Duffil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Duffil comes from the family having resided in either of the towns named Duffield in Derbyshire and in North Yorkshire. The surname Duffil belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Duffil family

The surname Duffil was first found in North Yorkshire at either North or South Duffield, villages and civil parishes in the Selby District. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Dufeld.

Alternatively, the name could have originated from Duffield, a village, beside the River Derwent, at its junction with the River Ecclesbourne in Derbyshire. This locale also dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Duvelle, but by the 12th century, the locale was known as Duffeld. The place name literally means "open land frequented by doves." 1

"In Domesday Book it is called Dunelle, and is described as having 'a church, a priest, and two mills;' it afterwards formed part of the demesne of Henry de Ferrers, who, in 1096, possessed a castle on an eminence north-west of the village, the site of which is now named Castle-Orchard." 2

Early History of the Duffil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Duffil research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1273, 1379, 1383 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Duffil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Duffil Spelling Variations

Duffil has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Duffield, Duffeld, Duffell, Duffill, Duffitt and others.

Early Notables of the Duffil family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Duffil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Duffil family to Ireland

Some of the Duffil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Duffil family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Duffils to arrive on North American shores: John Duffield, a boy of 14, who landed in Virginia in 1622. Benjamin Duffield made New Jersey his home in 1678. Over the next hundred years, the Duffield name was to be found in Philadelphia and other major eastern seaboard cities..

The Duffil 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: Semper fidelis
Motto Translation: Always faithful.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.