Shortall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient history of the name Shortall began soon after 1066 when the Norman Conquest of England occurred. It was a name given to a stocky or short-necked person which was in turn derived from the Anglo-Saxon word scorkhals meaning a person with a short neck. 1
Early Origins of the Shortall family
The surname Shortall was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very early times being granted lands at Shotthaugh by William after the Conquest in 1066 A.D. Shorten is a variant of the well-known Shortall. (Woulfe)
Early History of the Shortall family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shortall research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1290, 1326, 1503, 1505, 1507, 1509, 1535, 1639, 1641 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Shortall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Shortall Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Shortall family name include Shorthalls, Shortals, Shortall, Shottall, Shottalls, Shortells, Shortell, Shorthill, Shotthaugh, Shotter and many more.
Early Notables of the Shortall family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Shorton (died 1535), English divine, Archdeacon of Bath, one of the earliest scholars of Jesus College, Cambridge. He graduated M.A. in 1503, and was elected fellow of...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shortall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Shortall family to Ireland
Some of the Shortall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Shortall migration to the United States +
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Shortall family to immigrate North America:
Shortall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- John Shortall, who settled in Chicago, son of John Shortall, a Dublin Merchant in 1700
Shortall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- George Shortall, aged 40, who landed in Maine in 1812 2
- James Shortall, who arrived in Arkansas in 1867 2
Shortall migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Shortall Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Ellen Shortall, aged 30, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" 3
- Thomas Shortall, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Australia"
Contemporary Notables of the name Shortall (post 1700) +
- Stacey Shortall, New Zealand lawyer, known for her charitable work, winner of the Community Award in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards in 2015
- Róisín Shortall (b. 1954), Irish politician, co-founder and joint-leader of the Social Democrats party
- Brian Shortall (b. 1985), Irish football defender from Dublin
- John Shortall, San Antonio Nuclear Physicist, Author and Editor
Historic Events for the Shortall family +
- Miss Leona Francis Shortall (1908-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 4
The Shortall 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: Certavi et vici
Motto Translation: I have fought and conquered.
Citations +
- 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)
- 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)
- South Australian Register Tuesday 4th July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nugget 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/nugget1854.shtml
- Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance