Thisell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Thisell was first found in the Channel Islands where the name is generally believed to be derived from the French surname Touzel and in this case, it would have been a nickname for a "young man with hair cut short." 1 Alternatively, the name could have been for a "dweller near thistles or prickly plants." 2

However, another source claims the name was a baptismal name as in "son of Thurkettle," and a variant of Thirkell or Turkle. "This corruption was an early one, for a township in the parish of Swine, East Riding of Yorkshire, bears the name Thirtleby, i.e. the dwelling of Thurkell, the first settler." 3

The name may have been the root of the name Thistleton. In this case, the "surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Thistleton,' a parish in Rutland, eight miles from Oakham." 3 The earliest record of that family was found in the Feet of Fines of Lancashire in 1250 as Adam de Thistleton. 4 Just a few years later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Adam de Thistelton, in Lincolnshire at that time. 3

The name Thistle is numerous in Newfoundland as according to family tradition "one of four Thistle brothers from Guernsey (Channel Islands) settled in Harbour Grace c. 1663." 1