Peals History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Peals comes from the family having resided by the palisade. Peel was a square tower in olden times. 1 2

While the name is generally believed to be Anglo-Saxon, one source notes the name could have been Norman: "Radulphus Pele occurs in Normandy 1180; Robertus Piel 1180-95; William Pele 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Of these, Robert, son of Robert le Pele (c. t. Henry II.), gave lands in Monk Bretton, York, to the abbey there. From this northern family descended the Peels of Yorkshire and Lancashire, ancestors of the celebrated minister of England, Sir Robert Peel." 3

Early Origins of the Peals family

The surname Peals was first found in Lincolnshire where Walter Pele was registered in the Assize Rolls for 1202. In 1238, Henry Pele was listed in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire and later, Robert Peel was recorded in Nottinghamshire in 1382. Somerset records show Robert de Pele there in 1199. 4

"Many old mansions still bear the name of 'the Peel' in the North of England. Peel Castle in Furness is well known, and no doubt 'John Peel' of Cumberland hunting celebrity got his name from that spot. The name is still well known in that county. " 2

"Within my recollection, almost every old house in the dales of Rede and Tyne was what is called a peel-house, built for securing the inhabitants and their cattle in moss-trooping times." 5

Early History of the Peals family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peals research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1556, 1565, 1598, 1890 and 1965 are included under the topic Early Peals History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peals Spelling Variations

Peals has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Peel, Peal, Peale, Peele and others.

Early Notables of the Peals family

Distinguished members of the family include George Peele (c1556-1598), Elizabethan translator, poet, and dramatist who some claim collaborated with William Shakespeare on the play Titus Andronicus; and Sir Robert Peel, statesman, who as Home Secretary, two-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he re-organized the London Police Force. One of his sons Arthur...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Peals Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Peals family to Ireland

Some of the Peals family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Peals family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Pealss to arrive on North American shores: Lawrence Peele settled in Virginia in 1623; John Peele settled in Virginia in 1652; John Peel settled in New York in 1775; Thomas Peel arrived in Philadelphia in 1752.

The Peals 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: Industria
Motto Translation: Industrious.

Citations +

Halliwell, James Orchard. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial WordsLondon: John Russel Smith, Old Compton Street, Soho, 1848, Digital, 2 Vols
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.