Siles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Siles

What does the name Siles mean?

The Siles family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes 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 Siles family

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

Early History of the Siles family

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

Siles Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Siles include Sill, Sille, Sills, Silles, Sell, Selle, Sells and many more.

Early Notables of the Siles family

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

Siles migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Siles were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Siles Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mickel Siles, who landed in New York in 1709 1
James Siles, who arrived in Virginia in 1722 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Siles (post 1700) +

Hernán Siles Zuazo (1914-1996), Bolivian politician serving as the elected president, twice

Sources +

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)