The surname Occilshaw was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat in Ockilshaw, near Wigan in that shire. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1401 when John Okylschagh held estates outside Wigan. The name is frequently confused with the name Occleston, in the parish of Middlewich in Cheshire but so far is know there is no connection between the two names.
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Early History of the Occilshaw family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Occilshaw research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487 and 1651 are included under the topic Early Occilshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Occilshaw 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 Occilshaw 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 Occilshaw include: Ockleshaw, Ockilshaw, Occilshaw, Occelshaw, Occleshaw, Ockleshaw, Ogleshaw and many more.
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Early Notables of the Occilshaw family
More information is included under the topic Early Occilshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Occilshaw 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 Occilshaw or a variant listed above: Mary Ockleford, a bonded passenger, who came to Maryland in 1760.
England
