Shawcross

Shawcross is a surname of English origin. It is commonly understood as a toponymic name, formed from the elements shaw, meaning a small wood or thicket, and cross, referring to a cross-shaped landmark or a crossroads. The combination would indicate a location where a cross stood near a wood. The name is most frequently found in England and has spread to other English-speaking regions through migration, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Notable people with the surname include William Shawcross (born 1946), a British journalist and author known for his political and biographical writings. While other individuals bearing the name have attained local or regional recognition in fields such as public service, academia, and the arts, none have achieved the same level of international prominence as Shawcross in contemporary public life.

The surname is sometimes encountered in variant spellings and related forms in historical records, reflecting regional spelling practices and changes over time. As with many English toponymic names, Shawcross offers a window into place-based naming conventions and the movement of families within and beyond the British Isles.