Shaws History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The origins of the Shaws name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a small wood or shaw. Shaws is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. The surname Shaws is believed to be derived from the Old English word sceaga, which means dweller by the wood.

Early Origins of the Shaws family

The surname Shaws was first found in Berkshire, where they were established in the 12th century.

Early History of the Shaws family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shaws research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1281, 1307, 1388, 1407, 1615, 1617, 1635, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1679, 1680, 1690, 1696, 1780, 1815 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Shaws History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shaws Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Shaws were recorded, including Shaw, Shawe, Shave, Sheaves, Shaves, Shay, Shayes and many more.

Early Notables of the Shaws family

Notables of the family at this time include John Shawe (died 1407), of Oxford, English politician, Member of the Parliament of England (MP) for Oxford in 1388; Sir John Shaw, 1st Baronet (c 1615-1680), an English merchant and politician, Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis (1661-1679); Sir...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shaws Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shaws family to Ireland

Some of the Shaws family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shaws family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Shaws family emigrate to North America: John Shaw, who settled in Virginia in 1638; Thomas Shaw, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1750; James Shaw, who settled in Virginia in 1655; Thomas Shave settled in Massachusetts in 1637.

The Shaws Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.