Shafftoe is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Shafftoe family lived in Northumberland, at Shafto Crag, from whence their name is derived.
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Early Origins of the Shafftoe family
The surname Shafftoe was first found in Northumberland at either Shafto East or Shafto West. Both townships have remained rather small over the years with populations less than 50 people but both have considerable antiquity, being mentioned in records of the 13th century. In 1378, Matthew Bolton, vicar of Newcastle, and others, were feoffees for founding a chantry in the "chapel of Shafthowe." The Shaftos were traditional landowners of the area with the Aynsleys, and the Vaughans. 1
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Early History of the Shafftoe family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shafftoe research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1110 and 1650 are included under the topic Early Shafftoe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Shafftoe Spelling Variations
Before 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 Shafftoe family name include Shafto, Shaftan, Shaftoe, Shaftowe, Shaftow and others.
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Early Notables of the Shafftoe family
More information is included under the topic Early Shafftoe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Shafftoe family
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 Shafftoe family to immigrate North America: John Shaftoe settled in Virginia in 1716; Edward Shaftoe settled in Virginia in 1730.
England
