Show ContentsShadewall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Shadewall surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in one of the various places called Chadwell in the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, and Wiltshire. Places called Caldwell exist in Warwickshire and the North Riding of Yorkshire. There is also a Chardwell in Essex and a Chardle Ditch in Cambridgeshire as well as a plethora of similarly-named places throughout England. The surname Shadewall is derived from the names of these settlements, which are ultimately derived from the Old English words ceald, which means cold, and wielle, which means spring or stream. 1

Early Origins of the Shadewall family

The surname Shadewall was first found in Essex at Chadwell, a parish, in the union of Orsett, hundred of Barstable. "At the time of the Norman survey, the parish belonged principally to the Bishop of London, and some portions to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and others. 2 The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the place name was Celdeuuella. 3

Early History of the Shadewall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shadewall research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1614, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1689 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Shadewall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shadewall Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Shadewall include Chadwell, Chadall, Shadwell, Chadwel and others.

Early Notables of the Shadewall family

Distinguished members of the family include William Chadwell (born 1614), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Mitchell (1640-1644), he supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; and Thomas Shadwell (1642-1692), an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689. "He was grandson of George Shadwell, and son of John Shadwell of the parish of Broomhill, Norfolk. He claimed descent from the family...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shadewall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shadewall family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Dan and his wife Anne settled in Virginia in 1651.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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