Shadlock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Shadlock

Like many surnames, the name Shadlock is occupational in origin, meaning that the first bearer of the name took it because it pertained to his profession. In this case, there are two possible occupations that could be associated with the name. The name comes from the middle English word "schaklock," meaning "fetters" or "chains." It therefore seems likely that the first bearer of the name was either a manufacturer of such shackles, or perhaps a jailer. Another possibility is that the name comes from "shake locks" and was a nickname for someone with long hair who had the habit of shaking back his locks.

Early Origins of the Shadlock family

Early History of the Shadlock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shadlock research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1313, 1342, 1379, 1524, 1555, 1559, 1568 and 1575 are included under the topic Early Shadlock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shadlock Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Shacklock, Shatlock, Shadlock, Shakeloc, Schakeloc and many more.

Early Notables of the Shadlock family

Richard Shacklock (fl. 1575), English Catholic divine, possibly of Lancashire extraction, and descended from the Shacklock family of Mostyn. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shadlock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shadlock family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Shadlock or a variant listed above were: the $ family, who settled along the eastern coast of North America.