Goldwel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Goldwel comes from when the family resided in Essex at Goldwell in Horndon on the Hill. The surname Goldwel is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Goldwel family

The surname Goldwel was first found in Essex where Nicholas Goldewell was listed as holding lands in 1478. 1

James Goldwell (d. 1499), was Bishop of Norwich, "son of William and Avice Goldwell, born at Great Chart, Kent, on the manor which had belonged to his family since the days of Sir John Goldwell, a soldier in the reign of King John. During his long life Goldwell received constant preferment in the church, and was employed on political missions by Edward IV. He was admitted rector of St. John the Evangelist's, London, 20 May 1455, but resigned this living the same year on being transferred to Rivenhall, Essex. He died 15 February 1499. Thomas Goldwell, Bishop of St. Asaph, was his great-great-nephew." 2

Early History of the Goldwel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goldwel research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1472, 1499, 1507, 1532, 1559 and 1585 are included under the topic Early Goldwel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goldwel Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Goldwel has been recorded under many different variations, including Goldwell, Gouldwell and others.

Early Notables of the Goldwel family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Thomas Goldwell (d. 1585), Bishop of St...
Asaph, "a member of a family living long before his time at the manor of Goldwell in the parish of Great Chart in Kent, where he was probably born...
His father's name seems to have been William Goldwell...
He had a brother named John, who in 1559 lived at Goldwell...
He must be distinguished from his namesake, probably his kinsman, Thomas Goldwell, who became a...
James Goldwell, Bishop of Norwich between 1472 and 1499, was his great-grand-uncle...

Migration of the Goldwel family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Goldwel or a variant listed above: Ann Goldwell who settled in Virginia in 1635; Henry Gouldwell settled in Virginia in 1623.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print