Shaw surname meaning
An English topographic or habitational surname from a small wood or thicket, with Gaelic and Chinese surname routes.
Confidence: Disputed. More than one origin is plausible, or sources disagree. We show the conflict rather than pick a cute answer.
The short story
Shaw is chiefly an English topographic or habitational surname from Old English sceaga, a small wood, grove, or thicket. It could describe someone who lived beside such a feature or came from one of the many places called Shaw. Scottish and Irish records add Gaelic personal-name routes, and Shaw is also an English-language romanization of the Chinese surname Shao. Shawe is an older English spelling, while Sheehy belongs to a different Irish naming history that can be confused in broad surname lists. Place is the best catalog type for the English lead, but disputed confidence keeps the parallel streams visible.
Also seen as: Shawe, Shaw, Shao, Sheehy
- Geneanet surname entry for Shaw (woodland, Gaelic, and Chinese routes)
- British Surnames entry for Shaw (Old English sceaga and place-name history)
- Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)