Shevill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Shevill dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the town of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Shevill 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 Shevill family

The surname Shevill 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 Shevill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shevill 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 Shevill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shevill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Shevill have been found, including Sheffield, Shefield, Sheffeild, Shiffield and many more.

Early Notables of the Shevill 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 Shevill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shevill family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Shevill, or a variant listed above: Edmund, William, and Ichabod Sheffield settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1630; Thomas Sheffield and his wife, Rachel, settled in Virginia in 1622.

The Shevill 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.