Battles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The roots of the Battles family stretch back to the Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands, who were the first to use the surname. It is derived from any of several place names in England, such as Battle in Sussex. Contrary to what one would expect, the name is not a nickname or occupational name derived from the word battle.

Early Origins of the Battles family

The surname Battles was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, Scotland.

Early History of the Battles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Battles research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1400, 1565, 1589, 1614, 1649 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Battles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battles Spelling Variations

The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Battles has appeared as Battle, Battell, Battel, Battaile, Battail and others.

Early Notables of the Battles family

Notable among the family at this time was Thomas Battle advisor to King Henry VIII; and Ralph Battell, D.D. (1649-1713), an English divine.Andrew Battel (fl. 1589-1614), was an English traveller, born in Essex about 1565. "On 20 April 1589 he sailed with Captain Abraham Cocke for Rio de la Plata. After a troublesome voyage they reached the mouth of the river in the autumn, but were forced...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Battles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battles Ranking

In the United States, the name Battles is the 3,905^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Battles family to Ireland

Some of the Battles family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battles migration to the United States +

As the persecution of Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Battles Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Battles, who landed in Massachusetts in 1642 2
Robert Battles, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1658 2

Battles Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Miss Battles, who arrived in Kentucky in 1858 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Battles (post 1700) +

Kathleen Battles, American researcher at Oakland University
Matthew Battles, American associate director, metaLAB at Harvard
Marjorie Battles (1941-1987), born Marjorie Ann Battaglia, American actress from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for Lucky Lady (1975), McCloud (1970) and Quincy M.E. (1976)
Wendy Battles, American Primetime Emmy Award nominated producer, known for Crossing Lines (2015), Unforgettable (2013-2015), and The Glades (2012)
Barry Battles, American director and writer, known for The Baytown Outlaws (2012), Night Watch (2016) and Far Cry 5: Inside Eden's Gate (2018)
Clifford Franklin "Cliff" Battles (1910-1981), American NFL football halfback, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)