This rare and interesting name is of medieval English origin and is topographical for a dweller by or on the river bank, which is a derivation of the Old English pre 7th Century "Scylf", a river bank, with the Welsh "eog", salmon, thus meaning on the bank of a river which had an abundance of salmon in it. The name is particularly well recorded in Shropshire, where it is generally found as Shelvock, and Worcestershire, as Shilvock, for example, Richard Shelvock married Katherine Sirmarton (see below), and John Shilvock was christened on December 26th 1762 at St. Kenelm's, Romsley. Topographical names, are some of the earliest names to be created, as topographical features, both natural or man made, provided obvious and convenient means of identification. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Shelvock, which was dated February 6th 1587, Oswestry, Shropshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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