Shropshire was established during the division of Saxon Mercia into shires in the 10th century. It is first mentioned in 1006. The border with Wales was only defined in the first half of the 16th century – the hundreds of Oswestry and Pimhill (including Wem), and part of Chirbury had previously formed various lordships in the Welsh Marches.

The origin of the name ‘Shropshire’ lies in the Old English for Shrewsburyshire. The Normans found it difficult to pronounce so they used ‘Salopescira’, hence the use of Salop as an abbreviation to this day.

The constant necessity of defending their territories against the Welsh prompted the Norman lords of Shropshire to such activity in castle-building that out of 186 castles in England no less than 32 are in this county. Various statutory measures to keep the Welsh in check were enforced in the 14th and 15th centuries. Meanwhile Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy’s rebel army was defeated by the Lancastrians at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

On the outbreak of the Civil War of the 17th century the Shropshire gentry for the most part declared for the king, who visited Shrewsbury in 1642 and received valuable contributions in plate and money from the inhabitants. Shrewsbury became a refuge for the neighbouring royalist gentry, but was forced to surrender in 1644.

The earliest industries of Shropshire took their rise from its abundant natural resources: the rivers supplying valuable fisheries; the vast forest areas an abundance of timber; and the mineral products of the county had been exploited from remote times. The Domesday Survey mentions salt-works at Ditton Priors, Caynham and Donnington. The lead mines of Shelve and Stiperstones were worked by the Romans, and in the 13th century there was a lead mine at Shelve. In 1260 a licence was granted to dig coal in the Clee Hills. Iron was dug in the Clee Hills and at Wombridge in the 16th century. Wenlock had a famous copper-mine in the reign of Richard II, and in the l6th century was noted for its limestone.

As the forest areas were gradually cleared and brought under cultivation, the county became more exclusively agricultural. In 1343 Shropshire wool was rated at a higher value than that of almost any other English county. A prosperous clothing trade arose about Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth, and Oswestry was famous in the l6th century for its ‘Welsh cottons’.

Coalbrookdale, a small area of Shropshire has been claimed as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, because of Abraham Darby I’s development of coke-smelting and ironfounding there in the early 18th century. Ironbridge is where the world’s first iron bridge was constructed, to link Broseley with Madeley and the Black Country, and Ditherington is where the world’s first iron framed building was built, the Ditherington Flaxmill. Later, Broseley and Madeley became notable for their continuation of trade in the field of bricks and tiles, which became a staple to the booming building trade, and millions of Broseley clay pipes were exported across the British Empire.

Exclusive census analysis from data website TheGenealogist.co.uk shows that coal miners were in particular abundance in both 1841 and 1911.

Common surnames in the county include Morris, Price, Griffiths, Lloyd, Rogers, Powell and Owen (reflecting the proximity to Wales); plus Davis and Richards were common in 1841 and Lewis, Hughes and Morgan in 1911.

Shropshire Record Office is in Shrewsbury. Find other county resources at genuki.org.uk .