Karshay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Karshay is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the area of Kirkshaw at Rochdale in the county of Lancashire. Karshay 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. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Karshay family

The surname Karshay was first found in Lancashire where it is a local name 'of Kirkshaw,' in the parish of Rochdale. Literally the place name means "church-wood." Some of the earliest records of the name include: Matthew de Kyrkshagh, Lancashire in 1281; Geoffrey del Kyrkeshagh, of Rochdale parish in 1390; and John de Kyrkshagh, or Kershaw, of Townhouses, in Rochdale, 1424. 1

Early History of the Karshay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Karshay research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1572, 1617 and 1630 are included under the topic Early Karshay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Karshay Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Karshay are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. 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. The variations of the name Karshay include: Kershaw, Kercher, Kershow, Kirshaw, Kirkshaw and others.

Early Notables of the Karshay family

More information is included under the topic Early Karshay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Karshay family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Karshay or a variant listed above: Ralph Kershaw settled in Virginia in 1699; Edmund, Frederick, James, Jesse, John, Lees, Nelson, Napoleon, Robert, Samuel, Thomas and William Kershaw all arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870..

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)