Illish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Illish name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having 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 Illish lived near an islet located by a lake.

Early Origins of the Illish family

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

Early History of the Illish family

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

Illish Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Illish has undergone many spelling variations, including Illege, Illedge, Iledge, Ilege, Illega, Illige, Illidge, Illges, Ilige and many more.

Early Notables of the Illish family

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

Migration of the Illish family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Illish were among those contributors: Benjamin Ilidge, who sailed to America in 1757. L. Illege journeyed to San Francisco in 1852.

The Illish 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.