Moyal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Moyal arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Moyal comes from the given name Miles or Milo. 1 2 The name Moyal is of Germanic origin and is derived from the Old German word mil, which meant beloved. The family name Moyal was brought to England after the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror gave his friends and relatives most of the land formerly owned by Anglo-Saxon aristocrats. This distinguished family descended from Miles, who was the Marshall of Duke William and who held lands at Caen, Vauceles, and Venoix in Normandy. 3 The Norman conquerors imported a vast number of continental European personal names, such as the name Moyal, which largely replaced traditional Old English personal names among the upper and middle classes.

Early Origins of the Moyal family

The surname Moyal was first found in Lincolnshire where Johannes filius Mile was listed (1150-1160.) Seventy years later, the name would be found in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1230 as Milo Noyrenuyt. 4 By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the listings in Bedfordshire were the most numerous: William filius Milon; and Milo le Messer. The same rolls listed: Peter Myles in Kent; Wychard Miles in Lincolnshire; and Margery Mylys in Cambridgeshire. 5 The Pipe Rolls of Sussex listed Nicholaus Miles in 1177 and the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire listed Nicholaus filius Miles in 1297. And then there was this interesting note confirming the relationship between Milo and Miles: "Another Ralph Miles, a fishmonger, of Bridge Ward (1292 Subsidy Rolls of London), founded a chantry for his late lord Milo, no doubt Miles de Oystergate, fishmonger." 4

Early History of the Moyal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moyal research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moyal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moyal Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Miles, Myles and others.

Early Notables of the Moyal family

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

Migration of the Moyal family to Ireland

Some of the Moyal 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.

Moyal migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Moyal or a variant listed above:

Moyal Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Barbara Moyal, aged 37, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1730 6
Hans Jerick Moyal, aged 27, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1730 6
Lareunce Moyal, aged 12, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1730 6
Matthew Moyal, aged 13, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1730 6

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)