Shortle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient history of the name Shortle began soon after 1066 when the Norman Conquest of England occurred. It was a name given to a stocky or short-necked person which was in turn derived from the Anglo-Saxon word scorkhals meaning a person with a short neck. 1

Early Origins of the Shortle family

The surname Shortle was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very early times being granted lands at Shotthaugh by William after the Conquest in 1066 A.D. Shorten is a variant of the well-known Shortall. (Woulfe)

Early History of the Shortle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shortle research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1290, 1326, 1503, 1505, 1507, 1509, 1535, 1639, 1641 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Shortle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shortle Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Shortle are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Shortle include Shorthalls, Shortals, Shortall, Shottall, Shottalls, Shortells, Shortell, Shorthill, Shotthaugh, Shotter and many more.

Early Notables of the Shortle family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Shorton (died 1535), English divine, Archdeacon of Bath, one of the earliest scholars of Jesus College, Cambridge. He graduated M.A. in 1503, and was elected fellow of...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shortle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shortle family to Ireland

Some of the Shortle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shortle migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Shortle, or a variant listed above:

Shortle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Juley Shortle, aged 25, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1849 2

Shortle migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shortle Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ann Shortle, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1829

Contemporary Notables of the name Shortle (post 1700) +

James Shortle, American economist, Distinguished Professor at Pennsylvania State University

The Shortle 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: Certavi et vici
Motto Translation: I have fought and conquered.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)