sheldrake coat of arms

media gallery / heritage / sheldrake coat of arms

---

Updates received by email:

While searching out a 'Sheldrake' picture I came across your page proudly proclaiming a Sheldrake coat of arms, this is however wrong. As the email update quite correctly links, Sheldrake does indeed come from two origins.

1. Shield Bearer - Viking, Danish origin - no associated coat of arms, viking identification is normally a logo on the traditional round viking shield or triangle flag not a coat of arms.

2. Saxon (English) - Duck Keeper (probable as Sheldrake exists in Saxon history prior to Viking Invasion)

The coat of arms and crest shown in indeed Norman in origin and belongs to the Sheldon family (only known derivative is Shelton, down to local pronunciation). The Sheldons coming from France (Normandy) were indeed tapestry makers for the royal court at the time of the Normal invasion into Saxon England (1066 and all that) - there reward for assistance in the invasion was a manor in Bewdley in Worcestershire (just outside of Birmingham), At one time a aristocratic family with many ties by wedlock to the then British royalty however during the 1200's the family fell to bad luck during the time of the plauge and many deaths led to hight death taxes in addition to a window tax that had been levied on people, Bewdly Manor having many windows the family became bankrupt and the estate was handed to the crown. Despite a reprieve a century later the estate was never claimed and remains public and leased property presently. A church in Bewdley houses the Sheldon shrine upon which sits the crest on your site, in addition to examples of it in Oxford where the Sheldon Library is situated.

Hope that is of use to you in some way and helps with any search into the Sheldrake name

Karl Sheldon

Hi,

... what I have been able to find out about the origins of the surname is that it goes back along way into english history and that it came initally from from Denmark, (Vikings? I'm not sure about the history of all of that) it does however mean Shield Bearer and was at one stage also used to reference a person that carried a flag in front of an advancing army. After the name was in England it was also used to reference a 'keeper of ducks'. My family come from suffolk so I guess that would refer to the Danish connection fairly well, interesting all the same.

Andy Sheldrake

---

back    next