Linda Short

Ancestors

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Biography

Trying to trace Short lineage past Maryland.

The first inhabitants of Maryland were Paleo-Indians who came more than 10,000 years ago from other parts of North America to hunt mammoth, great bison and caribou. By 1,000 B.C., Maryland had more than 8,000 Native Americans in about 40 different tribes.

Some family members say we are of Native American (Cherokee) descent. Not all family members agree with this information. The majority of Native Americans now living in Baltimore belong to the Lumbee, Piscataway, and Cherokee tribes.

Short- English: nickname from Middle English schort ‘short’. Scottish and northern Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Gheairr, Mac an Ghirr ‘son of the short man’ (see McGirr).

Recorded as McGerr, McGirr, McGeer, and probably others, this is an early Scottish surname, which is also well recorded in Ireland, and particulary Ulster. It derives from the pre 10th century Gaelic 'Mac an gHeairr' which is believed to translate as 'the son of the short man'. What is certain is that almost all Gaelic surnames whether Scottish or Irish that are not locational, derive from a nickname for the first nameholder or chief. Some of these original names were at best robust and often obscene for modern tastes, so that over the years the meaning has been largely toned down.

Originally, McGirr was a nickname for a short person. The Gaelic form of the surname is Mac an gheairr, which means son of the short or low-sized man.

The surname McGirr was first found in Kirkcudbrightshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Chille Chuithbheirt), part of the present day Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, former county in Southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were believed to be descended from one of the many (350) chiefs who accompanied the banished King Colla da Crioch, who left Ireland for the Hebrides and south west Scotland in the year 327. This ancient Irish clann were originally from County Armagh in Ireland.

Short is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was a name given to a person who because of their physical characteristics was named short. In this case the surname Short can be traced back to the Old English word sceort which means short. The original bearer would have been known as the short one, because of his low stature. As height is one of the most easily distinguished features of a person, names derived from this aspect of a person's physique are by no means rare.

The surname Short was first found in Dorset where one of the first records of the name was Ordic Scort who was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1176. Other early records include Richard le Sorte who was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1269 in Somerset and William Short who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex of 1327. [1] The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list William Short in Suffolk.

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Short were recorded, including Short, Shorte, Shortt, Schorte and others.

Distinguished members of the family include Peter Short (died 1603), a London printer who printed several first editions and early texts of Shakespeare's works. Thomas Short (1635-1685), was an English physician, son of the Rev. William Short, born at Easton, Suffolk.

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Short family emigrate to North America: John Short, who settled in the Jamestown settlement in Virginia in 1606 Henry Short who settled in Massachusetts in 1634 Anthony Short, who landed in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1634 Samvell Short, aged 24, who landed in Bermuda in 1635 William Short, who landed in Virginia in 1635 William Short, who settled in St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland, in 1703 Samuel Short, who landed in Virginia in 1706 Richard Short, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1712 Thomas Short, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 Barney Short, who arrived in Maryland in 1809 Thomas Short, who arrived in New York in 1810 Hugh Short, aged 30, a carpenter, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland John Short, aged 6, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland Hugh Short, aged 4, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland Mr. William Short, aged 32 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Broom" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 21st September 1847 Mr. Joseph Short, (b. 1834), aged 21, Cornish settler, from Callington, Cornwall, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, he survived the sinking Josiah Short, who arrived in New York in 1834 Owen Short, who landed in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1842 James Short, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1846 Mr. Thomas Short, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia Mr. Thomas Short, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania ( Van Diemen's Land) Felix Short, a weaver, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832 William Short, a joiner, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832 James Short, a slater, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832 Mr. S. H. Short, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1836 James Short, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 Mr. J Short, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship "Bandicoot" arriving in New Zealand in 1846 Elijah Short, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ariel" in 1856 Jessima Short, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" in 1856

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Short. 17% of Short men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Short women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Short were Truck Driver and Maid.

Sources

• First-hand information. Entered by Linda Short at registration.

https://www.ireland101.com/tribe/mcgirr

Linda Short has German Roots.