Sheldom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The lineage of the name Sheldom begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the township of Shelton found in five counties in England. Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Salop and Staffordshire all had townships by the name of Shelton. This place-name was originally derived by the Old English elements scylf and tun, which denoted a ledge or plateau in the landscape. [1]

Early Origins of the Sheldom family

The surname Sheldom was first found in Norfolk at Shelton, a parish, in the union and hundred of Defwade. "This place was anciently the property of the Sheltons, who were owners of the Hall, a castellated structure long since pulled down. From that family the estate passed to Sir Robert Houghton, one of the justices of the king's bench." [2]

Some of the family held estates in Great Snoring, Norfolk. "The living is a rectory, with that of Thursford annexed, valued in the king's books at £24, and in the gift of St. John's College, Cambridge: the tithes have been commuted for £539, and the glebe comprises 37 acres, with a house, erected by Sir Richard Shelton. The church is a good structure in the later English style, with a lofty embattled tower, and contains some ancient monuments and brasses to the Shelton and other families." [2]

Early History of the Sheldom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheldom research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1561, 1700, 1460, 1529, 1475, 1555, 1476, 1539, 1612, 1601, 1650, 1649, 1626, 1647, 1601, 1705, 1537, 1604 and 1579 are included under the topic Early Sheldom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheldom Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Sheldom has undergone many spelling variations, including Shelton, Sheltone and others.

Early Notables of the Sheldom family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Shelton, also known as John Skelton (c.1460-1529), an English poet; Rauf Shelton of Yorkshire; Anne Shelton nee Boleyn (1475-1555), aunt of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII; and Sir John Shelton (1476-1539), courtier during the reign of Henry VIII of England. Thomas Shelton (fl. 1612), was the first translator of 'Don Quixote' into English, may possibly be identical with the Thomas Sheldon who was fourth son of William Sheldon of Broadway, Worcestershire, a kinsman of Edward Sheldon, of Beoley. [3] Thomas Shelton (1601-1650?), was an English stenographer, descended from an old Norfolk family...
Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheldom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheldom family to Ireland

Some of the Sheldom family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheldom family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sheldom were among those contributors: Richard and Francis Shelton who settled in Virginia in 1638; Samuel and Esther Shelton settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1765 with Hannah; Samuel Shelton settled in Barbados with his servants in 1680.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print