Sheerfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Sheerfield is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the town of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Sheerfield is a habitation name which was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the place-name Sheffield means open land by the river Sheaf, a boundary river dividing Yorkshire from Derbyshire.

Early Origins of the Sheerfield family

The surname Sheerfield was first found in Rutland where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Sheerfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheerfield research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1407, 1421, 1521, 1538, 1549, 1564, 1568, 1588, 1611, 1614, 1624, 1626, 1646, 1648, 1658, 1685, 1689, 1702, 1705 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Sheerfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheerfield Spelling Variations

Before 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 Sheerfield were recorded, including Sheffield, Shefield, Sheffeild, Shiffield and many more.

Early Notables of the Sheerfield family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Sheffield (fl. 1407-1421) English politician, Member of Parliament for Rutland; William Sheffield (died 1646), Member of Parliament for Hedon in 1614 and Thirsk in 1624; Edmund Sheffield (1521-1549), English nobleman, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; John Sheffield (c. 1538-1568), 2nd Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; Edmund...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheerfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheerfield family

To 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 Sheerfield family emigrate to North America: Edmund, William, and Ichabod Sheffield settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1630; Thomas Sheffield and his wife, Rachel, settled in Virginia in 1622.

The Sheerfield Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Comiter sed fortiter
Motto Translation: Courteously but firmly.