerlochty in 1565.
- Thomas Schipperd is recorded in Litill Innerlochty in 1594.
- Andrew Schippert, a baxter (baker) and burgess of Dundee is buried in the Dundee Howff cemetery in 1641.
Conclusion
As you would expect, the surname Shepherd appears in Scottish parish registers, with nineteenth-century census records showing concentrations in the Borders, Lanarkshire, and Aberdeenshire.
It was celebrated in verse by poets like James Hogg and Michael Bruce, and carried across the world by emigrants. If you have Shepherd ancestors, I would love to hear from you!
Thank you for joining me on this journey into another Scottish surname. If you would like me to feature a particular surname from your family tree, please let me know—I would be happy to explore its origins and meaning in a future article.
Good luck with your research.
Until my next post, haste ye back.
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