Contents [hide]

Marshal History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Marshal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The surname Marshal is a name of ancient Norman origin. It comes from the Old French "mareschal," which is in turn derived from the Germanic elements "marah," meaning "horse" and "scalc," or "servant." Thus the name was originally used for a person who tended horses. Around the same time that surnames were being formed, the marshall was one of the most important servants in the houses of the nobility. 1

"This being a name of office (the Marshal being a feudal officer of eminence appointed by each great baron) includes a number of different families." 2

Early Origins of the Marshal family

The surname Marshal was first found in Lothian, where the Clan is said to be descended from Robert, an early Chieftain of the Catti tribe, and possibly one of the earliest settlers in Scotland. Robert joined King Malcolm II at the battle of Panbridge, in 1006, against Camus, leader of the Danes. Robert slew Camus for which King Malcolm granted Robert the hereditary title of Marshall of Scotland, with a barony in Lothian and the island of Inskeith in the gulf of Edinburgh. It is for this title that the Keiths are sometimes known as the Marshalls, and many Clansmen adopted that name.

"Maledoni Marescal is witness to gift of the lands of Perdeyc (Partick) to the church of Glasgow, 1136. About 1170 Symon Mare-scall witnessed a charter by Walter de Berkeley, and between 1178-80 Gillecolm Merescald witnessed a charter by William the Lion of Kinbethach to Gilbert, earl of Strathern. Guldone marescaldus witnessed a charter by Robert, bishop of St. Andrews before 1173 and Robert Merescaldus de Molle witnessed EsChina de London's gift of the church of Molle to Kelso, c. 1185-1190. Philip Merescallus, a charter witness between 1187-c. 1202, married the heiress of Keith-Humbie, and thus became ancestor of the Keiths, Earls Marischal. Adam, merescallus of the bishop of Glasgow, witnessed sale of lands of Scrogges to the church of Glasgow, c. 1208-1213." 3

Early History of the Marshal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marshal research. Another 441 words (32 lines of text) covering the years 1304, 1438, 1464, 1748, 1775, 1796, 1833, 1851, 1855 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Marshal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marshal Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Marshall, Marshal, Marescal, Marescall, Merchel, Mercial, Mershell, Mersell, Marshale and many more.

Early Notables of the Marshal family

Notable among the family at this time was

Richard Marshal, 13th century knight
Andrew Marshal, 18th century physician born in Fife
Henry Marshall (1775-1851), physician and Inspector-General of army hospitals born in Stirlingshire
James Marshall (1796-1855) of Bute, preacher and author

Marshal Ranking

In the United States, the name Marshal is the 10,460^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Marshal family to Ireland

Some of the Marshal family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marshal migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Marshal Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Michael Marshal, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 5

Marshal Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Teterich Marshal, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1757 5
David Marshal, aged 24, who arrived in North Carolina in 1774 5
Marie Francois Marshal, who landed in New York in 1796 5
Samuel Marshal, who landed in Mississippi in 1799 5

Marshal Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Marshal, who landed in America in 1804 5
John Marshal, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 5
Abraham Marshal, aged 39, who landed in Ohio in 1812 5
Robert Marshal, aged 25, who landed in New York in 1818 5
Miss S Marshal, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1860 5

Marshal migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Marshal Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Joseph Marshal, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Marshal (post 1700) +

George Marshal, American Republican politician, Member of New York Republican State Committee, 1930 6
William Marshal (1146-1219), English knight
Marshal Grindell, American actor, known for Haley (2011)
Marshal MacMahon (1808-1893), Duke of Magenta, the first president of the Third Republic of France (1875 to 1879)
Marshal of France Philippe-Franois-Marie-Jacques Leclerc (1902-1947), French Inspector-General to the Forces of North Africa (1946-1947) 7
Marshal of France Jean-Joseph-Marie-Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny (1889-1952), French High Commissioner of French IndoChina (1950-1952) 8
Marshal of France Marie-Joseph-Pierre-Franois Koenig (1898-1970), French Minister of National Defence (1954) 9
Marshal of France Louis-Flix-Marie-Franois Franchet d'Esperey (1856-1942), French Commander in Chief Allied Forces in Turkey (1919-1920) 10
Marshal Tito (b. 1892), Yugoslavian politician
Marshal João Baptista Mascarenhas de Morais (1883-1968),

The Marshal 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: Semper virescit virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue always flourishes.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Marshal Leclerc. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Leclerc_de_Hauteclocque/Philippe-Fran%C3%A7ois-Marie-Jacques/France.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Marshal Lattre de Tassigny. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lattre_de_Tassigny/Jean-Joseph-Marie-Gabriel_de/France.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Marshal Koenig. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Koenig/Marie-Joseph-Pierre-Fran%C3%A7ois/France.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 4) Marshal Franchet d'Esperey. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Franchet_d%27Esperey/Louis-F%C3%A9lix-Marie-Fran%C3%A7ois/France.html