Show ContentsSille History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Sille is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It 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 Sille family

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

Early History of the Sille family

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

Sille Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Sille has undergone many spelling variations, including Sill, Sille, Sills, Silles, Sell, Selle, Sells and many more.

Early Notables of the Sille family

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


United States Sille migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sille were among those contributors:

Sille Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Axell Sille, who landed in Maryland in 1650 1
  • Walburg De Sille, who arrived in America in 1660 1
Sille Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Willem Sille, who landed in Iowa in 1870 1
  • Cornelia Sille, who arrived in Iowa in 1870 1
  • Maria Sille, who landed in Iowa in 1870 1


  1. 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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