Captain Joshua Smith and his son Douglas established the first permanent settlement in what would become Sheffield Township in November 1815. Sheffield was the first township incorporated after Loran County was organized in 1824.

As of the 2020 census the population was 3,963. The first inhabitants of Sheffield Township began settling the area circa 1815. The school district in Sheffield Township is Clearview Local School District. No municipalities are located in Sheffield Township, other than the cities of Lorain and Sheffield Lake and village of Sheffield that have incorporated most of the original extent of the township.