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The name Shearer is quite common in the North of Scotland (the counties of Orkney, Shetland and Caithness). Given 2 historic features of this region - firstly smallscale farming (ie crofting) it is unlikely to have been a "trade" name like Smith or Baker - and secondly the fact that Orkney & Shetland have very strong Norse connections, belonging to Norway or Denmark up until the 15th century it seems to me that in this region the name might possibly have resulted from an Anglicising of a previously Norse name. However I note that a local author writing about the origins of Orkney Surnames suggests that those who plied their trade as "Tailors & Cutters of Cloth" became known as Shearers. My Shearer forebears came from the island of Stronsay, Orkney, and it is interesting to note that the census records from the 19th Century for that island show a variety of different spellings for the name - Shearer, Sherar, Sherer etc - given the level of illiteracy at that time, it seems to me that different Census Officials guessed differently as to the spelling! I have recently received my DNA genealogical test result (Nov '04) as part of the Shearer Family Tree DNA Project - whose aim is to identify the separate (discrete) Shearer Lines & Origins - and would like to encourage other male Shearers to participate in this project. See www.familytreedna.com then search for Shearer. John Shearer, Orkney.