Shaw
The copse-edge — Lancashire loves it.
CoreHistoric reach
The seat of Shaw
Seat vacantChief
No chief yet. The seat awaits its first claimant — be the first to stake your name to Shaw.
Current mission
No mission proclaimed. The chief, once seated, sets the clan’s public focus — a campaign, a contest, a piece of restoration, a year of remembrance.
The pledge surface for chiefdoms and missions is being built. Until it ships, register your name through the submit form.
Stake your name →What does the Shaw name mean?
Locative — the shaw (woodland strip). Old English sceaga.
The history of Shaw
A **shaw** is woodland riding up a hillside — neither deep forest nor open field, ideal for pig herding and poaching folklore. Lancashire and Cheshire families drew dignity from knowing which shaw belonged to which hamlet when tithe maps arrived.
Frequently asked
What does the surname Shaw mean?
Locative — the shaw (woodland strip). Old English sceaga.
Where does the Shaw family come from?
The Shaw family was historically based in North West and West Midlands in England, in particular North West and West Midlands.