Shortland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Shortland family

The surname Shortland was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1260 when Robert de Schirlande held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Shortland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shortland research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Shortland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shortland Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Shoreland, Shorland, Shopland, Shawland, Shorlan, Sherland, Shirland, Schawland, Shaweland, Shireland and many more.

Early Notables of the Shortland family

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

Shortland migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Shortland Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Shortland, who landed in Virginia in 1654 1

Shortland Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Shortland, who arrived in New York in 1817 1

Shortland migration to Australia +

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

Shortland Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Shortland, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, England for life, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2

Shortland migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Shortland Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Willoughby Shortland, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
E Shortland, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841
Mr. J. Shortland, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 3
Mrs. Shortland, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Shortland (post 1700) +

Commander Willoughby Shortland RN (1804-1869), British naval officer and colonial administrator, 1st Colonial Secretary of New Zealand (1841-1843), President of the island of Nevis and later Governor of Tobago, son of Captain George Thomas Shortland
Edward Shortland (1812-1893), English-born, New Zealand doctor, administrator, scholar and linguist, brother of Willoughby Shortland
Gary John Shortland (b. 1976), English professional ice dancer
Captain Thomas George Shortland (1771-1827), British Naval officer, younger brother of Captain John Shortland
Vice Admiral Peter Frederick Shortland (1815-1888), British Naval officer, son of Captain Thomas George Shortland
Lieutenant John Shortland (1769-1810), British naval officer, master's mate on the Sirius when the First Fleet sailed for Australia, eponym of Shortland, New South Wales and the Shortland Islands, eldest son of Commander John Shortland (1736–1803), elder brother of Thomas George Shortland
Cate Shortland (b. 1968), Australian ADG Award, AFI Award, FCCA Award and IF Award winning writer and director of film and television from Temora, New South Wales
Ryan Shortland (b. 1986), New Zealand rugby union player

Citations +

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html