Show ContentsAbethell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Welsh name Abethell is a patronymic surname created from the Welsh personal name Ithel. The surname Abethell features the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix "ab" or "ap," which mean "son of." The original form of the name was ab-Ithell, but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time. 1

Early Origins of the Abethell family

The surname Abethell was first found in Herefordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

However, some of the family were found at Watton in the East Riding of Yorkshire at early times. "A great part of the soil belongs to Richard Bethell, Esq., whose family were long seated at Walton Abbey, a brick mansion in the Tudor style, with octagonal turrets, stone dressings and buttresses, and fine gardens attached; it is now, by permission of Mr. Bethell, the residence of the incumbent." 2

Early History of the Abethell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abethell research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1606, 1615, 1617, 1622, 1637, 1649, 1654, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1679, 1697 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Abethell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abethell Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Abethell has occasionally been spelled Bethel, Bethell, Bithel, Bithell, Bythell, Bythel and others.

Early Notables of the Abethell family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir Walter Bethell (died 1622); Henry Bethall (c 1606-1668), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660; and Hugh Bethell (1615-1679), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1654 and 1679. Slingsby Bethel (1617-1697), was an English politician from Alne, North Yorkshire. He "was the third son of Sir Walter Bethel of Alne, Yorkshire, who married Mary, the second daughter of Sir Henry Slingsby of Scriven...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abethell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Abethell family

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Abethell: James Bethell who settled in Virginia in 1635; William Bethell, who settled in Virginia in 1653; Hugh Bethel, who arrived in Virginia in 1690; Thomas Bethel, his wife Rebecca, and their daughter Rebecca who all came to Virginia in 1714.



The Abethell 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: Ap Ithel
Motto Translation: Son of Ithel


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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