Show ContentsEldershaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Eldershaw

What does the name Eldershaw mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Eldershaw family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in a region or small valley with alder trees. The surname Eldershaw may also indicate one who came from Aldersey, an ancient village or hamlet that once existed in England.

Early Origins of the Eldershaw family

The surname Eldershaw was first found in Cheshire, at Aldersey, a civil parish, now in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester. They are a family of great antiquity in that county, and held estates at Aldersey and Spurstow from about the 11th century. They also held estates at Bunbury and Peel Hall in the parish of Tarvin.

Early History of the Eldershaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eldershaw research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1581, 1586, 1846 and 1899 are included under the topic Early Eldershaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eldershaw Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Eldershaw include Aldersey, Eldersey, Aldersea, Eldersy and others.

Early Notables of the Eldershaw family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eldershaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Eldershaw migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Eldershaw or a variant listed above:

Eldershaw Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Thomas Eldershaw, aged 65, who landed in America from London, in 1903
  • William Eldershaw, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Sheffield, in 1904
  • Ellen Eldershaw, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States from Sheffield, in 1904
  • John M. Eldershaw, aged 11, who immigrated to America from Isle of Wight, England, in 1916
  • Frank Herbert Eldershaw, aged 36, who landed in America from Manchester, England, in 1920

Eldershaw migration to Australia +

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

Eldershaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Eldershaw, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1
  • Miss Parthena Eldershaw who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 25th October 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Eldershaw (post 1700) +

  • Simon Eldershaw (b. 1983), English former professional footballer
  • Flora Sydney Patricia Eldershaw (1897-1956), Australian novelist, critic and historian who sometimes used the pseudonym M. Barnard Eldershaw


  1. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia


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