Contents [hide]

Shepperd History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Shepperd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The many generations and branches of the Shepperd family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a person who worked as a shepherd, the guardian of the sheep. 1 2

Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. Occupational names frequently were derived from the principal object associated with the activity of the original bearer, such as tools or products. These types of occupational surnames are called metonymic surnames. In this case the surname was originally derived from the Old English word sceap, meaning sheep and hierde meaning herdsman. While this traditional understand of the surname's meaning is in many ways self explanatory today, in examining the Coat of Arms invariably we find battle axes. This is not surprising as the ancient shepherds were employed to dig sod around the embattlements of a Saxon village as a means of defense, hence the term "the shepherd's ring." Their tools were battle axes.

Early Origins of the Shepperd family

The surname Shepperd was first found in the Southern counties of England, where they could be found from early times. Early recorded instances of the name include William Sepherd listed in Rotuli Hundredorum, in Oxfordshire in 1279. 3 The same rolls listed Margaret le Sephirde in Huntingdonshire and Walter le Schepherde in Cambridgeshire. 4

Henry Sephurde was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex of 1296 while Walter le Shepperde was listed in the Feet of Fines of Staffordshire in 1307. 3

Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed William Shephirde; and Johannes Schephirde. 4

Early History of the Shepperd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shepperd research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1317, 1327, 1399, 1413, 1515, 1559, 1605, 1634, 1635, 1648, 1649, 1698, 1720 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Shepperd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shepperd 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 Shepperd were recorded, including Shepherd, Shephard, Sheppard, Sheppeard, Shepperd and others.

Early Notables of the Shepperd family

Distinguished members of the family include Shepherd, alias Thwattes, of Derbyshire, who were a noble family during the reign of Henry IV (ruled 1399-1413); John Sheppard (c.1515-1559) English composer & organist, considered one of the finest English church composers of the Tudor era; Thomas Shepard (1605-1649), born in Towcester...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shepperd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shepperd family to Ireland

Some of the Shepperd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shepperd 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 Shepperd family emigrate to North America:

Shepperd Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sara Shepperd, aged 2, who landed in America in 1635 5
John Shepperd, who landed in Virginia in 1638 5
Richard Shepperd, who arrived in Virginia in 1640 5
William Shepperd, who landed in Virginia in 1642 5
Jon Shepperd, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Shepperd Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Gapper Shepperd, who arrived in New Jersey in 1763-1765 5
Gasper Shepperd, who landed in New Jersey in 1764 5

Shepperd Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Shepperd, who landed in America in 1801 5
Mary Shepperd, aged 38, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1812 5
James Shepperd, who arrived in New York in 1812 5
F M Shepperd, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 5

Shepperd migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shepperd Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Andrew Shepperd, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

Shepperd migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Shepperd Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Shepperd, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "John Munn" in 1849 6
Mr. Benjamin Shepperd, (b. 1826), aged 23, Cornish miner from Gulval, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lysander" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 13th January 1849 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Shepperd (post 1700) +

Major General Donald William Shepperd (b. 1940), American director of the Air National Guard (1994-1998)
Augustine Henry Shepperd (1792-1864), American politician, Congressional Representative from North Carolina
John Ben Shepperd (1915-1990), American politician, Attorney General for Texas (1953-1957)
John Shepperd (b. 1937), English former cricketer and umpire
Robin Shepperd, British BAFTA Award nominated television director who has directed Lucky Jim, Octavia, Cherished, The Bad Mother's Handbook and many more
William Shepperd Ashe (1814-1862), American politician, U.S. Congressman from North Carolina (1849-1855)
Shepperd Strudwick (1907-1983), American two-time Daytime Emmy Award nominated television actor, known for his work in One Life to Live (1968), Another World (1964) and As the World Turns (1956)

The Shepperd 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: Fide et virtute
Motto Translation: By fidelity and valour.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN MUNN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849JohnMunnPassengers.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf