Hansell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Hansell family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the Germanic personal name Ansell composed of the elements ans, which means god, and helm, which means protection or helmet. 1

Early Origins of the Hansell family

The surname Hansell was first found in the English county of Kent where they were granted lands shortly after the Norman Conquest by King William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. The family is believed to be descended from Pierre Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ansell being the abbreviation adopted by most branches of this noble Norman family who accompanied the Conqueror into England.

Saint Anselm of Aosta (c. 1033-1109), was a theologian, Abbot of Bec, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was "born at or near Aosta about the year 1033, or two years before the death of Cnut, king of England, and two years before William the Conqueror became duke of Normandy. William the Conqueror received his death-wound in 1087. In the presence of Anselm we are told that he who to most men seemed harsh and terrible became so mild that bystanders looked on with amazement. " 2

Early History of the Hansell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hansell research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1660, 1689 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Hansell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hansell Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Ansell, Ancell, Ancelle, Anselm, Anselme, Anstrell and many more.

Early Notables of the Hansell family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hansell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hansell Ranking

In the United States, the name Hansell is the 13,273^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Hansell migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Hansell or a variant listed above:

Hansell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Lorentz Hansell, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 4
David Hansell, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Hansell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Hansell, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1819 4
Peter Hansell, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 4

Hansell migration to Australia +

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

Hansell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Catherine Hansell, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 20th June 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Hansell (post 1700) +

Clarence Weston Hansell (1898-1967), American research engineer who was granted over 300 US patents
Gregory Michael Hansell (b. 1971), American former Major League Baseball pitcher from Bellflower, California
Haywood Shepherd Hansell Jr. (1903-1988), American general officer in the United States Army Air Forces, recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal
Hansell Argenis Riojas La Rosa (b. 1991), Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Cienciano in the Peruvian Primera División
Hansell Arauz Ovares (b. 1989), Costa Rican football midfielder

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth