Origins of the Shaw surname
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
Start your family history journey
Start free trial
Start your family tree
Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Shaws.
Sign up to get startedDelve deeper into the Shaw family's history
Common jobs for Shaws
Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.
Commmon female occupations for Shaws in 1921
Cotton Weaver
2,144
Dressmaker
2,038
Domestic Servant
1,299
Housekeeper
974
House Keeper
915
Commmon male occupations for Shaws in 1921
Coal Miner
3,128
General Labourer
1,701
Farmer
1,644
Joiner
1,183
Agricultural Labourer
1,104
Learn more about the lives of Shaw family members
Share your discoveries
Look for a different surname
Find out more about your family in our records