Contents [hide]

Able History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Able History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Able arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Able comes from the given name Hevel, which means evanescence. It is also possibly derived from an Old German word which means noble one. The surname Able was also a baptismal name meaning the son of Abel, and became a popular 13th century name meaning son.1

There may be a Norman connection of the family too, as there in the Mémoires de la Society des Antiquaires de la Normandie, John de Aubeale was security in Normandy, 1200, for Roger de Plomes. 2

Early Origins of the Able family

The surname Able was first found in the counties of Kent, Derbyshire and Essex.

"N. Abel held lands from Lanfranc in Kent 1086 3; and 'Joh' Abel et Consorti Sue' were among the Kentish gentry summoned by a writ of Edward I. in the first year of his reign 'to be present at his and the Queen's coronation at Westminster on the Sunday next after the feast of St. Valentine the Martyr.' " 4

"Abell was also an Essex family, although branches spread into the counties of Kent and Derby." 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 elude to the scattered influence of the family at that time, both as a surname and a forename: Richard Abel, Buckinghamshire; Abel le Specer. Derbyshire; Henry Abel, Nottinghamshire; and Allan Abel, Cambridgeshire. 6

Early records of the name mention Abel de Etton, 1221, Wales and William Abell was documented in County Essex in the year of 1197. Richard Abell was documented in the County Somerset, 1300. 1

Scotland was a familiar home to the family too. Abel (d. 764), Archbishop of Rheims, "was a native of Scotland and Benedictine monk. In the early part of the eighth century he left England in company with Boniface, to aid him in his missionary work in Germany, and he did not again return to this country. " 7

Still in Scotland, we found "Master Abell, Clericus Regis, was one of the members of a mission sent to England to ask restoration of the earldom of Huntingdon in 1237. He also appears in documents concerning the Abbey of Kelso in 1235, and in 1253 'valuing his own promotion more than the honour of the king or kingdom caused himself to be consecrated bishop by the pope.' " 8

Early History of the Able family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Able research. Another 223 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1387, 1388, 1413, 1430, 1512, 1516, 1528, 1540, 1578, 1584, 1623, 1633, 1635, 1655, 1660, 1667, 1675, 1679, 1681, 1696, 1697, 1711, 1714, 1716, 1827, 1854, 1858, 1861, 1887, 1888 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Able History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Able Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Abell, Abel, Able, Habel, Abeel, Abelson, Abelle, Abele, Ablson, Ebelson, Abill, Abilson, Aball, Abeal, Eblson and many more.

Early Notables of the Able family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Abell (d. 1540), Catholic martyr who studied at Oxford and took the degree of M.A. in 1516. "Nothing else is known of his early life, nor when it was that he entered the service of Katharine of Aragon; but it was certainly before the year 1528, when he received a New Year's gift from the King as her chaplain. Abell was of course deprived of his benefice of Bradwell; but as the offence charged against him in the act was only misprision, he seems to have remained in the Tower for six...
Another 244 words (17 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Able Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Able Ranking

In the United States, the name Able is the 12,109^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 9

Able migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Able or a variant listed above:

Able Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Able, aged 24, who arrived in Maryland in 1683 10

Able Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jacob Able, aged 16, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 10
Hants Jurgh Able, aged 63, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 10
Johann Adam Able, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1732 10
John Adam Able, aged 44, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 10
Hans Georg Able, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1732 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Able Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Barton Able, aged 56, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1825 10
Louise Able, who landed in North America in 1832 10
Wilh Able, who arrived in North America in 1832 10
H Able, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1856 10
George Able, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1862 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Able (post 1700) +

Whitney Nees Able (b. 1982), American actress and model
Forest Edward "Frosty" Able (b. 1932), retired American former basketball player, inducted into the Western Kentucky University Hall of Fame
Graham George Able (b. 1947), English educationalist, Master at Dulwich College from 1997-2009
George Able Sprague (1871-1963), American businessman and politician, Mayor of Dallas 1935-1937
John Able DeVito, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1972 11
George Able Sprague (1871-1963), American politician, Mayor of Dallas, Texas, 1937-39 12

The Able 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: Vive le Roi
Motto Translation: Long life to the King.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
"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 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html