Shiplett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Shiplett family lived in Derbyshire, at Shipley, from where they derived their name.

Alternatively, the name could have originated "from Shipley (pasture for sheep), the name of several places in England. " 1

Early Origins of the Shiplett family

The surname Shiplett was first found in Derbyshire where they were granted the lands of Shipley, originally spelled Scipelie, by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Today Shipley is a township, in the parish of Heanor, union of Basford, hundred of Morleston and Litchurch. Shipley is also a township, in the parish of Eglingham, union of Alnwick, N. division of Coquetdale ward and of Northumberland and a parish, in the union of Horsham, hundred of West Grinstead, rape of Bramber, W. division of Sussex. 2

"The ancient castle of Knap, here, which appears to have been founded in an early period of the Norman era, was visited by King John in 1206 and 1215, and was garrisoned during the Parliamentary War." 2

One branch of the family may have originated in Shipley, a parish in West Riding of Yorkshire, three miles from Bradford or at Shepley, a township in the parish of Kirk Burton, West Riding of Yorkshire.

Interestingly, the Yorkshire Shipley occurs as Scipeleia in Domesday Book of 1086. 3

"Both places seem to have been originally spelt Scheplay, so both Shepley and Shipley as surnames are now inextricably mixed." 4

And it is Yorkshire where we find the first records of the family. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Katerine de Scheplay; Joanna de Scheplay; and Adam de Scheplay as all holding lands there at that time. 4

Early History of the Shiplett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shiplett research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1769 is included under the topic Early Shiplett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shiplett Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Shipley, Shiplie, Skiplie, Schipley and others.

Early Notables of the Shiplett family

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

Migration of the Shiplett family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Shiplett or a variant listed above: Thomas Shipley, with his wife Elizabeth, and son and daughter, who settled in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1774; Robert Shipley settled in Barbados in 1671.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)