Yell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The name Yell is traditionally believed to be assigned to "children born on Christmas Day." [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

However, the noted author George Black is uncomfortable with this as he notes: " [it] does not satisfy me, but I am at present unable to offer a satisfactory interpretation in place of it. 'It is pretended that the Yuilles are descended of a son of Drumikills, born upon Yuilday. This pretension is adhered to by some of the name of Yuille, by others not.' " [1]

Looking back further, we found that in Sethian Gnosticism, Youel or Yoel is an angel who is described as a male virgin who gives five revelations to protagonists Zostrianos and Allogenes during their visionary ascents to heaven.

Early Origins of the Yell family

The surname Yell was first found in on the Isle of Yell, in the Shetlands, but the name quickly scattered throughout due to its etymology. "Johannes Yhole was burgess of Haddington in 1374. Johannes Yhole was chaplain in Aberdeen in 1391, and Simon Youle executed a charter of sale in the same city in 1399. John Yhule one of the 'appretiatores camium' in Aberdeen in 1398 appears in 1400 and 1401 as bailie and burgess of the same city." [1]

In northern England, the following passage appeared in the "curious old dictionary of Blount, called Glassographia: 'In Yorkshire and our other northern parts, they have an old custome after sermon or service on Christmas day; the people will, even in churches, cry Ule, Ule as a token of rejoicing, and the common sort run about the streets singing: 'Ule, Ule, Ule; Three puddings in a pule; Crack nuts and cry Ule.'" [4]

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include an entry for Robertus Youle as holding lands there at that time. [2]

Early History of the Yell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yell research. Another 303 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1451, 1494, 1503, 1525, 1551, 1577, 1553, 1595, 1578, 1612, 1655, 1659, 1641, 1820, 1889, 1686, 1516, 1816, 1711, 1550, 1608 and 1608 are included under the topic Early Yell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Yell, Yul, Yuel, Yule, Youll, Yuile, Yuill, Yulle and others.

Early Notables of the Yell family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Henry Youll (fl. 1608), English musician who seems to have been a household musician in the family of one Edward Bacon, and teacher of his four sons, about the beginning of...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Yell family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Alexander Yuill who settled in New York in 1774; Alexander Yule, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1784; Peter Yule, who came to Nova Scotia in 1786; William Yule, who settled in Quebec in 1820.

Contemporary Notables of the name Yell (post 1700) +

Archibald Yell (1797-1847), American attorney and politician, 2nd Governor of Arkansas (1840-1844)
Archibald Yell, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 27th District, 1883-85 [6]
Archibald Yell (1797-1847), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of Arkansas, 1840-44 [6]

The Yell 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: Numine et virtute
Motto Translation: By God's providence and by virtue.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html