Selles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Selles has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived from the baptismal name Silvester or Silvanus. During the middle Ages this personal name was quite popular, as it was borne by three popes. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Selles family

The surname Selles was first found in Northamptonshire where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Selles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Selles research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1637 is included under the topic Early Selles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Selles Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Selles include Sill, Sille, Sills, Silles, Sell, Selle, Sells and many more.

Early Notables of the Selles family

More information is included under the topic Early Selles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Selles Ranking

In France, the name Selles is the 3,006^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 1

Selles migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Selles Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Luis Selles, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1833 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Selles (post 1700) +

Eugenio Sellés y Ángel (1842-1926), Marquess of Gerona and Viscount of Castro and Orozco, a Spanish writer, journalist, playwright and politician
José "Pepe" Sellés Mas (b. 1993), Spanish footballer who plays as a left back
Cristóbal Zaragoza Sellés (b. 1923), Spanish author

Citations +

http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)