Evel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The ancient history of the Evel name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Yorkshire, where they derived the family name from Helmsley. It was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, but has been lost to modern maps. The place-name was probably derived from the Old English personal name Helm, and ley or leah, which were Old English words for "a clearing in the woods." The translation of the place-name was "clearing belonging to Helm." 1

Early Origins of the Evel family

The surname Evel was first found in Yorkshire at Helmsley, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the wapentake of Ryedale. The town dates back to the time of Richard I. 2 The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the town as Elmeslac. 3 Helmsley Castle (also known anciently as Hamlake) is a medieval castle originally constructed in wood around 1120 by Walter l'Espec (died 1153.)

In Scotland, many of the family originated in Aberdeenshire where the first record was that of William de Elmysley in 1333. 4 Later, Thomas Elmyslie was burgess in Aberdeenshire in 1498 and William Elmislie was reidare at Rutbven in 1574. 5

Early History of the Evel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Evel research. Another 223 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1492, 1524, 1567, 1599, 1600, 1686, 1715, 1736, 1738, 1745, 1762, 1774, 1796, 1801, 1802, 1805 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Evel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Evel Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Evel include Elmslie, Elmsley, Emsley, Elmesley, Helmsley, Emesley, Emesly, Ernele and many more.

Early Notables of the Evel family

Notables of the family at this time include John Elmsley (1762-1805), English-born, Chief Justice of Upper Canada (1796-1802) and later of Lower Canada (1802-1805.)Peter Elmsley (1774-1825), was an English classical scholar...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Evel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Evel family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Evel or a variant listed above: Joseph Emsley, who settled in Philadelphia in 1864; John Emsley, who settled in Delaware in 1850; J.J. Emslie, who settled in San Francisco in 1853; Alexander Elmslie, who settled in Philadelphia in 1802.

The Evel 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: Prenez garde
Motto Translation: Take care.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)