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ONS INDEX
Welcome
Welcome & Overview,
Background, Myths Exploded, Quotable Quotes, Awards, Site Search
Introduction
About these webpages
Shelvock
Location
Geography & Geomorphology
Origins
of the Family Name
Earliest origins of the family
names
Where
& When?
Occurrence of the family names
from the C16th - present day
A
History of Shelvock Manor
The
place and local environs providing the family name as well as some other
associated families
The
SHELVOKEs
The story of engineering
prowess and how a family name variant became extinct in modern times
The
SHELVOCKs
The story
of one couple's destiny to preserve the original family name from
extinction
A
Brief History of Halesowen
The town that
became the centre for the modern family name of SHILVOCK
Demography and Statistics
What the data is telling us
Noted People
An offbeat listing of anyone
with a notable recorded history
Commonwealth
War Graves, Memorials
The names of
those who served in the armed forces, those who sacrificed their lives and
other stories
Researchers
and Family Contacts
Names and
email addresses from around the World
Data
Bank
Birth, Death
& Marriage Indices, census information and other public domain data
from around the World. Includes further links to more detailed analysis
including:
Australia,
New Zealand &
Asia/Pacific area:
Australian Electoral & Internet White Pages
UK
Electoral Roll
UK
Electoral Roll 2007 - SHILVOCK
UK
Electoral Roll 2007 - SHELVOCK
UK
Electoral Roll 2007 - SHELVOKE
(includes section on SHELVOKE companies)
UK
Telephone Listings
US,
Canada & Mexico:
Internet White Pages
US:
SSD Death Benefit List
SHELVOCK
One Name Study:
Family Trees
(1581-present day)
SHILVOCK
One Name Study:
Family Trees
(1639-present day)
UK
1881 Census Index
UK
1901 Census Index
Index
of UK Births
Index
of UK Marriages
Index
of UK Deaths
National
Burial Index;
"Most
Wanted"
Enquiries still seeking an
answer - maybe you can help?
SHELVOCK
- The Music
6 sets of instrumental music
inspired by the place and history.
Composed and played by the Webauthor
Contact
Info
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- Welcome & Overview -
Welcome to the award-winning Worldwide
One Name Study (ONS) into the rare family names of SHELVOCK
& SHILVOCK and their spelling variants,
including SHELVOKE
Aerial Photograph above Shelvock
SHELVOCK -
a
name of Saxon (Old English) origins - from the Old English 'scelf'
meaning a shelf of level ground, or flat topped hill, and 'ac'
meaning oak, taken from the ancient Manor of Shelvock and nearby locality, near
Ruyton-IX-Towns, Shropshire, England, originally pronounced "shelf'ac",
"shelv'ak" or "shelv'oak", but today as "shel'vock". All
families with this name today descend from one small surviving C19th group.
There were only 25 individuals of voting age with the name in the UK's 2000
Electoral Roll, all connected to the same small family tree with one exception.
SHELVOKE - a
variant of the SHELVOCK name which has small clusters in C18th/C19th
Wolverhampton, Willenhall, and the West Bromwich & Aston areas of
Birmingham. In the C20th the variant spelling survived for a time and is
considered the third most common name variation. C20th records show the name to
be connected to some families in Birmingham then Tamworth, but also in the
London area (Lambeth, Croydon, Bromley & Hitchin) before 1945. The origin of
the name may well be the true original Anglo Saxon pronunciation of SHELVOCK,
where one particular branch of the family pronounced the name in its original
form, with a longer "o" sound, i.e. SHELVOAK (also an occasional
spelling variant).
The SHELVOKE name survives only in a small number of
UK firms, the most notable of which is Shelvoke &
Drewry, which later became incorporated into Shelvoke
Dempster, Dennis Shelvoke, &
other spin-off companies. The name died out as a family name in the 1960's.
There were only 9 individuals of the name in the 1901 census, and no individuals
of voting age are recorded in the UK's 2000 Electoral Roll.
SHILVOCK -
pronounced "shil'vok" - the variant created in the C17th/C18th by
Black Country (North Worcestershire/South Staffordshire) dialect and is the
dominant spelling today with many hundreds of related families. In Clent &
Halesowen certain families also had the following clan aliases: SHILBURNE,
BARLOW, PROPHET, MANLIE & DAY, apparently to distinguish themselves from
each other. This appears to be based on some earlier maternal family names (at
least demonstrated for DAY). Many of these families still have ancient stories
of lands in Shropshire which supports the evidence provided in this Study that
this name derives from SHELVOCK.
Note: Some SHILVOCK descendants today, particularly the USA, have the SHELVOCK
name as a result of name changes during US immigration processes. The uncommon
name has resulted in dozens of variations existing in the UK's written records
(particularly census) due to mistranscription, such as SHILOOCK, SHILLOCK. These
are highlighted in this study as they are discovered. So far, there are over 45!
This website also has information on the origins
of the C19th/C20th family of SHILVOCK-WRIGHT,
and other persons who may have one of these unusual family names incorporated
into their own name as a middle name, even if not their surname.
Importantly, these webpages document the true
story of the origins of the family name, which despite the unusual spelling and
foreign sound is a family name of very early English origins. Commercial
"genealogy" firms that sell certificates describing the name with a
foreign origin are incorrect and misleading.
It has been speculated that Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle who lived at Cliffe House, Ruyton, near Shelvock, may have used the name
as a basis for his legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, however this author
believes it is more likely to be derived from his time as a resident in Aston,
Birmingham, where he lived near Sherlock Street and reputedly bought his fiddle
from a music shop there.
- Family Myths Exploded -
Despite family tales, the family name does
not originate from Poland, Ukraine, Norway, Denmark, or any other foreign
parts
The name has no connection with occupations
such as tailoring or an association with plums, as promoted by certain
companies defining origins of family names
The families are not descendants of
"red-haired Jewish gypsies from Eastern Europe"
What myths where you told?
There are many connected webpages and
numerous downloadable data files on this site. The contents are a culmination of
over 25 years research by this webauthor, with contributions from many
individuals worldwide. Despite the rarity of the names, most families have been
successful in finding some "long lost" relatives through these pages.
All modern families are probably related within the last three centuries and
with your input some of them can be connected. 2007 celebrates the 10th year of
this ONS on the Internet.
In addition to finding contacts actively
researching this name or just interested parties, you can also find detailed
information about the origins of the name and an extensive reference data of
public domain information (birth, death & marriage indices, family trees,
etc). There is also a list of ongoing projects where you can contribute to the
research effort if you have a genuine interest in the names.
The best way you can help the study is to relate
stories about your family so I can see where you fit in. Even to a small degree,
all families worldwide have so far contributed. By covering the C20th - the
period of current living memory - there's a good chance you can be taken back
several hundred years or receive help to research your own family.
The Index from the UK 1901 Census has been
added, demonstrating many of the typographical errors by those who thought one
of these names must be something else. If you're part of the greater Black
Country family (Halesowen & Stourbridge), then your family information would
be really useful in helping sort through the hundreds of families in the area
that aren't yet linked. Somehow, you're all related!
While browsing, why not download and listen to my
concept music album "Shelvock" inspired by some of the findings during
the course of this study?
Data, new information or occurrences of this
name, and feedback on this site is encouraged and welcomed though Email.
The SHELVOCK/SHELVOKE/SHILVOCK ONS
Often copied (by online encyclopedias), but never equalled! It is intended that
this site should be the definitive resource.
Top ranked in Google searches, so
why go anywhere else?
Thanks for your interest and participation
in the last 1000 years of this family's history.
Please note: This site is for the amateur
genealogist/family historian and no offer of professional
research is intended or implied. Maintenance of this website and
contributions to research are purely on a volunteer basis by an enthusiast who
has normal work & family
commitments. Data is all public domain information (PDI) and other family tree
information has been supplied by consent or interpolated from PDI. I do my best
to keep information as accurate as possible, and I welcome feedback or
corrections based on your own information. You are strongly recommended to
verify all information at source, and don't just take my word for it!
Please report any difficulties in
navigating this site or any errors, however small. Many thanks.
Best wishes,
Mark A. S.
Grace - ONS Researcher
[Please refer to ther CreativeGraces
Home Page for my latest contact info]
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