Ancel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Ancel is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Ancel is a name that comes from the Germanic personal name Ansell composed of the elements ans, which means god, and helm, which means protection or helmet. 1

Early Origins of the Ancel family

The surname Ancel was first found in the English county of Kent where they were granted lands shortly after the Norman Conquest by King William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. The family is believed to be descended from Pierre Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, Ansell being the abbreviation adopted by most branches of this noble Norman family who accompanied the Conqueror into England.

Saint Anselm of Aosta (c. 1033-1109), was a theologian, Abbot of Bec, and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was "born at or near Aosta about the year 1033, or two years before the death of Cnut, king of England, and two years before William the Conqueror became duke of Normandy. William the Conqueror received his death-wound in 1087. In the presence of Anselm we are told that he who to most men seemed harsh and terrible became so mild that bystanders looked on with amazement. " 2

Early History of the Ancel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ancel research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1660, 1689 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Ancel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ancel Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Ancel family name include Ansell, Ancell, Ancelle, Anselm, Anselme, Anstrell and many more.

Early Notables of the Ancel family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ancel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ancel Ranking

In France, the name Ancel is the 1,435^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,014 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Ancel family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Ancel family to immigrate North America: Edward Ansell, who settled in Nevis in 1663; Elizabeth Ansell, aged 17, who settled in Virginia in 1685; Claude Anselme, who arrived at New Orleans in 1719.

Contemporary Notables of the name Ancel (post 1700) +

Louis Ancel, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 4
Ensign Horace Ancel Bass Jr. (1915-1942), United States Navy officer and pilot who received the Navy Cross for his actions at the Battle of Midway
Ancel A. Skaggs, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1956, 1960 5

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Louis Ancel. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html