Surname Shiles - Meaning and Origin
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Shiles: What does the surname Shiles mean?
The last name Shiles is of English origin meaning "at the holly trees," derived from the Old English words "hlys" and "æc," respectively meaning "holly" and "oak."
Within the United Kingdom, the name Shiles is most concentrated in the county of Somerset, where records show that the name first appeared in early records, beginning with John Lyles in 1286.
Shiles is a derivative of the common English surname Liles, which was popularized in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Records of people with this name can be traced back to the 12th century and it was commonly used as a sign of ownership over land or goods.
In the United States, the Shiles surname has been around since the eighteenth century. Early settlers of the United States with this name included William Shiles, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 and Samuel Shiles, who landed in America from Lincolnshire, England, in 1767.
The Shiles family name lives on today, quite popular in England, Wales, Scotland, and the United States. It is an old English name with strong family roots that will be around for centuries to come.
Order DNA origin analysisShiles: Where does the name Shiles come from?
The last name Shiles is likely of English origin and is most commonly found in areas of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia. Specifically, it is most common in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Southwestern England. In the United States, the name is less common and is found primarily along the east coast, in areas such as Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida. Additionally, the name is found in small pockets in states like California, Illinois, and New York. Canada also has populations of Shiles primarily in Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.
The most popular variations of the name are Shiels, Shill, Shils, Scholes, and Shels. Variations in spelling are often a result of families trying to localize the name in their home nation. Additionally, Shiles is heavily associated with Scottish ancestry and has roots tracing back to the Middle Ages, likely linked to clan names in the area.
Shiles is an uncommon name, though with a rich and long-lived history in the United Kingdom and the United States. Its various spellings can help trace the origin of family lines both domestically and across the world.
Variations of the surname Shiles
The surname Shiles is of Scottish origin and is derived from the personal name Giles, which was derived from the Latin name Aegidius. It is found primarily in Scotland and Northern England.
Variants of this surname include Schiles, Shiles, Sheiles, Shilesh, Sheals, Shiells, Shiell, Shiels, Sheales, Shile, Shele, Shileson, and Shill. Spellings may also vary, with Shiel, Sheal, Sheill, Shel, Sheles and Shill sometimes appearing.
The surname Shiels is a patronymic form of the name, derived from the Old English word ‘scyld’, meaning ‘shield’. It was the name given to people who used a shield as a weapon in battle. The variant Sheales originated in Lancashire and Derbyshire, while Shilesh was found mainly in the Borderlands of Scotland and Northern England.
Variant surnames of the same origin include Shilleto, Sheeles, Shealson, Shieling, Shelling, Shiells, Sheil and Sheile. The surname Sheilings is a diminutive form of the personal name Shieling, which is derived from the Old German ‘schel’, meaning ‘shield’.
In some cases, the ending of the surname may indicate a topographical feature associated with the area where the family originated, such as Shilelly Hill, Shileshope, Shealistone and Sheleton. Other variants include Shillett and Sheall.
The surnames Sheely, Shillysillys and Sheillys may be derived from the mentioned origins.
Famous people with the name Shiles
- Sammy Shiles: Professional basketball player
- Joshua Shiles: American folk singer-songwriter
- Pat Shiles: Former Member of the Canadian Parliament
- Richard Shiles: Actor, writer, and director of motion pictures
- Abigail Shiles: English cricketer
- John Shiles: American politician who served as a Maine State Senator
- Joseph Shiles: Innovator in the fields of biomedicine and biomedical instrumentation
- Joseph Shiles: American golf player and architect
- Michael Shiles: Professional ice hockey player
- Mark Shiles: Major General in the US Air Force