Show ContentsEnglan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Englan comes from the family having resided in a meadow beside water. The surname Englan originally derived from the Old English word Engelond 1 which referred to a meadow beside a rushing river. As such, the surname is topographic; that is, a name derived from a geographical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. 2

Another source has this theory about the variant England: "It seems quite absurd to have adopted the name of one's country while still residing in it, as a family name; but I am inclined to think that it was first given to an Englishman when living in a foreign country, and that he, on his return, continued to use it. Or, England may possibly be the name of some obscure locality of which the family were anciently possessed, just as the Hollands take their name, not from the land of Dutchmen, but from a district of Lincolnshire. " 3

Another source claims the word England is from the Anglo-Saxon Englaland c. 890 and means "land of the Angles." 4

Early Origins of the Englan family

The surname Englan was first found in Yorkshire where some of the first records of the family were found listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. The following entries all denote landholders: Alicia de Ingeland; Isabella Ingeland; Willelmus Ingland; and Robertas Ingland. 2

Looking back further, we found Nicholas de Engelond was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260; and William de Engelond was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1295. Later, John Ingelond (Engelond) was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Essex in 1327. 5

Early History of the Englan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Englan research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1560, 1717, 1720, 1721, 1730, 1740, 1748, 1788 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Englan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Englan Spelling Variations

Englan 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: England, Englund, Englend and others.

Early Notables of the Englan family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Edward England (died 1721), born Edward Seegar in Ireland, was a famous African coast and Indian Ocean pirate captain from 1717 to 1720. According to Forbes, he was the twelfth highest earning pirate...
  • George England and George Pike England (his son), were organ-builders. The former nourished between 1740 and 1788, and married the daughter of Richard Bridge; the latter between 1788 and 1814. The eld...

Migration of the Englan 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 Englans to arrive on North American shores: John England who was one of the founders of Charlestown Massachusetts in 1620; and another John England settled in Virginia in 1622; Humphrey England and his son settled in Virginia in 1636..



  1. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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