Damrell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Damrell family

The surname Damrell was first found in Devon at Milton Damerell, a parish, in the union of Holsworthy, hundred of Black Torrington. 1

"Milton" was frequently used in ancient days as it meant "middle farmstead or estate." 2 The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Mideltone but by 1301 it was listed as Middleton Aubermarle for these were lands originally held by Robert d'Aubermarle (Robert de Alba Marula) in 1086. 3 4 At that time, the holding was worth 30 cattle and 25 goats.

"Damerell is said to be a corruption of D'Albemarle, the name of an ancient family owning the manor of Milton, in Marytavy, from the 11th to the 13th century, from whom the parishes of Milton Damerel and Stoke Damerel, in part derived their names." 5

The manor of "Flete, [in the parish of Modbury, Devon] the most important estate in the parish, continued in the Damerells from the Conquest till the reign of Edward III." 6

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. By example, Reginald de Aumarle was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243; and Bernullus de Aumeryl was found in Lancashire in the 13th century. "From Aumale (Seine-Inférieure), earlier Alba Margila [in Normandy]. The fuller form is preserved in the title of the Duke of Albemarle. Hinton Admiral (Hants) preserves the surname without the preposition." 4

Indeed Hinton Admiral is a "chapelry, in the parish, union, and hundred of Christchurch, Ringwood and S. divisions of the county of Southampton." 1

Early History of the Damrell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Damrell research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1243 and 1568 are included under the topic Early Damrell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Damrell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Damerall, Damerall, Damiral, Dammeral, Dammerall, Demrel, Damrell, Damerley, Damerly, Dammerley, Dammerly, Daumale, d'Aumale, Damall and many more.

Early Notables of the Damrell family

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

Damrell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Damrell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Damrell, who settled in Virginia in 1693

Damrell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Damrell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Damrell, who arrived in Ontario in 1871
Lewis Damrell, who settled in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Damrell (post 1700) +

John S. Damrell, American founder and first president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1873, inspiration for Damrell's Fire (2006), Boston's Fire Chief
Frank C. Damrell Jr. (b. 1938), American jurist and academic, Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (1997-2008)
William Shapleigh Damrell (1809-1860), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts (1855-1859)
Joseph D. Damrell, American politician, Representative from Wisconsin 7th District, 1986 7

Historic Events for the Damrell family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Stuart R N Damrell, British Petty Officer "A", who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 8

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html