Show ContentsBlackshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Blackshaw is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in the village of Blackall in Devon, or one of numerous other minor locations of the same name. The place-name is derived from black hall, which indicated a manor, which was dark in color or in a dark area.

Early Origins of the Blackshaw family

The surname Blackshaw was first found in Devon, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Blackhall can be found "in the regality of Garioch, Aberdeenshire. William de Blackhall who appears on a jury of inquest retouring William de Tullidaff of Lentush and Rothmaise heir of his father in 1398 is apparently the first of the name recorded. " [1]

Early History of the Blackshaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blackshaw research. Another 193 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1499, 1547, 1655, 1667, 1690, 1694, 1708, 1716, 1760, 1763, 1770 and 1792 are included under the topic Early Blackshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blackshaw 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. Blackshaw has been spelled many different ways, including Blackhall, Blackall, Blakhall, Blaikhall and many more.

Early Notables of the Blackshaw family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Offspring Blackall (bap. 1655-1716), Bishop of Exeter (1708-1716.) He "did not come into public notice until he was a middle-aged man, and of his early years little is known. He was born in London, and in due time became a member of St. Catharine's Hall, Cambridge, where, it may be presumed, he lived a strictly religious life, for he is mentioned as one of the intimate college friends of the saintly James Bonnell,who chose none but the godly for his companions. In 1690...
Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blackshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Blackshaw family to Ireland

Some of the Blackshaw family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Blackshaw 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 Blackshaws to arrive in North America:

Blackshaw Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Blackshaw, who landed in Virginia in 1663 [2]
  • Abraham Blackshaw, aged 10, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 [2]
  • Phebe Blackshaw, aged 16, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 [2]
  • Randall Blackshaw, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 [2]
  • Randle Blackshaw, who arrived in Maryland in 1682 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Blackshaw Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Blackshaw, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1873 [2]

Australia Blackshaw migration to Australia +

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

Blackshaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Blackshaw, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [3]
  • Miss Catherine Blackshaw, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [4]
  • Miss Elizabeth Blackshaw, (b. 1809), aged 23, English dairymaid who was convicted in Derbyshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [4]
  • Mr. Blackshaw, English settler traveling with convict Mrs. Miss Elizabeth Blackshaw, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [4]
  • Miss Blackshaw, English settler traveling with convict Mrs. Miss Elizabeth Blackshaw, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Blackshaw (post 1700) +

  • Jeanette C. Blackshaw, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1988 [5]
  • James F. Blackshaw, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1895 [5]
  • James Blackshaw (b. 1981), English guitarist and pianist
  • Alan Blackshaw OBE (1933-2011), English mountaineer, skier and civil servant, President of the Alpine Club (2001 to 2004) and President of the Ski Club of Great Britain (1997 to 2003)
  • Mr. Christian Charles Blackshaw M.B.E. (b. 1949), British Classical Pianist, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Music [6]
  • Basil Blackshaw (1932-2016), Northern Irish artist
  • Andrew Blackshaw (b. 1990), Australian softball player, member of the Australia men's national softball team
  • Christian Blackshaw (b. 1949), British classical pianist
  • Brigadier-General Douglas Blackshaw Netherwood (1885-1943), American Commanding Officer 13th Composite Wing (1941) [7]

RMS Lusitania
  • Master John J. Blackshaw, Canadian 3rd Class passenger from St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [8]
  • Mrs. Alice Blackshaw, Canadian 3rd Class passenger from St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [8]


  1. 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)
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fanny
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  7. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Douglas Netherwood. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Netherwood/Douglas_Blackshaw/USA.html
  8. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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