Show ContentsShortman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Shortman comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person who because of their physical characteristics was named short. In this case the surname Shortman can be traced back to the Old English word sceort which means short. The original bearer would have been known as the short one, because of his low stature. As height is one of the most easily distinguished features of a person, names derived from this aspect of a person's physique are by no means rare.

Early Origins of the Shortman family

The surname Shortman was first found in Dorset where one of the first records of the name was Ordic Scort who was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1176. Other early records include Richard le Sorte who was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1269 in Somerset and William Short who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex of 1327. [1] The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list William Short in Suffolk. [2]

Early History of the Shortman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shortman research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1603, 1635, 1668, 1675, 1685, 1690, 1772 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Shortman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shortman Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Shortman has undergone many spelling variations, including Short, Shorte, Shortt, Schorte and others.

Early Notables of the Shortman family

Distinguished members of the family include Peter Short (died 1603), a London printer who printed several first editions and early texts of Shakespeare's works.Thomas Short (1635-1685), was an English physician, son of the Rev. William Short, born at Easton, Suffolk. He settled in London and was...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shortman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Shortman family to Ireland

Some of the Shortman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Shortman migration to Australia +

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

Shortman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Shortman, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 [3]


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835


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