The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Otewel family, whose name comes from the Norman given name of Ottiwell.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Otewel research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1120 is included under the topic Early Otewel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Otewel 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 Ottiwell, Ottewell, Ottawell, Ottowell, Ottiwill, Ottwell and many more.
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Early Notables of the Otewel family
More information is included under the topic Early Otewel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Otewel 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 Otewel or a variant listed above: Thomas Ottawell who arrived in Virginia in 1623; Thomas Ottowell, who came to Virginia in 1624; George Ottawell, who settled in Maryland in 1754; and Bridget Otwell, who settled in New York State in 1853..
England
