Show ContentsShieffield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Shieffield Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Shieffield

What does the name Shieffield mean?

The ancient history of the Shieffield name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the town of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 The surname Shieffield is a habitation name which was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the place-name Sheffield means open land by the River Sheaf, 2 a boundary river dividing Yorkshire from Derbyshire. 3

The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was originally recorded as Scafeld. 4

Early Origins of the Shieffield family

The surname Shieffield was first found in Staffordshire where William de Shefeld was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1227. Years later, Thomas de Sheffeld was found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1328 and in Oxfordshire, Ralph Sheffeld was recorded at Goring in 1456. 1

Back in Yorkshire, early records there show Will'us de Sheffeld in the Charter Rolls of 1307-1308. 2 Later, Johannes de Schefeld was recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

Early History of the Shieffield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shieffield research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1407, 1421, 1521, 1538, 1549, 1564, 1568, 1588, 1601, 1611, 1614, 1624, 1626, 1646, 1648, 1658, 1685, 1689, 1702, 1705 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Shieffield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shieffield Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Shieffield include Sheffield, Shefield, Sheffeild, Shiffield and many more.

Early Notables of the Shieffield family

William Sheffield (fl. 1407-1421) English politician, Member of Parliament for Rutland; William Sheffield (died 1646), Member of Parliament for Hedon in 1614 and Thirsk in 1624; Edmund Sheffield (1521-1549), English nobleman, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; John Sheffield (c. 1538-1568), 2nd Baron Sheffield of Butterwick; Edmund Sheffield, 3rd Baron Sheffield (c. 1564-1646), created Earl...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shieffield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shieffield family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Shieffield or a variant listed above: Edmund, William, and Ichabod Sheffield settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1630; Thomas Sheffield and his wife, Rachel, settled in Virginia in 1622.

The Shieffield 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: Comiter sed fortiter
Motto Translation: Courteously but firmly.
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)

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