Show ContentsAngler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Angler is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the Old English personal name Angel, which is derived from the Latin Angelus and the Greek Angelos, which means a messenger. The personal name also appeared in the feminine forms of Angela and Angelina. 1

The name is denoted for "one who acted as a religious messenger or as a messenger from God; a nickname for an angelic person; descendant of Angel, a man's name in England." 2

Early Origins of the Angler family

The surname Angler was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very early times, some say before the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William in 1066 A.D. It is likely that this name originated in one of the conquering families of Angles who settled in Lancashire after the conquest of the Strathclyde Britons. The name was written in early records as Anglicus, but the name was carried from England to France as D'Anglars.

Early History of the Angler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Angler research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1610, 1618, 1636, 1655 and 1694 are included under the topic Early Angler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Angler Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Angler has been recorded under many different variations, including Angell, Angel, Angle, Anegall, Anegal, Anegoll and others.

Early Notables of the Angler family

Distinguished members of the family include John Angel (fl. 1555), Chaplain to King Philip and Queen Mary, is said to have been a 'person of singular zeal and learning.' John Angel or Angell (d. 1655), was 'a Gloucestershire man,' born towards the end of the sixteenth century. "He was admitted to Magdalen Hall, Oxford in 1610 and was ordained in holy orders; at...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Angler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Angler migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Angler or a variant listed above:

Angler Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Angler, who landed in New England in 1653 3
  • Jonathan Angler, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1668 3
Angler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Juan Ambrosio Angler, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 3


The Angler Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Stare super vias antiquas
Motto Translation: I stand in the track of my ancestors.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. 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)


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