Contents [hide]

Battle History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Battle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

History reveals the roots of the Battle family name in the ancient Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. It is derived from any of several place names in England, such as Battle in Sussex. Contrary to what one would expect, the name is not a nickname or occupational name derived from the word battle.

Early Origins of the Battle family

The surname Battle was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, Scotland.

Early History of the Battle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Battle research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1400, 1565, 1589, 1614, 1649 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Battle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battle Spelling Variations

Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Battle has been spelled Battle, Battell, Battel, Battaile, Battail and others.

Early Notables of the Battle family

Notable among the family at this time was

Thomas Battle advisor to King Henry VIII; and Ralph Battell, D.D. (1649-1713), an English divine

Battle Ranking

In the United States, the name Battle is the 801^st most popular surname with an estimated 37,305 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Battle family to Ireland

Some of the Battle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battle migration to the United States +

The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. Among them:

Battle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Battle, who settled in Massachusetts in 1635
Thomas Battle, who landed in Massachusetts in 1642 2
Mathew Battle, who arrived in Virginia in 1647 2
Matthew Battle, who settled in Virginia in 1647
Thomas Battle, who settled in Virginia in 1652
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Battle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Elinor Battle, who landed in Virginia in 1705 2
Michel Battle, who arrived in America in 1727 2
Anne Battle, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 2
Leonhard Battle, who arrived in Virginia in 1783 2

Battle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jose Battle, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1812 2
James Battle, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1821 2
John Battle, who arrived in Morgan County, III in 1838 2
Mary Battle, who landed in New York in 1849 2
Ann Battle, aged 24, who landed in New York in 1849 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Battle migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Battle Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Daniel Battle, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Jasper Battle, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Battle migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Battle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Battle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 3
Charlotte Battle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 3
M. Battle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1849 4
Catherine Battle, aged 22, a seamstress, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emerald Isle" 5

Battle migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Battle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Battle, aged 46, a tailor, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Thomas H. Battle, aged 14, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Emily A. Battle, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Louisa C. Battle, aged 16, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Ellen Battle, aged 12, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Battle (post 1700) +

Hinton Battle (1956-2024), American actor, dancer, and dance instructor, winner of three Tony awards
Cullen Andrews Battle (1829-1905), American attorney, politician, and general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War
Kathleen Battle (b. 1948), American soprano, inductee into the NAACP Image Hall of Fame
John S Battle, American politician and Democratic Governor of Virginia from 1950-1954
Ashley Battle (b. 1982), American professional basketball player
Kenny Battle (b. 1964), American professional NBA basketball player
Vincent M Battle, United States ambassador to Lebanon from August 13, 2001 to August 16, 2004
Greg Battle (b. 1964), Canadian professional CFL football player
John Battle (b. 1951), English national Labour politician

Historic Events for the Battle family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. James Battle, Irish Able-Bodied Seaman from Sligo, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in 3 different collapsible rafts 6

Citations +

"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)
State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1839 from London with Captain Benjamin Freeman and 245 passengers, arrived Port Adelaide on 16-07-1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Asia-list.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SIR CHARLES FORBES originally CHARLES FORBES 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SirCharlesForbes.gif
South Australian Register Tuesday 17th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emerald Isle 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emeraldisle1854.shtml
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/