Show ContentsShale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Shale family

The surname Shale was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1254 when Richard Shales held lands.

Early History of the Shale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shale research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Shale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shale Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Shales, Shayles, Shayle, Shail, Shale, Scheyle, Sheyles and many more.

Early Notables of the Shale family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Shales family of Gloucestershire


United States Shale migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shale Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joshua Shale, who landed in Maryland in 1662 1
Shale Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Shale, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 1
  • Martin Shale, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1860 1

Australia Shale migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Shale Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Shale, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1848 2

New Zealand Shale migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Shale Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Ellen Shale, (b. 1843), aged 20, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 3


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FORFARSHIRE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Forfarshire.htm
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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