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![Show Contents]() Kirkshall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The origins of the Kirkshall name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in the area of Kirkshaw at Rochdale in the county of Lancashire. Kirkshall 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 Kirkshall familyThe surname Kirkshall 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 Kirkshall familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirkshall research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1572, 1617 and 1630 are included under the topic Early Kirkshall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kirkshall Spelling VariationsBefore 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 Kirkshall were recorded, including Kershaw, Kercher, Kershow, Kirshaw, Kirkshaw and others. Early Notables of the Kirkshall familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kirkshall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kirkshall familyTo 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 Kirkshall family emigrate to North America: 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..
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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