The surname Sheepshanks was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the family have been seated from very ancient times, some say as early as the 12th century. This curious name has come down through the ages and according to many correspondents has been corrupted from a place name in Ayrshire which has since passed into history. It is highly unlikely that other explanations, such as describing a person with bow legs, has anything to do with its origin, such deductions arising from the 19th century humorous books written on the origin of names.
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Early History of the Sheepshanks family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheepshanks research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the year 1208 is included under the topic Early Sheepshanks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Sheepshanks Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Sheepshanks, Sheephanks, Sheepshank, Sheephank, Sheipshanks and many more.
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Early Notables of the Sheepshanks family
More information is included under the topic Early Sheepshanks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Sheepshanks migration to the United States
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Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Sheepshanks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
William Sheepshanks, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1806
Contemporary Notables of the name Sheepshanks (post 1700)
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John Sheepshanks (1787-1863), English art amateur and public benefactor, born at Leeds, son of Joseph Sheepshanks, a wealthy cloth-manufacturer
Richard Sheepshanks (1794-1855), British astronomer, his sister Anne Sheepshanks (1789–1876), made major contributions to the observatory at Cambridge, accordingly she became the eponym of The Sheepshanks crater
David Sheepshanks, Chairman of Ipswich Town football club in England
Sheepshanks migration to the United States 
Scotland
