A transposed variant spelling which derives either from the Olde English locational name 'schirle' and means 'the dweller at the cleared enclosure' or from various places now called Shirley, or from the Olde German 'shuoh' a medieval metonymic for 'a shoe maker' ie. a job description. Either are possible, the modern spelling making medieval investigation difficult as no published records of the name exist in the current spelling before national records. Subject to genealogical research we consider the name to be Olde English. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Scirle which was dated 1219 The Yorkshire Assize Court during the reign of King Henry 111 the Frenchman 1216-1272 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.