Hassull History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Hassull family

The surname Hassull was first found in Cheshire at Hassall, a village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Etshale as land held by William Malbank. At that time it was part of the Middlewich Hundred and was land enough for two ploughs. 1 2

The place name literally means "the witch's nook of land" derived from the Old English haegtesse + halh. By the 13th century, the place name had evolved to be spelt Hatishale. 3

Hassall Hall is a former manor house to the east of the village and dates from the 17th century. It was upgraded in the 19th century and has since been divided into two houses. Today, the buildings are designated by the English Heritage as a Grade II listed buildings. Hassall Green is a village in the civil parish of Betchton, near Hassall.

"The ancient family of Hassall or Hassell possessed the lordship of the manor of the name as far back as the reign of Edward II.; in later times a branch has established itself in Nantwich." 4

The first record of the family was found in Oxfordshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, John de Hassett. It was not until 1299 when we find a Cheshire entry, that of Henry de Hasshal, there in 1299. 5

Early History of the Hassull family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hassull research. Another 145 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1045, 1510, 1600, 1627, 1644, 1650, 1655, 1667, 1680, 1690, 1701 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Hassull History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hassull Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hassull family name include Hassall, Hassel, Hassell, Hasell, Hasel, Hassal, Hassul and many more.

Early Notables of the Hassull family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Edward Hassall or Halsall (fl. 1667), English Royalist, born about 1627, probably a member of an old family seated at Halsall, near Ormskirk, Lancashire. "He fought in the defence of Lathom House in 1644, and was wounded. Hassall, who attained the rank of major, was one of the four cavaliers who, on 5 June 1650, assassinated Anthony Ascham [q. v.] at Madrid (Cal. Clarendon State Papers, ii. 63, 220, 343). He was imprisoned there for four months, but in October was released, and went to England to act as a spy on the...
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hassull Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hassull family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Hassull family to immigrate North America: William Hassall, who came to Virginia in 1653; Jon Hassall, who was on record in Virginia in 1653; as well as James Hassall, who was recorded as a British Aliens in the United States during the War of 1812..

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)