Find out how popular the first name Shipley has been for the last 1 years (from 2020 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Shipley by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Shipley is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Shipley.

The history of the first name Shipley

The name Shipley is an English toponymic surname that originated as a habitational name for someone who lived near a sheep pasture or sheep farm. It is derived from the Old English words "scip" meaning sheep and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. The name likely first emerged in the medieval period in rural areas of England where sheep farming was a common occupation.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a great survey of land and landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several recorded place names containing the element "Shipley" such as Schipeley in Yorkshire and Scipelei in Derbyshire. This suggests the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the given name Shipley was Sir Shipley Pratte, who lived in the late 14th century and served as a knight under King Richard II of England. Another early bearer was Shipley Halliday, an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the East Indies in the early 1600s.

In the 17th century, Shipley Hibbins was a renowned English architect who designed several churches and grand manors in the Baroque style. A century later, Shipley Wilkinson (1734-1807) was a respected British jurist who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.

Moving into the 19th century, Shipley Thompson (1819-1899) was an American industrialist who founded the Shipley Thread Company, once a major producer of cotton thread in the United States. And in the 20th century, Shipley Gunn (1901-1983) was a British artist known for his modernist paintings and sculptures.

While not a common first name today, Shipley has a long history stretching back to medieval England. Its origins are firmly rooted in the pastoral landscapes and sheep farming traditions of the British countryside from centuries past.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shipley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shipley, please contact us.

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