Show ContentsShefedon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Shefedon family

The surname Shefedon was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of St. Paul. "The manor of Lanivet, [in the parish of Lanivet, Cornwall] which was formerly connected with the religious house at St. Bennet's, being separated from it at the Reformation, became shortly after that event, the property of the Chivertons." 1

"Ilton, in Malborough, [Devon] once belonged to the Bozuns, then to the Chiverstons, and finally came to the Courtenays. Sir John Chiverston built the fortified mansion, afterwards known as Ilton Castle, in 1335." 2

Early History of the Shefedon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shefedon research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1079, 1142, 1149, 1162, 1510, 1600, 1621 and 1658 are included under the topic Early Shefedon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shefedon Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Chiverton, Chifferton, Shiverton, Shifferton, Chiverlon, Chevedon, Shevedon, Shefedon and many more.

Early Notables of the Shefedon family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shefedon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shefedon family

Early records show that people bearing the name Shefedon arrived in North America quite early: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  2. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital


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