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Shakeshaft Family History

Shakeshaft Surname Meaning

from Middle English shak(en) ‘(to) shake brandish’ + shaft(e) ‘shaft (especially of a spear)’ presumably for a spearman or someone quick to take up arms or as an obscene nickname in which the shaft in question is the penis.

The latter sense of shaft is first recorded by OED in the 18th century but may have been around in spoken usage for centuries earlier.

Another possibility is that the shaft referred to was (one of) a pair of long laths between which the heddles are stretched in a loom in which case the surname would have denoted a weaver's assistant.

Compare Shakespeare.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Shakeshaft family from?

You can see how Shakeshaft families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shakeshaft family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shakeshaft families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 230 Shakeshaft families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Shakeshaft's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Shakeshaft families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shakeshaft surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Shakeshaft ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Shakeshaft. 13% of Shakeshaft men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Shakeshaft women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shakeshaft were Gardener and Office Cleaner.

View Census Data for Shakeshaft | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Shop Assistant
    10%
  • Gardener Heavy Worker
    7%
  • Gardener
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Office Cleaner
    3%

What Shakeshaft family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Shakeshaft. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shakeshaft census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shakeshaft

Passenger Lists

There are 764 immigration records available for the last name Shakeshaft. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Shakeshaft immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 547 military records available for the last name Shakeshaft. For the veterans among your Shakeshaft ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shakeshaft military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shakeshaft family history

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What is the average Shakeshaft lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Shakeshaft life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Shakeshaft in 1963 was 75, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shakeshaft

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shakeshaft ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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