Sheffeild History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Sheffeild

What does the name Sheffeild mean?

Sheffeild is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in the town of Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 The surname Sheffeild 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 Sheffeild family

The surname Sheffeild 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 Sheffeild family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheffeild 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 Sheffeild History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheffeild Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Sheffeild has been recorded under many different variations, including Sheffield, Shefield, Sheffeild, Shiffield and many more.

Early Notables of the Sheffeild family

Notables of this surname at this time include: 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...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheffeild Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheffeild migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Sheffeild or a variant listed above:

Sheffeild Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Sheffeild, who landed in Virginia in 1658 6
Robert Sheffeild, who landed in Virginia in 1658 6
Phill Sheffeild, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 6

Sheffeild Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Isaac Sheffeild, who arrived in Virginia in 1713 6

The Sheffeild 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.

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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)