Surname Shoals - Meaning and Origin

Shoals: What does the surname Shoals mean?

The last name Shoals is believed to have originated from a Germanic surname, derived from the word “schoh” or “schau” meaning "low lands."

During the Middle Ages, many of those bearing this name resided in Schoh, Germany. As they began to emigrate to other regions, the surname was Anglicized to Shoals.

Historically, this surname has been associated with a few places in England, including the village of Shoal in West Yorkshire and the settlement of Scholes in Lancashire.

Shoal means “disk” or “hiding place” and Scholes means either "shelter" or "resting place." Keeping with the theme of geography, the English Sheals surname derives from the word “gill” meaning “ravine” or “valley.”

It's likely that the ancestors of the last name Shoals traveled to America from England or Germany during the 1600’s, mainly due to religious or political persecution.

The earliest recorded instance of the Shoals surname in America dates back to 1625, when Jason Shoals arrived in Massachusetts on the Angel Gabriel.

Today, the Shoals surname is scattered throughout North America, especially in areas with German or English heritage. Commonly found in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Texas, and California, as well as other states, the name continues to be a proud testament to its complicated and rich ancestry.

Shoals: Where does the name Shoals come from?

The surnames Shoals is widely considered to have originated in England. The name derived from an Old English term meaning "the shales," which were shellfish found in shallow water. Due to its English origin, the surname is most commonly found in English-speaking countries today, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

In the United States, the last name Shoals is especially common in states that were once part of the original colonies. These include Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. The surname is also found in states that had higher populations of English-speaking people, such as Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. States like Ohio and Indiana experienced a surge in European immigration during the 19thcentury which is likely where a spike in the Shoals name originated.

The last name Shoals is also found in Canada due to its large English population. Generally, the surname is most concentrated in the Atlantic provinces, including Nova Scotia, Quebec, and New Brunswick. In recent years, the name has also spread to Western Canada, due in part to the increasing number of English immigrants.

To sum it up, the last name Shoals is most commonly found in English-speaking countries today, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States. It is especially concentrated in former British colonies such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The last name has also spread to other parts of the world as a result of immigration and international travel.

Variations of the surname Shoals

The surname Shoals is of English origin and derived from the Old English sciele which refers to a shallow pool of water. Variants of this surname include Sheals, Scholes and Scholes, all of which are anglicised variations of the same surname. Spellings of the surname Shoals vary occasionally, with Shelle being one of the more common alternatives.

The Anglo-Saxon latinization of Shoals is Scholae which can be found as a variant of the name in Continental European records. Other surnames with a similar sounding origin are Shoal, Schole and Shal. All of these variations likely originate from a common source and have gradually evolved over time.

In old English records, a correlation between Sheals, Scholes, Shoals and Shal can be found with persons of those surnames usually inhabiting the same location. This suggests a possible common ancestor for the various names.

In the late 15th century, Shoals was most commonly found in the counties of Lancashire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire in Northern England.

In the 19th century, the number of people bearing the surname Shoals increased substantially due to a series of migration movements from the UK. People from the Shoals surname can be found across the world, as the name was adopted in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In conclusion,urally occurring surname variations exist for the name Shoals, including Sheals, Scholes, Schole and Shal. The variations are likely derived from a common source and evidence suggests they were mostly found in the counties of Lancashire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire prior to the 19th century. Consequently, a large array of people from the Shoals surname can be found throughout the United Kingdom and beyond today.

Famous people with the name Shoals

• Tony Shoals: former professional basketball player, active in the mid 1990s
• Donny Shoals: American professional basketball player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce
• Michelle Shoals: singer and songwriter from Nashville, TN
• Jody Shoals: musician and broadcast professional
• Josh Shoals: musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist
• Curtis Shoals: professional racecar driver
• Randall Shoals: American folk singer/songwriter
• Jimmy Shoals: former Major League Baseball outfielder
• Catfish Shoals: former American blues guitarist
• Will Shoals: country music singer-songwriter

Other surnames

Shoal