Englefeld History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Englefeld is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in Englefield, a parish in Berkshire, six miles from Reading. "This parish derives its name from the Saxon word Ingle, a fire or beacon light; and probably had its origin about the middle of the ninth century, when the Danes, having made themselves masters of Reading, sent out a detachment from their army to attack the Saxons, who were encamped here, and who drove them back with great loss. " 1

Early Origins of the Englefeld family

The surname Englefeld was first found in Berkshire, at Englefield, a village and civil parish, best known as the site of The Battle of Englefield on 31 December 870 between the Anglo-Saxons, under Æthelwulf, Ealdorman of Berkshire, and the Danes, which resulted in a resounding victory for the Saxons. Englefield House has been the ancestral home of the Englefield family, since the time of King Edgar, Edgar the Peaceful (943-975.)

"The family continued in possession of the estate when Lambarde wrote, temp. Queen Elizabeth. 'It is at this day part of the possessions of a man of that name, whear-by it may appeare that the place som tyme gyveth name to the parson' (person). The Englefields are said to have been proprietors of the lands in the time of Egbert, some years before he became king of all England." 2

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. William de Englefield was found in the Pipe Rolls for Staffordshire in 1185, Philip de Ingelfeld in Gloucestershire in 1355, and Stephen Ingylfeld was found in registered in 1407. 3

A search of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 showed: William de Engelfeld, Devon; William de Englefeld, Kent; John de Engelfeld. Oxfordshire; and Thomas de Englefeld, Oxfordshire. 4

Early History of the Englefeld family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Englefeld research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1455, 1514, 1522, 1537, 1551, 1552, 1561, 1596, 1631, 1656, 1665, 1670, 1678, 1728, 1752, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1784, 1792, 1811, 1812 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Englefeld History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Englefeld Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Englefeld has been spelled many different ways, including Englefield, Englefeld, Englesfield and others.

Early Notables of the Englefeld family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Thomas Englefield (Inglefield) (ca. 1455-1514), probably from Englefield, Berkshire, Speaker of the House of Commons; his son, Sir Francis Englefield (c.1522-1596), an English courtier and Roman Catholic exile; Sir Francis Englefield, 1st...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Englefeld Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Englefeld family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Englefelds to arrive in North America: Charles Englefield who arrived in New York State in 1832.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)