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Origins of the Shaw surname

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What does the name Shaw mean?

The origin of the Shaw surname is English and Scottish. It has a number of points of origin, most commonly it is topographical, coming from the Old English 'sceaga' (dweller by the wood) and relates to somebody who lived on or near a thicket or copse and their descendants. The surname Shaw sometimes can stem from an anglicisation of the Gaelic name 'Sitheach', but most often in Ireland it has arisen from the names that arrived during the plantation of the country in the 1600s.

Alternative variations of the name Shaw

Shaw, Shawe, Schaw, Schawe, Shave

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Where do most Shaws live?

In 1921, most Shaws lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Shaws

How common is your surname?

50th most common surname in the UK

We have 544,000 records for the Shaw surname. The oldest one dates back to .

Who were Shaws most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Shaws.

What are the most common Shaw first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Shaw family members

Common jobs for Shaws

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Shaws in 1921
Cotton Weaver

2,144

Dressmaker

2,038

Domestic Servant

1,299

Housekeeper

974

House Keeper

915

Common Male occupations for Shaws in 1921
Coal Miner

3,128

General Labourer

1,701

Farmer

1,644

Joiner

1,183

Agricultural Labourer

1,104

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We found over 460,000 family trees with the Shaw surname

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