Show ContentsShuttleworth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Shuttleworth family

The surname Shuttleworth was first found in Lancashire, at Shuttleworth, an ecclesiastical parish, in the parish and poor-law union of Bury, hundred of Salford. Today it is a hamlet at the northeastern extremity of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester. [1]

The place name Shuttleworth derives from the Old English words "scyttels" + "worth" and literally means "gated enclosure." Early spellings of the hamlet included Suttelsworth in 1227 and Shuttelesworthe in 1296. [2]

As one might expect, the name could have been an occupational name for someone involved in either making shuttles or as a trade. In this case, the name was derived from the Old English word "scytel, or the Middle English words shittle, schetylle, schutylle, an instrument used in weaving, a shuttle, and the surnames denote a maker of shuttles or, more probably, 'a weaver' " [3]

"The Shuttleworths of Shuttleworth Hall, in the parish of Whalley, Lancashire, were in residence there as early as 3 Edward III (1339), when Henry de Shuttleworth died seised of it and eight oxgangs." [4]

"Shuttleworth is the name of a Lancashire village. Shuttleworth Hall, in the parish of Whalley, was the original seat of the family of the name before their removal, in the reign of Richard II., to Gawthorpe, where they still resided in the 17th century; fifty years ago the early seat of the family was occupied as a farmhouse; the Shuttleworths of Hacking, who flourished from the 13th to the 16th century, were a branch of this family. In 1588 Serjant Shuttleworth contributed £25 to the Armada Fund (Sp.). The Shuttleworths represented Preston in Parliament at different times during the 17th and 18th centuries. The name is also established in the Leeds district of the West Riding [of Yorkshire]. There is also a Derbyshire village thus called." [5]

There are records in Scotland, but "this surname, recorded in Dumfriesshire, is most probably of recent introduction from England. It is of local origin from Shuttleworth in the parish of Bury, Lancashire." [6]

Early History of the Shuttleworth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shuttleworth research. Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1399, 1587, 1618, 1632, 1640, 1648, 1654, 1662, 1669, 1675, 1689, 1723, 1724, 1728, 1734 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Shuttleworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shuttleworth Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Shuttleworth, Shettleworth, Shottleworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Shuttleworth family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Sir Kay Shuttleworth; Richard Shuttleworth (1587-1669), an English politician, High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1618 and Member of Parliament for Preston (1640-1648); and Obadiah Shuttleworth (died 1734)...
  • Obadiah Shuttleworth (1675?-1734), organist, son of Thomas Shuttleworth of Spitalfields, teacher of music, and a transcriber of Corelli's works when they were in great demand in England, was born in L...

Shuttleworth Ranking

In the United States, the name Shuttleworth is the 11,631st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [7]


United States Shuttleworth migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shuttleworth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Shuttleworth, who landed in Maryland in 1661 [8]
  • Mary Shuttleworth, who landed in Maryland in 1673 [8]
Shuttleworth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Shuttleworth, who arrived in America in 1803 [8]
  • Sarah Shuttleworth, aged 37, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1812 [8]
  • Edward, James, John, Richard, and Samuel Shuttleworth all, who settled in Philadelphia between 1834 and 1868

Australia Shuttleworth migration to Australia +

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

Shuttleworth Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Shuttleworth, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia [9]
  • Mr. Thomas Shuttleworth, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 25th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [10]
  • Mr. Joseph Shuttleworth who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 3rd October 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [11]
  • Mr. Thomas Shuttleworth who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [12]
  • Mr. John Shuttleworth, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [13]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Shuttleworth migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Shuttleworth Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Henry Shuttleworth, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
  • Mr. Shuttleworth, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Bank of England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th December 1855 [14]
  • Miss Shuttleworth, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Bank of England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th December 1855 [14]
  • W. Shuttleworth, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Bank of England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th December 1855 [14]
  • D. Shuttleworth, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Bank of England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th December 1855 [14]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Shuttleworth (post 1700) +

  • Luther J. Shuttleworth, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1905-07 [15]
  • Julia G. Shuttleworth, American Republican politician, Member of West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, 1949 [15]
  • John H. Shuttleworth, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Clarksburg, West Virginia, 1867-83 [15]
  • Farrand K. Shuttleworth, American Republican politician, Independent Progressive Republican Candidate for Governor of Wisconsin, 1924 [15]
  • Billy Shuttleworth, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State Senate 7th District, 1964, 1966 [15]
  • Anna Shuttleworth (1927-2021), English cellist from Bournemouth who studied cello with Ivor James and Harvey Phillips at the Royal College of Music
  • Robert James Shuttleworth (1810-1874), English botanist and conchologist, born at Dawlish, Devonshire
  • Philip Nicholas Shuttleworth (1782-1842), English divine, Bishop of Chichester, the second son of Humphrey Shuttleworth, vicar of Kirkham, Lancashire
  • Kenneth Shuttleworth (b. 1944), English former cricketer
  • Ken Shuttleworth (b. 1952), English architect
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Shuttleworth 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: Utile dulce
Motto Translation: The useful with the agreeable.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Baines Thomas & William Fairbairn, Lancashire and Cheshire, Past and Present History of Counties London: William MacKenzie, 1867, Digital, 4 vols
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. 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)
  9. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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