Eleanor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Eleanor family

The surname Eleanor was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1273 when Hugh, son of Elyenor held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Eleanor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eleanor research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1340, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Eleanor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eleanor Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Eleanor include Ellenor, Eleaner, Eleanor, Ellnor, Elnor, Ellenor, Ellener, Elliner, Eliner, Ellnor and many more.

Early Notables of the Eleanor family

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

Eleanor migration to Canada +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Eleanor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Eleanor, who settled in Ontario in 1818

Contemporary Notables of the name Eleanor (post 1700) +

Margaret Eleanor Thrall (1928-2010), Welsh theologian, academic and Anglican priest
Ann Eleanor Stephens (1933-2022), née Mackenzie, a New Zealand squash player and badminton player, inducted into the New Zealand Squash Hall of Fame in 2011
Doris Eleanor Buffett (1928-2020), American philanthropist also known as the 'retail' philanthropist and the founder of The Sunshine Lady Foundation, The Learning By Giving Foundation, and The Letters Foundation, sister of Warren Buffett
Dame Rachel Eleanor Crowdy DBE (1884-1964), English nurse and social reformer, Principal Commandant of Voluntary Aid Detachments in France and Belgium from 1914 to 1919
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, 1945-53; Member, United Nations Commission on Human Rights; Newspaper columnist; Speaker, Democratic National Convention, 1952, 1956, 1960;
Estrella Eleanor Carothers (1882-1957), American zoologist, geneticist, and cytologist known for her work with grasshoppers
Olive Eleanor Custance (1874-1944), British poet, wife of Lord Alfred Douglas
Lana Eleanor Cantrell AM (b. 1943), Australian Grammy Award nominated singer and entertainment lawyer
Mary Eleanor Gawthorpe (1881-1973), British suffragette, socialist, trade unionist and editor
Alice Eleanor Cossey (1879-1970), New Zealand tailoress and union leader from Drury, Auckland