Englestead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Englestead surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they 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 Englestead family

The surname Englestead 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 Englestead family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Englestead 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 Englestead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Englestead 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 Englestead include Englefield, Englefeld, Englesfield and others.

Early Notables of the Englestead 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 Englestead Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Englestead family

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: Charles Englefield who arrived in New York State in 1832.

Contemporary Notables of the name Englestead (post 1700) +

Homer Englestead, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Utah, 1944

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)