Cherry
What is the origin of the last name Cherry?
Meaning and origin
The last name Cherry has its origin in the Middle English word "cheri" which comes from the Old English "ciris" and ultimately derives from the Latin "cerasum." This name was originally associated with either the cherry fruit or a person who lived near a cherry tree or orchard. It is an example of a surname that developed from a personal or occupational name based on an individual's association with a particular fruit or tree.
The longer story
The last name Cherry is an English and Irish surname that has several possible origins. One possible origin is from the Middle English word "cheri," meaning cherry, which could have been a nickname for someone with a rosy or reddish complexion. Another possible origin is from the Old Norman French word "cherise," meaning cherry, which could have been a topographic or locational surname for someone who lived near a cherry tree or an orchard. Additionally, the surname Cherry could have originated as a habitational name for someone from a place called Chiarra or Chiarri in Italy.
The distribution of the Cherry surname in the United States is widespread, with the highest concentration found in the states of North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and California. This suggests that the surname Cherry was brought to America by early settlers and has since spread throughout the country. It is interesting to note that the surname Cherry is most commonly found in English-speaking countries, such as the United States, England, Canada, and Australia.
The Cherry surname has variant spellings, including Cherrie, Sherry, and Cherie. These variations may have arisen due to phonetic or regional differences in the pronunciation or spelling of the surname over time. It is also possible that some individuals intentionally changed the spelling of their surname for personal or cultural reasons.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#970
Cherry was the 970th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 35,877 people, about 12 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Cherry
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Cherry is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.