Show ContentsMagallen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Magallen family

The surname Magallen was first found in Lancashire where the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Maghull, held by Roger de Poitou, a Norman Baron who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. "The family of Maghull, which derived its name from this place, were for many ages connected with it." 1 Today Maghull is a town and civil parish in Sefton, Merseyside.

One of the first records of the family was found in the parish of Aintree. "William of Aintree, in the reign of Henry III., left a daughter and heiress, Alice, who married into the Maghull family; and an heiress of the latter, Joanna, married into the family of Molyneux, who thus became proprietors of this place." 1

Early History of the Magallen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Magallen research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1210, 1280, 1340 and 1646 are included under the topic Early Magallen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Magallen Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Magull, Maghull, Maggull, Maghul, Maghall, Maghill, Maggle and many more.

Early Notables of the Magallen family

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

Migration of the Magallen family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Magallen or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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