Ilish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Ilish dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the area referred to as Illide Green in the county of Cheshire. This place-name was originally derived from the Anglo-Norman French word isle or ile, which means islet and the Old English word lache, which means a lake. Therefore the original bearers of the surname Ilish lived near an islet located by a lake.

Early Origins of the Ilish family

The surname Ilish was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Ilish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ilish research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1188, 1500, 1799 and 1851 are included under the topic Early Ilish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ilish Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ilish have been found, including Illege, Illedge, Iledge, Ilege, Illega, Illige, Illidge, Illges, Ilige and many more.

Early Notables of the Ilish family

More information is included under the topic Early Ilish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ilish family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ilish, or a variant listed above: Benjamin Ilidge, who sailed to America in 1757. L. Illege journeyed to San Francisco in 1852.

The Ilish Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Aquila non captat muscas
Motto Translation: The eagle is no fly-catcher.