Show ContentsRadshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Radshaw family

The surname Radshaw was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Redshaw Gill in Blubberhouses, a township, in the parish of Fewston, Lower division of the wapentake of Claro. 1 A small village, the current population is less than 100, Redshaw Gill is now mostly parkland bordering on the river between the Fewston Reservoir and the Thruscross Reservoir. Slightly to the north lies Redshaw Hall, now a farmhouse.

One of the first records of the family was Nicholas de Redschaghe who held estates here in 1297. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1397 list John Redeshawe as also holding lands at that time. 2

Literally, the name means "dweller at the Red Wood" from the Old English "réad, red + sc(e)aga," Middle English "shaw(e)," meaning "a wood." 3

Early History of the Radshaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Radshaw research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1465, 1575, 1712 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Radshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Radshaw Spelling Variations

Radshaw has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Redshaw, Redshawe, Readshaw, Readshawe, Ridshaw, Radshaw, Radshawe, Readshore and many more.

Early Notables of the Radshaw family

More information is included under the topic Early Radshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Radshaw migration to Australia +

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

Radshaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Margaret Radshaw, (Redshaw, Bradshaw), (b. 1784), aged 19, English house maid who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for larceny, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1811 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Radshaw (post 1700) +

  • Samuel G. Radshaw, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Ansonia; Elected 1906 5


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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