Mortell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Mortell is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the popular medieval given name Martin. It derives from the Latin Martinus, which comes from Mars, the Roman God of War.

Early Origins of the Mortell family

The surname Mortell was first found in Essex where they held a family seat from at Abbess Roding. One of the most famous early references of the surname was William Martel (1130-1153), English steward of the royal households of King Henry I and King Stephen of England, castellan of Sherborne Castle until 1143. Some of the family were found at Whaddon in Buckinghamshire in early times. " A small priory of Benedictine monks, in honour of St. Leonard, was founded in this parish, at Snelleshall, prior to the time of Henry III., by Ralph Martel, and at the Dissolution had a revenue of £24." 1

Early History of the Mortell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mortell research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1130, 1143, 1153 and 1204 are included under the topic Early Mortell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mortell 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 Mortell family name include Martel, Mortel, Martell, Mortell and others.

Early Notables of the Mortell family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mortell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mortell family to Ireland

Some of the Mortell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mortell migration to the United States +

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 Mortell family to immigrate North America:

Mortell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christoph Mortell, who landed in Virginia in 1718 2
Phillip Mortell, who arrived in Virginia in 1718 2

Mortell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Carl Mortell, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2

Citations +

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