Attwill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Early Origins of the Attwill family

Early History of the Attwill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Attwill research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1514 and 1521 are included under the topic Early Attwill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Attwill Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Attwill are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Attwill include: Attwater, Atwater, Attewater and others.

Early Notables of the Attwill family

Notables of the family at this time include William Attwater, (1440-1521), Bishop of Lincoln, who was, according to his epitaph, born about 1440. "A family of...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Attwill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Attwill family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Attwill or a variant listed above: Joshua Attwater who settled in New Haven, Conn. in 1620; Margaret Attwater who settled in New York State in 1725; Matthew Attwater, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1852.