Calls History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Scotland
Ireland

The Calls surname is an old Norman name, derived from the French word "cale" which was a close fitting cap worn by women of the times.

Early Origins of the Calls family

The surname Calls was first found in Wiltshire, where a Swanus Calle is on record in the Rotuli Hundredorum (the Hundredorum Rolls) in 1275. In 1279, John Calle was recorded in Cambridgeshire, in that same collection of documents.

Early History of the Calls family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calls research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1307 is included under the topic Early Calls History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calls Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Call, Calle, Calles, Caules and others.

Early Notables of the Calls family

More information is included under the topic Early Calls Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Calls family to Ireland

Some of the Calls family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calls migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Calls or a variant listed above:

Calls Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Benjamin Calls, who arrived in South Carolina in 1735 1

The Calls 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: Grata manu
Motto Translation: With a grateful hand.

Citations +

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)