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Eales History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Eales History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Eales is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was a name given to a person who resembled a hedgehog. The surname Eales originally derived from the Old English word Il or Ille which referred to the hedgehog. Other alternative historical research refers to the sea creature Eel. This surname Eales belongs to a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames. Nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal.

Early Origins of the Eales family

The surname Eales was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Eales family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eales research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1300 is included under the topic Early Eales History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eales Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Eales were recorded, including Eales, Eals and others.

Early Notables of the Eales family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Eales of Essex

Eales migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Eales family emigrate to North America:

Eales Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Eales, who landed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1629 1
Sylvester Eales, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 1

Eales Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Eales, who settled in Virginia in 1741
William Eales, who settled in Maryland in 1744

Eales Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Frances and William Eales, who arrived in New York in 1821 with their two children

Eales Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ann Eales, aged 52, who landed in America from Croydon, in 1903
Frank Robert Eales, aged 18, who settled in America from Dudley, in 1905
Annie Eales, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States from Coventry, England, in 1907
Alice Eales, aged 34, who immigrated to America from Ledds, England, in 1907
Emma Eales, aged 29, who landed in America from West Bromwich, England, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Eales migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Eales Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Jane Eales, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Theresa" in 1847 2
David Eales, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on March 6, 1848, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3
Mr. Thomas Eales, (Neale), British convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Eales migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Eales Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Eales, British brass finisher travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5
Miss Mary Ann Eales, (b. 1840), aged 18, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Eales (post 1700) +

Paul Eales (b. 1963), English golfer from Epping
John Frederick Eales (1881-1936), British lawyer and politician
Colin Eales (b. 1944), former Australian rules footballer
Geoff Eales (b. 1950), Welsh jazz pianist and composer
John Eales (b. 1970), former Australian rugby union footballer and argueably the most successful captain in the history of Australian Rugby

Citations +

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THERESA 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Theresa.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land or Port Phillip, Australia in 1848 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1848
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html