Shireman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Shireman has been recorded in British history since the time when the Anglo-Saxons ruled over the region. The name is assumed to have been given to someone who was a person who worked as a sheep-shearer deriving from the middle English word "sheareman," which meant "shearer." Alternately, and especially in Norfolk, the name was derived from "shireman," that is, a person born outside the county. 1

Early Origins of the Shireman family

The surname Shireman was first found in various counties and shires throughout ancient Britain. In fact, "in [the] Domesday Book the Judge of the County-court was called a Seirman, i.e., Shireman. The Anglo Saxon scirmann is defined by Bosworth as 'a man who superintends, shireman, provincial, an overseer, governor, provost, bailiff of a hundred.' " 1

The earliest record of the name that we could find was Roger Sereman who was listed in 1207 in Leicestershire. A few years later William le Shereman was listed in 1281 and the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk list John Sherman in 1327. In the same year, the Subsidy Rolls of Essex listed Philip Shareman (Sharman.) 2

Early History of the Shireman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shireman research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1611, 1662, 1670, 1671 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Shireman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shireman Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Shireman has been spelled many different ways, including Sherman, Shearman, Sharman, Shaerman, Shirman and others.

Early Notables of the Shireman family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Philip Sherman (1611-1687), an English founding settler of Portsmouth in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, signer of the American Declaration of Independence.John Sherman (died 1671), was an English historian of Jesus College, Cambridge, a native of Dedham...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shireman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shireman family to Ireland

Some of the Shireman 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.

Shireman migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Shiremans to arrive in North America:

Shireman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Nicholas Shireman, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 3

Shireman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Shireman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George F. Shireman, aged 42, a cart builder, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 4

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm