Carvell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The name Carvell arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Carvell family lived in Norfolk. The name is taken from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, in Carville, Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Carvell family

The surname Carvell was first found in Norfolk.

"The gateway of the ancient Hall [of Wiggenhall] built by the Kerville family, is still remaining. The church is a stately structure in the later English style, with a square embattled tower; the nave is lighted by clerestory windows, and there are a fine brass eagle, and an altar-tomb bearing the arms of the Kervilles and the Plowdens, with the effigies of a knight in armour, his lady, and two children." 2

The source 'History of Norfolk' includes the following entries for the family with various spellings throughout: Robert de Cherevill, Norfolk, 29 Henry II; Roger de Cherevile, Norfolk, 10 Richard I; Walter Cnervyle, rector of Bicham Well, Norfolk, 1329; Frederic de Carvill, Norfolk; Humphrey Carvile, Norfolk, 30 Henry VIII; Thomas Carvel, Norfolk, 1662; and Edmund Carvill, Norfolk, 1599. 3

Early History of the Carvell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carvell research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1545, 1549, 1553, 1566, 1600, 1603, 1622, 1647, 1655, 1664 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Carvell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carvell Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Carvill, Carvel, Carvell, Carvil, Carvile, Carville, Kervel, Carvaile, Carwell and many more.

Early Notables of the Carvell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Nicholas Carvell (d. 1566), English poet, elected from Eton to King's College 1545, was B.A. 1549, M.A. 1553. "He was at Zurich during the reign of Queen Mary, but returned after Elizabeth's accession...

Migration of the Carvell family to Ireland

Some of the Carvell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carvell migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Carvell name or one of its variants:

Carvell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Carvell, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 4
Thomas Carvell, who landed in Maryland in 1669 4

Carvell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carvell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Jacob Carvell U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 5

Carvell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Carvell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Frederic J. Carvell, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Carvell (post 1700) +

Kevin Lee Carvell (b. 1975), American actor, writer, television, film, and music producer, founder and CEO of Flashpoint Studios
Garreth Carvell (b. 1981), English professional rugby league footballer for the Featherstone Rovers
Frank Broadstreet Carvell PC (1862-1924), Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician, Member of the Canadian Parliament for Carleton (1904-1917), Member of the Canadian Parliament for Victoria-Carleton (1917-1919)
Mr. Darren Stephen Carvell M.B.E., British Petty Officer (Diver) for the Royal Navy, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 6
Tim Carvell, American Emmy Award winning author, known for this work for the TV comedy series The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jedediah Slason Carvell (1832-1894), Canadian businessman and politician, Senator for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (1879-1889), 5th Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island (1889-1894)

The Carvell 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: Sola virtus triumphat
Motto Translation: Virtue alone triumphs.