• Rev Joseph Hunter FSA pub 1844 'Prolusions Genealogical and Biographical on the Family of Shakespeare, and other families connected with him.'

• Has notes on the 'Knowle Guild' 1407 - 1535

• 'Branches of the family were chiefly established at Warwick, Wroxhall, & Rowington, whence they spread to Balshall, Lapworth, Nuneaton, Claverdon, Berkswell, Packwood, Woldich, Hampden - in - Arden, Snitterfield & Stratford.'

• Richard Shakespeare, of Rowington, who died 1592, and left a will. Mentions his wife Joan, and children John, Roger, Thomas, William, and Dorothy who married --Jenkes.

• Mentions Richard Shakespeare and his son, the poets father. Also son Henry, of Snitterfield (probably a farmer) buried 29 Dec 1596, and his wife Margaret buried 9 Feb 1596/7 at Snitterfield, and their daughter Johanna died 1595.
• Note Rowe believed the Poets father had 10 children.

• John Shakespeare, Shoemaker, and his children: Ursula 11 March 1588/9, Humphrey 24 May 1590 and Phillip 21 Sept 1591. Also first wife Margery Roberts married 25 Nov 1584 buried 29 Oct 1587.

• Mentions Richard Shakespeare, of Snitterfield, living there 1543 - 1560 as tenant of Arden family.
• Mentions Thomas Shakespeare, of Snitterfield, living in 1586, who was son of Richard. This Thomas had son John bapt 10 March 1582 at Snitterfield.
• Mentions John Shakespeare died 1601, son of Richard, married Mary Arden (died 1608).
• Mentions Henry Shakespeare, of Snitterfield, died 1596, (son of Richard), his wife Margaret (died 1597), and daughter Johanna died 1595.

• Has notes, and a genealogical table, of the Hart family.

Page 536

• Roger Shakespeare of Chessett Wood, Hampton in Arden: Administration 15 April 1597 to Elizabeth his relict
• Will of John Shakespeare, Yeoman, of Lapworth dated 30 Oct 1637, pr. by wife Dorothy 27 Apr 1638. Mentions: that he had no children. Nephew John Twycross, sister Catherine - wife of John Shotteswell and her two children John and William. brother Christopher, nephew John son of his brother Christopher and Johns children John and Thomas. Edward, William, Thomas and 3 daughters - children of an unnamed brother - mentions that Edward had two sons. Will overseers are friend John Fetherston of Packwood Esq and John Shakespeare of Ringwood. Will mentions the following without giving relationship: Katherine, Elizabeth & Winifred Shakespeare, also Humphrey (and Humphreys children Henry and Elizabeth), Thomas and John Shakespeare, and an Alice Shakespeare. This family may be derived from Christopher Shakespeare and Isabella who belonged to the Knowle Guild (1512) & described as of Packwood. Examination of the original will (transcript) reveals much more detail, including exact relationships not mentioned by French

• Will of John Shakespeare de la Hill, Rowington, Yeoman, dated 20 Jan 1652 probate 10 Sept 1654, his widow Margaret executrix, who married----Vernon. Overseers were friends Thomas Shakespeare and Frank Grissold
• Will of Thomas Shakespeare, Fuller, of Lapworth, dated 21 Feb 1653 probate 18 May 1658, buried at Rowington. Mentions kinsmen: Richard Shakespeare at Kenilworth (to whom he left his shop), Thomas Shakespeare his Godson living at Rowington, Thomas Shakespeare of Lapworth, Richard Shakespeare, John Shakespeare, Mary Shakespeare, his brother Williams sons daughter Elizabeth. Overseers of Will: Thomas Sly of Lapworth (kinsman), and Thomas Shakespeare (kinsman) of Whittygate in Rowington. Witnesses were Thomas Sly and Susanna Sly
• Admon 13 June 1655 to Anthony Robins, nephew of Dorothy Shakespeare, widow, of Lapworth
• Will of Leonard Shakespeare, Vintner at Isleworth, Middx., dated 26 March 1664 pr 1 July 1664. Mentions sons John, William, Ralph, and daughter Elizabeth (wife of --King), also grandchildren William, Elizabeth, Sarah and Rebecca (children of son William). Mentions son-in-law Robert Parsons. Leonard Shakespeare, Vintner, mentioned in will of Leonard Wilmott of Clanfield, Oxon., Gentleman, 1608, who mentions 'my godson, servant to John Prince of Abington, Vintner. There was another bequest to John Shakespeare of Newman who may be the father of Leonard.

• Will of John Shakespeare, of Knoll, Warks., Yeoman, dated 30 Dec 1681 pr 25 July 1683. Mentions his sons Henry (and Henrys children John, Elizabeth, Henry and Thomas) and John (and Johns daughter Elizabeth)
• Will of Thomas Shakespeare, of Mowsley End in Rowington dated 1591. Mentions wife Annis. Mentions children John (who had an uncle John Scott), Thomas, Richard, Eleanor,Joan and Annis.
• 1579 Register of St Nicholas, Warwick: Guilielmus Saxpere, drowned in River Avon. 'Thought by Mr Hunter to be a son of Thomas Shakespeare of Warwick, Shoemaker. Mentions that the third son of Thomas, Shoemaker, thought to be John Shakespeare, Shoemaker of Stratford. Another son, Thomas, of Warwick, had a daughter Joan who was the wife of Francis Leg.

• St Nicholas, Warwick has marriage of a different Thomas than the one on page 538: 1598, Junii 21, Thomas Shakespere & Elizabeth Letherborrow. Says that this Thomas is probably the Thomas Shakespeare, Gentleman, elected Bailiff of Warwick 1 Nov 1613.
• Will 1539 at Worcester R.O. Richard Shakespeare. Mentions wife Margaret. Son Thomas who 'desired to be buried at St Nicholas, Alcester', Thomas's wife Margaret and her son Alexander Fox, and grandson William Shakespeare son of Thomas.
• Extracts from Register at Hampton Upon Avon (Hampton Lucy): 10 June 1582 Lettyce d of Henry Shakespeare bapt., 15 Oct 1585 Jeames s of Henry Shakespeare bapt., 25 Oct 1589 Jeames Shakespeare of Ingon bur. As Ingon in is parish of Snitterfield it is possible this James and Lettyce were children of Henry Shakespeare, by wife Margaret, brother of John the high bailifff of Stratford - the latter rented small farm at Ingon (14 acres)

• Bapt at Stratford of dau of Anthony Shakespeare, who was of Snitterfield in 1569, but appears to have settled at Hampton Lucy. 10 Feb 1583/4 Elizabeth d of Anthony Shakespeare of Hampton.
• 1557 Robert Shakespeare, Weaver. Mentions children Roger (bapt 21 Apr 1557, Tachbrooke - married 1592 Isabell Parkins, married 1595 Alice Higgins), John (born 1574), Alice (bur 1559) and Isabell (born 1560).
• Bapt 22 Apr 1628 Elizabeth d of John Shakespeare & Christian. Bapt 4 Apr 1630 Judith d of John Shakespeare & Christian. Later there were generations of Roger, John & Walter, who had families.

• Fillongley Sir Thomas Winnington, Bart., MP. suggests that this family may be a branch of the Poets family: the tomb of George Shakespeare (died 1690) has the familiar armorial bearings.
• Parish Register of Rucking, Kent: bapt Feb 1599 Johes s of Reginaldi Shakespeare-same correspondent says name is found in Parish Registers of Orlestone, Snave, Warehouse, Snargate and Kenardington, all in Kent.
• Wills at Romford, Hornchurch,and Rawreth commencing with Thomas Shakespeare a Priest 1557, but different families not shown to be connected.
• Walton on Thames Tomb: Mathew Shakespeare, George Shakespeare d 15 years old 8 Aug 1775,John Shakespeare of Weybridge d aged 67 3 Jan 1775, William Shakespeare Esq. of this parish, d 23 Jan 1783 aged 77, George Shakespeare Esq. of Oxford St. London, but late this parish, Architect, d 29 March aged 74.

• Thomas Shakespeare, of Lutterworth, Leics, about 1604.

• John Shakespeare, of St Martin in Fields, supposedly only person of that name (apart from Poet) resident in London during reign of Queen Elizabeth I (Mr Hunter).

• 5 Feb 1570 Married Matthew Shakespeare & Isbell Peele - Register of Christ Church, London.

• Reg of St Gregory's by St Paul's: bapt 18 July 1619 John s of Thomas Shakespeare, Gentleman. Bapt 6 Oct 1620 Thomas  s of Thomas Shakespeare, Gentleman.
• Will of Leonard Wilmot, of Clanfield, Oxon, Gentleman, 1688: To John Shakespeare of Newman 5li, to Leonard Shakespeare, my Godson, servant to John Prince of Abingdon, Vintner, 5li.

• This section has extensive notes on the Stepney family, including a genealogical table.
• Mentions that this family use the same arms as the Stratford family.
• Notes include details of daughters descendants not shown on genealogical table (eg page 549).
• Page 554 mentions 18 July 1619 (St Gregory by St Pauls) bapt John s of Thomas Shakespeare, Gentleman and suggests this Thomas may have been a son of Thomas of Snitterfield, one of 3 sons of Richard, the Poets grandfather (however, in the analysis of the Stepney Shakespeares on this site a more probable descent is given).

• John Shakespeare settled in Stratford about 1551-2.