| ![Show Contents]() Mottershed History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Mottershed is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mottershed family lived in Cheshire at Mottram St. Andrew, a small village and parish that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Motre, but later listed as Motromandreus in 1351. The place name possibly meant "speaker's place" or "place where meetings are held" from the Old English motere + rum. 1 More recently, it is home to Mottram Hall, a house built around 1750. Mottram in Longdendale is a village in Greater Manchester. It is one of the eight ancient parishes of the Macclesfield Hundred of Cheshire and dates back at least 1242. Early Origins of the Mottershed familyThe surname Mottershed was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Mottram at the time of the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Conjecturally they are descended from Gamal whose father held the Lordship from Earl Hugh Bigod, the Chief tenant. Mottram was classed as a Hawk's eyrie at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086 A.D. The village is now two villages, Mottram St. Andrew and Mottram Cross. There is now a Mottram Old Hall. The name also became Mottershead about the 16th century, branching away but retaining the same Coat of Arms. The earliest record of the family was John de Mottrum who was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1287. 2 Early East Cheshire records revealed John de Mottrum and Adam de Mottrum as both holding lands there in 1376. 3 And an Adam de Mottrum was gaoler of Macclesfield and bailiff of the forest there in the middle of the 14th century (1301-1360.) 4 Early History of the Mottershed familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mottershed research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1541, 1564, 1565, 1595, 1605, 1678, 1688, 1715 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Mottershed History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Mottershed Spelling VariationsBefore 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 Mottershed family name include Mottram, Mottrame, Motram, Motramm, Motteram, Mottvane, Mottershead, Mottishead, Mottishitt and many more. Early Notables of the Mottershed familyMore information is included under the topic Early Mottershed Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Mottershed 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 Mottershed family to immigrate North America:
Mottershed Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Adam Mottershed, who settled in Virginia in 1698
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
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Mottershed migration to the United States 
