Shelton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Shelton surname lived in the township of Shelton found in five counties in England. Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Salop and Staffordshire all had townships by the name of Shelton. This place-name was originally derived by the Old English elements scylf and tun, which denoted a ledge or plateau in the landscape. 1 2

Early Origins of the Shelton family

The surname Shelton was first found in Norfolk at Shelton, a parish, in the union and hundred of Defwade. "This place was anciently the property of the Sheltons, who were owners of the Hall, a castellated structure long since pulled down. From that family the estate passed to Sir Robert Houghton, one of the justices of the king's bench." 3

Some of the family held estates in Great Snoring, Norfolk. "The living is a rectory, with that of Thursford annexed, valued in the king's books at £24, and in the gift of St. John's College, Cambridge: the tithes have been commuted for £539, and the glebe comprises 37 acres, with a house, erected by Sir Richard Shelton. The church is a good structure in the later English style, with a lofty embattled tower, and contains some ancient monuments and brasses to the Shelton and other families." 3

The Shilton variant also claims northern England are their ancestral home with Henry of Shilton recorded in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1231. Again in Yorkshire, we found John de Schelton in the Assize Rolls for 1260. 4

Early History of the Shelton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shelton research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1221, 1222, 1460, 1475, 1476, 1502, 1529, 1537, 1539, 1555, 1561, 1576, 1579, 1601, 1604, 1612, 1626, 1647, 1649, 1650, 1700 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Shelton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shelton Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Shelton are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Shelton include: Shelton, Sheltone, Shilton and others.

Early Notables of the Shelton family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Shelton Ranking

In the United States, the name Shelton is the 279th most popular surname with an estimated 96,993 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Shelton family to Ireland

Some of the Shelton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Shelton migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Shelton or a variant listed above:

Shelton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Shelton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Shelton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Shelton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shelton Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Shelton Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Shelton migration to Australia +

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

Shelton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Shelton 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:

Shelton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Shelton migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15
Shelton Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Shelton (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Shelton +
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