Helsel History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Helsel arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Helsel family lived in Lancashire, as Lords of the Manor of Halsall. Early Origins of the Helsel familyThe surname Helsel was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Halsall. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 the village of Halsall was held by Count Roger de Poitou, a Norman noble who was Earl of Lancaster, and conjecturally the Halsalls are descended from this line. "The manor [of Birkdale, Lancashire], in the reign of Henry IV., was held by the Halsalls." 1 Unfortunately, by the 17th century the manor was passed on to other families. Perhaps this entry will shed some light into the lost manor. "By this time there had probably been an infeudation in favour of the Halsall family. In 1346, the fourth part of a knight's fee in Argar Meols was held by Otes de Halsall; he rendered 10s [(shillings)], but it was stated that the place 'had been annihilated by the sea and there was no habitation there.' From an inquisition taken in 1404, it appears that the manors of Argar Meols and Birkdale had been held by Otes' father, Gilbert, so that the transfer from the old lords to the new must have taken place about 1320. " 2 Early History of the Helsel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Helsel research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1548 and 1599 are included under the topic Early Helsel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Helsel Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Hallsall, Halsall, Halshall, Hawshall, Halsell, Hallsell and many more. Early Notables of the Helsel familyMore information is included under the topic Early Helsel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Helsel RankingIn the United States, the name Helsel is the 11,856th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 Migration of the Helsel family to IrelandSome of the Helsel 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.
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Helsel or a variant listed above: Helsel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Helsel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
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