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Shapcott Family History

Shapcott Surname Meaning

Apparently from Shapcott Barton, a hamlet in Knowstone (Devon), where members of the family bearing this surname lived in the early 16th century and were lords of Knowstone manor from the early 17th century, if not before. The place is called Shepcott in 1541 and is evidently named with Middle English shepcote ‘sheep shed’ or ‘sheep fold’ (Old English scēap + cot).

However, the earliest evidence for the place-name occurs by implication in the family name Shapcott or Shepcott attested in 1524 and 1539. It is possible therefore that the place-name was manorial, deriving not from a sheep shed or sheep fold there but from the surname of the property's occupants.

If so, Shapcott may be a palatalized form of the gentry surname Sapcote, perhaps influenced by the local word shepcote.

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


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Where is the Shapcott family from?

You can see how Shapcott families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shapcott family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Shapcott families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 129 Shapcott families living in Devon. This was about 30% of all the recorded Shapcott's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Shapcott families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shapcott 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 Shapcott 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 Shapcott. 23% of Shapcott men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Shapcott women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shapcott were Unpaid Domestic Duties and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Shapcott | 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
    23%
  • Retired
    17%
  • Painter
    17%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Shapcott family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Shapcott

Passenger Lists

There are 888 immigration records available for the last name Shapcott. 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 Shapcott immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 601 military records available for the last name Shapcott. For the veterans among your Shapcott ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Shapcott family history

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What is the average Shapcott lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Shapcott life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Shapcott in 1945 was 35, and 43 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shapcott

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shapcott 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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