Show ContentsSheardalowe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The present generation of the Sheardalowe family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the township of Shardlow in the parish of Aston-upon-Trent in the county of Derbyshire. This place name was listed as Serdelau in the Domesday Book and Shardelow in 1279 in the Calendar of Fines of the County of Derby. 1

Early Origins of the Sheardalowe family

The surname Sheardalowe was first found in Derbyshire, at Shardlow, a village that dates back to at least the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Serdelau and literally meant "mound with a notch or indentation" from the Old English words sceard + hlaw. 2

Sir John de Shardelowe or Scherdelow (died 1344?) was an English judge who appeared as an "advocate in the reign of Edward II, and on 28 Jan. 1332 was appointed a judge of the court of common pleas and received knighthood. During his lifetime he settled his manor of Thompson, Norfolk, upon his elder son, Sir John de Shardelowe, and, in addition, died seised of the manor of Fulbourn and of lands in Leverington and Wisbeach in Cambridgeshire, of the manors of Barrow and Cowlinge or Cooling, and of lands in Brandon, Cavenham, and elsewhere in Suffolk, and of land in Downham in Norfolk." 3

Early History of the Sheardalowe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheardalowe research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1589 is included under the topic Early Sheardalowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheardalowe Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Sheardalowe include Shardelow, Shardlow, Shardlowe, Shardelowe, Shardlaw, Shardelaw, Shardalow, Shardeloe, Shardloe, Shartlow, Shartloe, Shatlow, Shatloe and many more.

Early Notables of the Sheardalowe family

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

Ireland Migration of the Sheardalowe family to Ireland

Some of the Sheardalowe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheardalowe family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Sheardalowe were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: William Shardloe, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682; a D. Shatlow, who arrived in San Francisco in 1852; as well as Betsy Shardlow of Nottinghamshire, England and her daughter Dorothy, age 4 who arrived at Ellis Island, New York in 1908..



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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