Archel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Archel is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the given name Arkley, which is a derivative of the Old Norse name Arnketill.

One of the most famous of the family in early years was Andrew Harclay, Harcla or Hartcla (d. 1323), the son of Michael de Harclay, Sheriff of Cumberland between 1285 and 1298. "In 1303-4 Andrew fought with Edward I in Scotland, and again served in the earlier wars of Edward II against the Scots. In October 1309 he was made Captain in the West Marches, and ordered to repair to his domains to defend the north against the Scots. Between 1312 and 1315 he was Sheriff of Cumberland, but in his last year of office he discharged his duties by attorney. In 1312 he was knight of the shire for Cumberland. " 1

Early Origins of the Archel family

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

Early History of the Archel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Archel research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1256, 1273, 1331, 1379, 1385, 1415, 1455, 1595, 1676, 1688 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Archel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Archel 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 Archel has undergone many spelling variations, including Arkley, Arkly, Arketel, Arkill, Arkell, Arkoll, Arkel, Arkle, Arcle, Arklay and many more.

Early Notables of the Archel family

Distinguished members of the family include Maria van Arkel (c. 1385-1415), the only daughter and heiress of Lord John V of Arkel and Joanna of Jülich, inherited the title to Gelderland from her maternal...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Archel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Archel family

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 Archel were among those contributors: Henry Arkle, who was recorded in Elgin County, Ontario in 1872 and Joseph Arkley, who was living in Carleton County, Ontario in 1879.