Shire Family History

English: variant of Shear. English: topographic name from Middle English s(c)hire ‘shire’ (Old English scīr) denoting someone who lived at or near the meeting place of a shire hundred or smaller administrative unit.

This name was also established in Ireland (Limerick) by the 18th century.

Somali: from the personal name Shire derived from shir ‘assembly’.

Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.