Sheltion History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Sheltion date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in various places named Sheldon including Derbyshire, Devon, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The first portion of the surname Sheltion is derived from the Old English scylf meaning shelf. The second portion was originally derived from the Old English dun meaning hill. The surname simply referred to the hill with a flat top. 1

Early Origins of the Sheltion family

The surname Sheltion was first found in Worcestershire where "John Sheldon, of Abberton, in the reign of Henry IV" 2 is generally believed to be the progenitor. However, the Warwickshire "ancient house of Sheldon, of Sheldon is a matter of doubt, but not improbable. 2 For it is in Warwickshire that the family rose in prominence when William Sheldon purchased the manor of Beoly from Richard Neville in the reign of Edward IV. 2

The family held this estate as their principal seat until it was destroyed by a fire in the Civil Wars of the 17th century. "[Beoley, Worcestershire] belonged successively to the noble families of Mortimer, Beauchamp, and Holland, of whose ancient castle the mound and moat still remain; and in the reign of Charles I. the manor was the property of Ralph Sheldon, a distinguished royalist, whose mansion was burned by the family themselves, to prevent its falling into the possession of the parliamentarians. Attached to the church is the chapel of 'Our Lady,' formerly a private chapel of the Sheldon family, to whom it has a very handsome monument: underneath the chapel is the vault." 3

Over in the parish of Temple Grafton, another branch of the family was found. Originally held by Knights Templar (hence the prefix "Temple"), the property was purchased by the Sheldon family in the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1541 by Henry VIII. 3

The Selden, Seldin, Seldon and Seldom variants originate in Devon at Seldon in Hatherleigh or at Selden Farm in Patching Sussex. 4 West Tarring, Sussex is where the famous lawyer John Seldon (1584-1654) was born.

Early rolls give a glimpse of the many spelling in use over the years: Roger de Seldon was registered in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire in 1196; William de Selkedon in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; and Robert Selden, Selkeden in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1525. 4

Early History of the Sheltion family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheltion research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1584, 1598, 1599, 1610, 1642, 1654, 1660, 1663, 1677 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Sheltion History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheltion Spelling Variations

Sheltion has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Sheltion have been found, including Sheldon, Shelden, Seldin, Sheldyn, Sheltan and others.

Early Notables of the Sheltion family

Distinguished members of the family include John Selden (1584-1654), an English jurist and a scholar of England's ancient laws and constitution; Edward Sheldon (1599-1687), an English translator of Catholic works; and Gilbert Sheldon (1598-1677), Bishop of London in 1660, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1663, eponym of the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford.Richard Sheldon (d. 1642?), was an English divine, probably...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheltion Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sheltion family to Ireland

Some of the Sheltion family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 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 Sheltion family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Sheltions to arrive on North American shores: Isaac Sheldon, who settled in New England in 1630; Pardon Sheldon settled in Boston in 1767; Godfrey Sheldon settled in Maine in 1630; Elizabeth Sheldrick settled in Virginia in 1732.

The Sheltion 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: Optimum pati
Motto Translation: To suffer is best.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)