Shaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Shaw

What does the name Shaw mean?

The origins of the Shaw name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a small wood or shaw. Shaw is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. The surname Shaw is believed to be derived from the Old English word sceaga, which means dweller by the wood.

Early Origins of the Shaw family

The surname Shaw was first found in Berkshire, where they were established in the 12th century.

Early History of the Shaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shaw research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1281, 1307, 1388, 1407, 1615, 1617, 1635, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1679, 1680, 1690, 1696, 1780, 1815 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Shaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shaw Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Shaw were recorded, including Shaw, Shawe, Shave, Sheaves, Shaves, Shay, Shayes and many more.

Early Notables of the Shaw family

John Shawe (died 1407), of Oxford, English politician, Member of the Parliament of England (MP) for Oxford in 1388
Sir John Shaw, 1st Baronet (c 1615-1680), an English merchant and politician, Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis (1661-1679)
Sir John Shaw (c 1617-1690) , an English politician, Member of Parliament for Colchester in 1659 and 1660 to 1679
Samuel Shaw (1635-1696), an English nonconformist minister from Repton, Derbyshire
Jack Shaw (1780-1815), who served with the Life Guards and died at the Battle of Waterloo

Shaw World Ranking

the United States, the name Shaw is the 144^th most popular surname with an estimated 161,655 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Shaw is ranked the 132^nd most popular surname with an estimated 24,239 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Shaw is the 91^st popular surname with an estimated 26,811 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Shaw as 65^th with 4,945 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Shaw as 56^th with 74,924 people. 5

Migration of the Shaw family to Ireland

Some of the Shaw family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shaw migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Shaw family emigrate to North America:

Shaw Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nich Shaw, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 7
Annis Shaw, who landed in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Southampton" 7
Anne Shaw, who settled in Virginia in 1635 along with Richard and William
Roger Shaw, who landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1636 7
Abraham Shaw, who landed in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1637 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliza Shaw, who arrived in Virginia in 1701-1702 7
Ewen Shaw, who arrived in South Carolina in 1716 7
Angus Shaw, who landed in Virginia in 1716 7
Donald Shaw, who settled in Virginia in 1716
Ewen Shaw, who settled in South Carolina in 1716 along with John
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Shaw, who arrived in America in 1801 7
James Shaw, who arrived in America in 1805 7
Joseph Shaw, who arrived in America in 1805 7
Nathaniel Shaw, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1806 7
Elijah Shaw, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw migration to Canada +

Shaw Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Shaw, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Thomas Shaw, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1750
Sarah Shaw, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Peter Shaw, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Arnold Shaw, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Shaw, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Favourite" in 1815
James Shaw, who landed in Canada in 1828
Samuel Shaw, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Mary" in 1838
Thomas Shaw, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1843
Mary Shaw, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1844
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Mr. George Shaw, (1768 - 1794), aged 21, British settler convicted at Lancaster, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 6

Second Fleet

Mr. Abraham Shaw, (d. 1792), British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for fraud, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. William Shaw, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "William and Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. William Shaw, (1758 - 1815), aged 32, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for breaking and entry, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. Thomas Shaw, (d. 1791), British settler convicted in Lincolnshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Britannia" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7

Third Fleet

Mr. Joseph Shaw, (b. 1751), aged 36, English settler convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire on 7th July 1785, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 7

Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Shaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Shaw, English convict who was convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. John Shaw, English sawyer who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1841 9
Mr. William Shaw, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. James Shaw, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
William Shaw, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shaw migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Shaw Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Elihu Shaw, who landed in Kaipara, New Zealand in 1836 aboard the ship Coromandel
John Shaw, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
William Shaw, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson 13
Ebenezer Shaw, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
James Shaw, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Shaw (post 1700) +

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish Nobel Prize-winning and Academy Award-winning playwright, essayist and critic, eponym of the Shaw Festival, Niagara on the Lake, Canada
Lance Richard Shaw (1946-2025), American professional football player, a defensive back and wide receiver in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Paula Shaw (1941-2025), American actress, portrayed characters in numerous films and on television (including a role as prostitute on Barney Miller, season three, "Quarantine", and season four, "Bugs")
Karen Shaw (1941-2025), American conceptual and visual artist and curator, known for developing a system which assigns linguistic meaning to numbers and using it in many of her works
William "Billy" Lewis Shaw (1938-2024), American professional football player
James E. "Jim" Shaw (1946-2024), American politician, Mayor of Rapid City, South Dakota, from 1997 to 1999, from 1999 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005 and from 2005 to 2007
Sarah-Ann Shaw (1933-2024), American journalist and television reporter
Marlena Shaw (1942-2024), born as Marlina Burgess, was an American jazz, blues, and soul singer
Bernard Shaw (1940-2022), American journalist and lead news anchor for CNN from 1980 until his retirement in March 2001, winner of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism (1994), the Paul White Award, Radio Television Digital News Association (1996), and inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln
... (Another 48 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Shaw family +

Centaur

Edna Alice Shaw (1908-1943), Australian Sister who died aboard the ship "Centaur" an Australian hospital ship when torpedoed on 14th May 1943
Mr. Henry Edward Shaw, British Baker from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 14
Ms. Sarah Jane Shaw, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 15
Mrs. Mary Shaw (1847-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mrs. Margaret Shaw (1847-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
... (Another 23 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Shaw 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance