Schell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The surname Schell is a Westphalian-German nickname. Such surnames were very common in Westphalia. They were adapted from traditional eke-names, or added names, that described physical characteristics of their bearers. Schell is a hereditary surname for a person who was either wild or clamorous. The name was originally derived from the German word "schel," which means "noisy" or "loud."

Early Origins of the Schell family

The surname Schell was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the German nation. As early as 1526 they had their seat at the manor Schellenberg near Essen.

Early History of the Schell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schell research. Another 201 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1562, 1620, 1648, 1680, 1701, 1763, 1774, 1775, 1808, 1809 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Schell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schell Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schell include Schell, Schelle, Schelling, Scheller and others.

Early Notables of the Schell family

Notables of the period with the name Schell were

Johann Schelle (1648-1701), a German Baroque composer
Friedrich Wilhelm von Schelling (1775-1854, ennobled in 1808), a famous philosopher of nature who greatly influenced the Romantic movement. His wife, Caroline von Schelling (1763-1809), was a distingu...

Schell Ranking

In the United States, the name Schell is the 2,450^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1

Schell migration to the United States +

After 1650, thousands of German settlers came to North America to escape the religious persecution and poverty that wracked Europe and to make the most of the opportunity to own their own land in a new country. They settled across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, and in Canada in Ontario and on the fertile plains of the prairie provinces. Among them:

Schell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Willem Schell, who landed in New York in 1709 2
Peter Schell, who arrived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1719
Carl Schell, who arrived in Frederick County, Maryland in 1723 2
Eva Margareth Schell, who arrived in Frederick County, Maryland in 1729 2
Johannes Schell, who settled in Philadelphia in 1732
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ignatius Schell, who landed in Maryland in 1833 2
J Schell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Clemens Schell, who landed in New York in 1851 2
Joh Schell, who landed in America in 1852 2
Peter Schell, who landed in America in 1853 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Schell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Joseph Schell, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Schell (post 1700) +

Henry O'Reilly Schell (1921-1960), American Grand Prix motor racing driver
Ronald Ralph Schell (b. 1931), American actor
Catherine Schell (b. 1944), Hungarian-born American actress
John L. Schell, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
Grace Schell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 1952 3
George W. Schell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1884; Presidential Elector for California, 1888 3
Edward Schell, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1996 3
Charles H. Schell, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Coventry, 1914 3
Augustus Schell (1812-1884), American Democratic Party politician, New York Democratic State Chair, 1853-55; U.S. Collector of Customs, 1857-61; Member of Democratic National Committee from New York, 1872-76 3
Andrew J. Schell, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Monroe County 4th District, 1951-52 3
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html