Shelf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Shelf

What does the name Shelf mean?

The rich and ancient history of the Shelf family name dates back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from the Old English given name Saulf. Shelf is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronymic surnames were formed by adopting the given name of an ancestor of the bearer, while others came from popular religious names, and from the names of secular heroes. In this case, the surname arose out of the vernacular tradition, and was likely the name of an ancestor of the bearer. The given name Saulf was composed of the elements sæ and wulf, which mean sea and wolf. 1

Early Origins of the Shelf family

The surname Shelf was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Saiulfus, Sahulfus, Saulf, Saolf, Saul, Seulf are all listed. Robert filius Seulfi was listed as a Knights Templar in Berkshire in 1185 and later William Sewolf was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. John and William Self were found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 2

"The name Sewlf (sea-wolf) occurs in a charter of Canute, and it is probably the same as the Saulf in the Domesday of Derbyshire, where it is in the Scandinavian form. Hence may be our Salve, Self, Selves." 3 4

In Yorkshire, the Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Cristiana del Schelf, 1379; and Johannes de Schelf. 5

Early History of the Shelf family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shelf research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1086 is included under the topic Early Shelf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shelf Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Shelf have been found, including Self, Selfe and others.

Early Notables of the Shelf family

More information is included under the topic Early Shelf Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shelf family to Ireland

Some of the Shelf family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shelf family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Shelf, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were : Isaac Self settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; John Self settled in Pennsylvania in 1771; Samuel Self settled in Pennsylvania in 1771; William and Susan Selfe arrived in Barbados in 1654 but transferred to Virginia in the same year..

Sources +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)