Shaffield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Shaffield

What does the name Shaffield mean?

The present generation of the Shaffield family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the town of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 The surname Shaffield is a habitation name which was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the place-name Sheffield means open land by the River Sheaf, 2 a boundary river dividing Yorkshire from Derbyshire. 3

The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was originally recorded as Scafeld. 4

Early Origins of the Shaffield family

The surname Shaffield was first found in Staffordshire where William de Shefeld was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1227. Years later, Thomas de Sheffeld was found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1328 and in Oxfordshire, Ralph Sheffeld was recorded at Goring in 1456. 1

Back in Yorkshire, early records there show Will'us de Sheffeld in the Charter Rolls of 1307-1308. 2 Later, Johannes de Schefeld was recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

Early History of the Shaffield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shaffield research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1407, 1421, 1521, 1538, 1549, 1564, 1568, 1588, 1601, 1611, 1614, 1624, 1626, 1646, 1648, 1658, 1685, 1689, 1702, 1705 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Shaffield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shaffield Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Shaffield include Sheffield, Shefield, Sheffeild, Shiffield and many more.

Early Notables of the Shaffield family

William Sheffield (fl. 1407-1421) English politician, Member of Parliament for Rutland; William Sheffield (died 1646), Member of Parliament for Hedon in 1614 and Thirsk in 1624; Edmund Sheffield (1521-1549), English nobleman, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; John Sheffield (c. 1538-1568), 2nd Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; Edmund Sheffield, 3rd Baron Sheffield (c. 1564-1646), created Earl...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shaffield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shaffield family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Shaffield were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Edmund, William, and Ichabod Sheffield settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1630; Thomas Sheffield and his wife, Rachel, settled in Virginia in 1622.

The Shaffield Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Comiter sed fortiter
Motto Translation: Courteously but firmly.

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)