Dell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
  Scotland 


The history of the Dell family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living beside the water. The surname Dell originally derived from the Old English word dell which referred to someone who inhabited an area close to a body of water or glade. 1

Another source has a slightly different interpretation; having derived from the Saxon dialect "a dweller by the water," or "dell" a glade. 2

"The medieval form was At Dale, softened afterwards to A'Dale, as often found in parish registers of the XVI. cent., and widely renowned through the ballad of Robin Hood and Allin a'Dale." 3

Early Origins of the Dell family

The surname Dell was first found in Suffolk where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Ralph de la Dale and Thomas de la Dale as holding lands there at that time. 4

William and Robert atte Delle were listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. 5

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed Thomas del Dale; Robertus del Dale; Willelmus at Dale; and Johannes at Dale. 4

Up in Scotland, the first record there was Johannes de Dale who was charter witness at Yester, 1374, and later, Syme of Daile and Jok of Dail of the Newtoun were both listed in Ayrshire in 1470. 6

Early History of the Dell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dell research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1607, 1649, 1657, 1658, 1660, 1665 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Dell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dell Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Dell include Dell, Delle, Dells and others.

Early Notables of the Dell family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Dell Ranking

In the United States, the name Dell is the 4,076th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 7


Dell migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dell or a variant listed above:

Dell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Dell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Dell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Dell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Dell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Dell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Dell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Dell 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:

Dell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Dell (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Dell +
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