Show ContentsShepardson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • England
Shepardson Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Shepardson

What does the name Shepardson mean?

This surname is derived from a nickname as in 'the shepherd's son.' 1

Early Origins of the Shepardson family

The surname Shepardson was first found in Cumberland, England where John Schephirdson was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332. 2

A very rare surname, the next record of the family was almost one hundred years later in Durham where the source "History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham" listed John Shepherdson in 1423. The Fabric Rolls of York Minster: Wills and Inventories (Surtees Society) lists Alice Shipperdon in Yorkshire, but no date was given and William Shipperdson was later listed in County Durham. 1

Early History of the Shepardson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shepardson research. Another 145 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1708 and 1738 are included under the topic Early Shepardson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shepardson Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Shepardson include Shepperdson, Shipperdson, Schipperdson, Schepperdson, Shepherdson, Sheperdson, Sheppardson, Shipardson, Shepperson, Sheperson, Shiparson, Sheparson, Shepparson, Shipson, Shepson, Sheppson and many more.

Early Notables of the Shepardson family

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

Shepardson Ranking

the United States, the name Shepardson is the 10,163rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Shepardson migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Shepardson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Shepardson, who landed in New England in 1727 4

Shepardson migration to Australia +

Shepardson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Shepardson, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "South Australian" in 1837 5
  • George Shepardson, aged 24, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Marion" in 1849 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Shepardson (post 1700) +

  • Ray Shepardson (1897-1975), American Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1924
  • Robert Shepardson, American founder of Shepardson Microsystems, Inc. (SMI) who created some of the first operating systems for Atari and Apple
  • Whitney Hart Shepardson (1890-1966), American businessman and foreign policy expert, he headed the Secret Intelligence Branch of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.[
  • William M. Shepardson, American politician, First Selectman of Middlebury, Connecticut, 1909-22 7
  • Walter A. Shepardson, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Chenango County, 1910-13 8
  • Samuel Shepardson (1757-1813), American politician, Member of Vermont Governor's Council, 1803-08; Presidential Elector for Vermont, 1808 8
  • John Shepardson (d. 1802), American politician, Justice of Vermont State Supreme Court, 1778-79; Member of Vermont Governor's Council 8
  • Herb J. Shepardson (b. 1957), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 2004 8
  • Andrew Shepardson, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Chenango County, 1871-72 8
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SOUTH AUSTRALIAN 1837-1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837SouthAustralian.htm
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The MARION 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Marion.htm
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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